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Rapido's rolling stock boxes sealed in plastic wrap

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Rapido's rolling stock boxes sealed in plastic wrap
Posted by PC101 on Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:14 PM

Anybody here have a good idea why Rapido is wrapping their product boxs in plastic wrap/bag?

The latest I find is the flat car, the box is wrapped in plastic and is folded over the end so you can not even read clearly the end of the box to see what item is in the box.

The view through the front ''window'' is ''frosted'' from the plastic wrap I can not even see the item clearly.

My LHS owner can't for the life of him figure out why this is done.

I told the owner ''maybe that wrapping is something he is to be removing before he puts said item on the shelves.''

Maybe the wrapping helps keep the salt air out of the product during shipping.

Hmm

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Posted by maxman on Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:14 PM

I just got a bunch of them and see what you mean.

Possibly keeps the box from getting soiled on the shelf.

Or maybe when the wrap is intact it gives evidence that no one has fished around in the box.

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Posted by BATMAN on Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:59 PM

Rapido often supplies a lot of bits and pieces with their models and has had problems with the bits disappearing. I think this is an attempt to curve that problem. 

I think it is great that Rapido gives us these bits and pieces along with the models but when they get returned minus the bits whether as a result of prior looting before the sale or someone buys it, takes out the bits and then returns it, the cost associated with that would add up. 

We all pay for the dishonest who walk among us.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, December 10, 2021 12:07 AM

I recall that Rapido had some challenges with their early packaging in terms of things getting damaged in transport. I seem to remember a video of Jason throwing boxes of the Canadian Pacific 'Canadian' down a long flight of stairs in their warehouse just to prove how tough the new and improved packaging was. Adding an extra layer of plastic wrap costs money so I'm sure that they must have a valid reason for doing it.

The theory about protecting the cars from salt sounds reasonable expecially given the likelyhood that the shipping containers may be stuck for long periods floating off the Pacific coast before they can be unloaded these days.

I do have to say that Rapido's packaging seems to be overly complex. I have learned to pay close attention when first unpacking a new piece of rolling stock or I will likely have to spend some considerable time trying to figure out how things go back together. Smile, Wink & GrinLaughMy 2 Cents

Cheers!!

Dave

 

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by selector on Friday, December 10, 2021 12:11 AM

PC101

Anybody here have a good idea why Rapido is wrapping their product boxs in plastic wrap?

...

Maybe the wrapping helps keep the salt air out of the product during shipping.

Hmm

 

I'm not positive, but my money is on keeping them afloat.  You see, we lost over 120 seacans off a large freighter about five or six weeks ago, with several seacans bobbing in the briny for days afterwards.  Our shore in British Columbia is now peppered with fridges, stoves, dishwashers, TV sets, car and truck tires....you name it, it's either sunk or is strewn across about 50 miles of shoreline...or more.  Now, Rapido being a savvy bunch o' guyz, they thought, well....we don't wanna lose a precious shipment to sea swells and sinking, so let's wrap them all and hope the seacan can be snagged and towed to the nearest port.

Yeah, far fetched, but.....that's my story, an' I'm stickin' to it. 

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, December 10, 2021 9:00 AM

Yep! Need a fridge, stove, dishwasher, or any other kitchen appliance?, step right up to honest Brents appliance emporium! 

Enjoy the comfort of shopping in the most unspoiled corner of the world!

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's You Pick Appliances! We are within 100 miles of the nearest road and only a short boat ride once you get here.

Advance payment (cash only) accepted!

 

 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by PC101 on Friday, December 10, 2021 9:21 AM

BATMAN

Yep! Need a fridge, stove, dishwasher, or any other kitchen appliance?, step right up to honest Brents appliance emporium! 

Enjoy the comfort of shopping in the most unspoiled corner of the world!

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's You Pick Appliances! We are within 100 miles of the nearest road and only a short boat ride once you get here.

Advance payment (cash only) accepted!

 

 

 

Do they come with a full factory warranty?

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Posted by Water Level Route on Friday, December 10, 2021 10:19 AM

PC101
Do they come with a full factory warranty?

Probably have to sacrifice that for Honest Brent's On the Rocks prices! Laugh

Mike

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Posted by NittanyLion on Friday, December 10, 2021 11:16 AM

About 15 years ago, a container full of Doritos went in and washed up near Cape Hatteras. People went out to gather all of free Doritos. A Frito-Lay spokesman said that they were free to do so and that a sealed bag of chips should survive the trip ashore. But added that he personally would not eat any ocean chips. 

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Friday, December 10, 2021 11:27 AM

It's  to retain the freshness

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, December 10, 2021 11:56 AM

Nanny-state safety requirements?  I remember when some sicko laced Tylenol bottles in a drug store so he wouldn't get caught poisoning his wife.  He got caught anyway.  But this would keep innocent model railroders from eating any rolling stock that might have been poisoned.  Tamper evident, you know.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, December 10, 2021 2:37 PM

My 2 ¢

There are those "collectors" out there who demand a pristine, no scuff mark, no wrinkles or stains outer box. So for maybe a dime each the factory will slip each box into a polyethylene bag. Pretty sure Broadway Limited does the same thing.

An ounce of prevention. When I receive mine I generally take the bag off and reuse it for gathering trash or storing bits and pieces in. I don't have room to store all the boxes anyway and these either get recycled or put to other uses.

Good Luck, Ed

 

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Posted by PC101 on Friday, December 10, 2021 4:12 PM

Well here's a thought...maybe the factory workers/machinery can flip the box end for end and then slide it in the bag, then the check out guy at my LHS will not have to take time to find a scissors and cut the tape to open each bag so he can scan the item being sold. 

I am not sure if the bar code scanner will pick up the bar code through the polyethylene bag either.

I do know for as long as I can remember, in shipping an item that securing the product in and out of it's packaging is #1 priority.

This is what my LHS and the customers are dealing with. 

 

 

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Posted by saronaterry on Friday, December 10, 2021 5:14 PM

Water Level Route
Probably have to sacrifice that for Honest Brent's On the Rocks prices! 

Honest Brent's Rock Bottem Prices!

Terry in NW Wisconsin

Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, December 10, 2021 7:11 PM

PC101
This is what my LHS and the customers are dealing with. 

My new Ferrari looked like that when it came off the transport. The dealer charged me $1,200 "dealer prep" to remove the plastic.

How long does it take your dealer to slit the tape and remove the bag? He could pass this charge on to customers and recycle the bags and call it a handling charge.

Missed opportunity Whistling  Ed

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Posted by n012944 on Friday, December 10, 2021 10:18 PM

PC101

This is what my LHS and the customers are dealing with. 

 

 

 

All the more reason to skip the hobby shop and buy direct.  

An "expensive model collector"

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