So... Skylanders is big, right now... right?
Many people are playing the game, but many people are collecting the toys. Like me.
Not once, not twice, but three times now, I've dealt with the EXACT SAME shipping issue from THREE different sellers. One of these sellers is a MAJOR NATIONWIDE CHAIN STORE - and just happens to be the same major chain that is the FLAGSHIP RETAILER for the Skylanders brand.
First, someone on CAG mentioned that they had a broken Cynder - her wing was broken off in the package. They had picked it up when it was the only one they could find. He had since found another was was willing to let this one go for cost+shipping. I mentioned that it would go well with my broken Hex, showed a picture (of her clearly still in the package) and paid for it.
The second, I ordered one of the Blue Bash figures from Toys R Us's website. They sold these as limited, collectable, exclusive figures.
The third, I bought a Blister-packed Dark Spyro from someone on eBay. Paid 20 GBP for shipping (they paid 2.30 GBP for postage). I spoke with the seller in advance (as I was trying to get a second one) and clearly indicated that I was wanting one in the package for collector's purposes and that I already had the figure from the 3DS Starter Pack.
In each of these cases, the seller shipped the figure out to me in a BUBBLE MAILER. The Dark Spyro guy sent his out INTERNATIONAL in a BUBBLE MAILER.
Seriously, what is wrong with these people? Even if I were opening the figures up, I'd still like for them to not arrive crushed.
Now, I gotta try to find me another Dark Spyro in a blister package. Not too worried about the Cynder, it was more of a chuckle than anything. Still ticked about the Blue Bash - TRU refunded my shipping, but told me I was SOL at getting them to send another.

Gr.