Snaketibe said:
One last point about the initial questions you ask about the packaging before bidding; never assume anything! Just because the postage charge is high, low or middling means absolutely nothing! Unless the auction very clearly states how the item will be packaged for posting (and quite frankly, why wouldn't you want to reassure buyers of a high-value and or easily damaged item that they are safe to buy from you?!), always assume the seller hasn't got a clue about packaging and ask your questions. As Mini99 and Edd both say, educate the seller and risk patronising them by asking what really should be an insulting question to them, if they know what they're doing.
Some examples I have used are things like:
"As you may know, with Vintage Star Wars toys the condition of the box / packaging is usually more important than the toy. Any damage decreases the value. Please can you confirm how you will package this for posting, to ensure the toy cannot rattle about inside its box and damage either itself or the Star Wars box, and also how the Star Wars box itself will then be packed for posting to ensure it cannot be damaged in transit? Will you, for example, carefully pack out the Star Wars box with clean plastic bags, tissue paper or bubble wrap (with no tape on it) to stop the toy from moving, and then carefully pack the Star Wars box in a much larger, very sturdy double-walled cardboard box with several inches of clean, tape-free padding on all 6 sides of the toy's box? Having no tape touching the toy's box is very important as it can damage it."
or
"Will you, for example, send this figure protected inside a Star Case, with that then bubble-wrapped and packed in a much larger, very sturdy double-walled cardboard box with several inches of padding on all 6 sides?"
Please don't shoot me down for this but people on here are generally serious collectors, so of course they want the best and for the item to be received in the same condition it was listed at, which is as it should be, especially when they are not cheap.
However most Evilbay sellers are probably not aware of the importance of protecting the packaging as well as the actual item, or have seen how badly parcels can get treated on their journey. They just sell them for the best price they can get, pack them up and ship them off. The above suggestions will probably sound OTT to them.
I have sold things on the bay in the past and believed I had always packaged them very carefully and thoroughly but I never thought to put them in two boxes. I consistently got good feedback for them being well-packaged too. Obviously in the future I will take even more care. I just wanted to show that even 'careful' sellers can get it wrong!
I would not have taken offence at anyone wanting things packaged in a certain way, as long as any extra postage costs were accounted for if needed. I sent one loose figure to the USA where the buyer had asked me to take extra care with the hands on it, so I wrapped it as best I could and he raved over the 'creative' packaging being great.
This forum is brilliant and I am learning so much. I had never even considered how figures could rattle about in transit and damage the bubbles for instance.