Hello Sellers, I have bought many espresso and old coffee pots. Almost 10% have been damaged by seller carelesness or lack of knowlege. So here are some tips for greater customer satisfaction: Always update your descriptions when a buyer gives info. It may save a misrepresentation problem! 1. Do not use commercial coffee pot cleaners. They have citric and other acids in them. That may leave a slime in the pot. Over ime it will destroy an aluminum pot. It also will badly damage a pot that has other metals in it (this is called Galvanic corrosion.) Use only hot white vinegar mixed with 1/3rd water and then a few hot rinses. 2. Assure the pot/maker is DRY before shipping! I've had four pots shipped wet, and some of the parts corroded/rusted together. 3. Pack well enough for the object to be repeatedly dropped from 6 feet/1.8M. A UPS guy said that could be normal treatment! 4. Unless the shipment is properly packed, The seller pays the the refund, insurance does not cover!. UPS makes a habit of stalling all claims and denying most due to poor packaging. I've had them drag out a claim for 6 months before the inspector showed up. Then he demanded the packaging materials. How many can keep the stuff for that long? 5. Always disassemble a complex or fragile maker, and pack each piece separately. Some pots will ship better if left together and wrapped so the top does not come loose. Glass pots should have the parts cushioned with tissue or paper toweling so they don't click together. 6. Use tissue, or paper-toweling against the surface of the items. Plastic wrap may discolor the item in humid weather. Then apply the bubble wrap. 7. Be very careful how tight you wrap the bubble wrap or packaging materials. One 1890's pot was damaged and bent due to over-tight wrapping. Metal is soft if not well supported. 8. Use a new, strong, box to ship heavier items. In that box, wrap all the separately wrapped items together in a plastic bag. That will protect against rain and inclement elements. Then pack peanuts in the box around that bag tightly. Do not throw in a bunch of broken styrofoam chuncks without peanuts. ( A source for free peanuts may be a local store that gets a lot of parts shipped to them. In my area, it is a electric motor repair shop. They want to get rid of the packing! 8. Some UPS packing and shipping stores may not be too savvy as to how to pack items. But the packing recipt may ease claims. Good luck to all and may the compaint you save make a better auction!!