I would say you could lose the blooms. But what type of orchid is it?

My experience with shipping orchids is that the company I worked for tried to ship budded plants where possible. Somewhere between just emerging buds, or in sheath buds in the case of Cattleyas, to buds that were a week or more from opening. We got very few complaints about our shipments.

BUT, on the other hand, we regularly received shipments from growers in Hawaii that were in full bloom, and sometimes actually turned these plants around within 24 hours. These were not shipped, but were delivered, and again, we received almost no complaints about the quality of the plants.

My assessment is that orchids really are "tough old birds", but you really do have to know how to pack them properly if you are going to deliver budded plants......I would be hesitant of something shipped from ebay in "full bloom", because I would not know the plants growing conditions before shipment, and how well the plant was packed for shipment. Fully open buds would be difficult to ship without damage, but the shipping should not necessarily be stressful to the pant if it was packed well.

Bill

It is a phalaenopsis orchid

The box would have to be as long as the total length of the plant.....pot, plant, and extended bloom spike......most difficult, unless it is a mini Phal. Some of those that I have seen in the big boxes wouldn't be too difficult.

Bill