British Columbia artist loses hundreds of dollars after sandblasting sculpture shipped by Canada Post arrives at destination in pieces.
Brett Robinson says he paid extra for the insurance, only to find out he wasn’t covered.
“They never told me their insurance didn’t cover glass,” Robinson said. “They never explained anything to me about it.”
Last May, artist Haisla received an order to create a glass sculpture valued at $ 3,000 for a client in Ontario.
“This is the furthest I have sent so far,” he said. “So for someone to go this far, I was pretty excited.”
Robinson said he took great care in packaging the artwork.
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“I had wrapped it in bubbles and a thick foam mat that I had wrapped it in,” he said. “Then I have it in a cardboard box. I had it wrapped in a blanket and taped it in a garbage bag.
When he arrived at the Canada Post counter to ship his package, Robinson said he told the Canada Post employee the item was fragile.
“I explained to them that it was a fragile glass work of art. So they asked me if I wanted insurance and I said yes, ”said Robinson.
Assuming it would cover any damage, Robinson says he paid almost $ 60 for the insurance. A week later, Robinson received the shocking news that his sandblasting sculpture had arrived at his client’s destroyed door.
“I was really disappointed and very surprised because the glass is quite thick,” he said. “Going through a package like this and breaking the glass at the same time, I was surprised. “
Robinson learned that Canada Post does not cover fragile items as stated in its terms and conditions:
“Canada Post assumes no responsibility for damage caused to shipments containing fragile items. Fragile items include, but are not limited to, ceramics, glass, porcelain, mirrors, crystal, pottery, porcelain, perishable items, or items requiring refrigeration or temperature-controlled transport.
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Consumer issues contacted Canada Post regarding Robinson’s case and received the following response:
“When an item arrives at the post office, we have no way of inspecting the contents and how it was packaged by the sender. When processing through our network, a package travels over a series of conveyor belts and chutes, will tip over or be jostled in the process, and may end up being crushed by heavier items.
Items that are inherently fragile are not insurable against damage. It seems the customer was unaware, so we will reimburse the cost of the insurance as a goodwill gesture.
Robinson was forced to pay hundreds of dollars out of his own pocket to create a second sculpture for his client.
Consumer issues also asked Canada Post why Robinson’s package arrived damaged and if it was investigating further. Canada Post did not answer our questions.
Robinson says he’s learned his lesson and will now use a private courier to ship future artwork.
“I will no longer ship with Canada Post,” said Robinson.
Canada Post provides packaging advice on its website. It also recommends that customers consult the postal operator’s terms and conditions regarding liability coverage.
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