Amazon HDD packaging

**original PM** · 22 May 2018, 13:26

Was it actually broke?

HDD are pretty robust now you know.

**Hobosapien** · 22 May 2018, 13:57

See if you can find the shock tolerance of the HDDs you're thinking of buying. Some are designed to be kicked about by couriers better than others. A bit of bubble wrap or foam isn't going to protect them from being drop kicked around the depot.

I've only ever encountered one dead on arrival HDD failure. From Scan some years ago. Plugged it in and it would't work (drive not recognised in bios). Called them and some guy talked me through downloading and doing a diagnostic test to check the shock value the drive had experienced. Can't remember the values but it was reported to be outside the tolerance. Scan customer services said "I'm glad to tell you the drive has been damaged by mishandling and is not covered by the warranty". I though WTF. Turned out he thought I'd mishandled it. Told him I had two witnesses who saw me receive and open the package and install the drive without incident. He then backed down and gave me a returns number.

So buying from Scan or any other company is not necessarily going to be any safer than Amazon.

As the heads are parked when it's shipped if it works then it works and should be covered by the normal manufacturer's warranty. Worth checking the drive via diagnostics though just for peace of mind.

**Dark Black** · 22 May 2018, 14:36

Originally posted by Hobosapien View Post

See if you can find the shock tolerance of the HDDs you're thinking of buying. Some are designed to be kicked about by couriers better than others. A bit of bubble wrap or foam isn't going to protect them from being drop kicked around the depot.

I've only ever encountered one dead on arrival HDD failure. From Scan some years ago. Plugged it in and it would't work (drive not recognised in bios). Called them and some guy talked me through downloading and doing a diagnostic test to check the shock value the drive had experienced. Can't remember the values but it was reported to be outside the tolerance. Scan customer services said "I'm glad to tell you the drive has been damaged by mishandling and is not covered by the warranty". I though WTF. Turned out he thought I'd mishandled it. Told him I had two witnesses who saw me receive and open the package and install the drive without incident. He then backed down and gave me a returns number.

So buying from Scan or any other company is not necessarily going to be any safer than Amazon.

As the heads are parked when it's shipped if it works then it works and should be covered by the normal manufacturer's warranty. Worth checking the drive via diagnostics though just for peace of mind.

That's shocking. At least Amazon do have a very good non-quibble returns policy.

I hear what you are saying about the heads being parked, and the limited protection of bubble wrap, but I'm still dubious about the long term reliability (it's going in a NAS) of a drive that's had no shipping protection whatsoever.

**DimPrawn** · 22 May 2018, 20:41

And then other times you order a nano SD card and it arrives in a box big enough to put a large SUV inside. I guess this is what happens when a company is making so much money and paying zero tax it doesn't give a tulip what it does....

**odpadnik** · 23 May 2018, 09:35

Originally posted by Dark Black View Post

Has anyone here bought a HDD from Amazon recently (within the last 6 - 12 months)?

If you have, was the packaging adequate?

Reason I ask is because when I last ordered a drive from them (couple of years ago), it arrived packaged like a book or CD/DVD. E.g knocking around loosely in the standard cardboard packaging. No bubble wrap or foam packing in sight.

I sent it straight back and ordered another via Scan, which turned up mummified in a big ball of bubble wrap.

I now want to order some more drives. Amazon are (currently) considerably cheaper than the other usual suspects, so if they've got the message (there was quite a lot of complaints on the net about it) and sorted their packaging out I'll try them again.

I'd rather not waste time ordering and then have to return it if the packaging is still not up to the job.

I did order a HDD last year, had no issues. Small package, no dents or anything. Guess you just got unlucky

**Dark Black** · 23 May 2018, 13:27

Originally posted by odpadnik View Post

I did order a HDD last year, had no issues. Small package, no dents or anything. Guess you just got unlucky

Maybe it's a bit hit and miss but there's a lot of punters unhappy with the packaging in the reviews for the drives (WD Red)

Amazon HDD packaging