Selling/Shipping Question

[dspoonrt]

So I got a letter on Monday from the USPS stating that a package I sent to Canada was destroyed in transit when the truck crashed and caught on fire (R.I.P. KOF 95 and KOF 2003 MVS carts).

I sent First Class International which does not come with insurance (the buyer did not request insurance). I'm trying to work with the USPS, but I doubt they'll issue any sort of refund.

What's the protocol in this sort of situation? Does the buyer get back every cent (payment for item, shipping, and PayPal fees) while the seller is left to eat all costs?

 

[Yodd]

lol that sux.

Sadly Paypal will side with the buyer and issue a refund.

Hopefully you can at the very least get a refund from USPS. Even though it wasn't insured, what kind of declared value did you have on the package?

 

[dspoonrt]

I believe I declared the value at $50 or $60 on the customs form, pretty close to actual value.

 

[Yodd]

I suppose there is a possibility they may reimburse you since this was CLEARLY a mistake on their end. Not like usual when they claim bad packaging, incorrect addresses, solar flares and etc.

 

[Phyeir]

My view is shipping is something that the buyer chooses to get at different levels, some of which include insurance. As long as you as the seller were willing to offer the types of shipping that allow for the protection, the buyer is eating it, IMO.

Way I look at it, if I buy from a smaller online store and they offer different shipping options on their products, if there is damage in transit, especially internationally, unless its due to a poor packing job from them, I eat it. Which is exactly why I always order wih insurance when its higher dollar items.

EDIT: Did forget to say though, PayPal always sides with buyer. So youre probably eating it.

 

[dspoonrt]

I'm working it out with the buyer. He seems cooperative thus far.

 

[GohanX]

I take the opposite stance from Phyeir. As a seller, it's my responsibility to ensure that the package is delivered to the customer, I don't generally leave it in the buyer's hands to decide if something has insurance or not. If it's a cheaper item, I consider it self insured and pull the cash out of my pocket. I've only had one package lost during all my years of deals, which was a NES repro that I sent to Texas, and I replaced it on my dime.

 

[Yodd]

I take the opposite stance from Phyeir. As a seller, it's my responsibility to ensure that the package is delivered to the customer, I don't generally leave it in the buyer's hands to decide if something has insurance or not. If it's a cheaper item, I consider it self insured and pull the cash out of my pocket. I've only had one package lost during all my years of deals, which was a NES repro that I sent to Texas, and I replaced it on my dime.

This is pretty much the way I roll.

Seller is responsible for getting it from point A to point B.

 

[dspoonrt]

I have offered a refund for the sale price minus shipping, which the buyer has agreed to. If the USPS ever issues any of sort of refund, I'll refund the shipping costs.

 

[Phyeir]

I take the opposite stance from Phyeir. As a seller, it's my responsibility to ensure that the package is delivered to the customer, I don't generally leave it in the buyer's hands to decide if something has insurance or not. If it's a cheaper item, I consider it self insured and pull the cash out of my pocket. I've only had one package lost during all my years of deals, which was a NES repro that I sent to Texas, and I replaced it on my dime.

And that's the way I roll in actual selling, but I don't believe its right from the standpoint of what the parts of the transaction are, going from seller > shipping agent > buyer.

Both parties know that the shipping agent is opening the transaction as an unknown. As a seller, I should make sure everything is packed well and in proper condition before letting the item go. But how quickly an item is received, the protections after that is really in the buyers interest, not the seller. If the seller as done everything right through getting it to the agent, it feels wrong that they also have to ensure anything beyond that because more often than not, its the buyer trying to get the goods at the lowest costs possible. And Ive not sold items specifically because the buyer wouldnt pay for the better coverage knowing what the issues can be from not having insurance and such.

I type all this realizing that you can't practice that IRL, becuase the protections are there in the buyers favor, even though they are the ones often driving the shipping due to costs. (Also caveat saying all this not in judgement of however this selling situation occurred)

 

[NeoSneth]

I take the opposite stance from Phyeir. As a seller, it's my responsibility to ensure that the package is delivered to the customer, I don't generally leave it in the buyer's hands to decide if something has insurance or not. If it's a cheaper item, I consider it self insured and pull the cash out of my pocket. I've only had one package lost during all my years of deals, which was a NES repro that I sent to Texas, and I replaced it on my dime.

This is generally the stance in the US. We're terrible consumers. People put all liability on the seller until it is their hands. Even stuff out of the seller's control is their responsibility.
I've had a few packages destroyed/lost in transit, and the seller had to take the hit every time. I've been on both ends of it.

 

[skate323k137]

As others have said it's the sellers job to make sure it gets there, or insure it if they can't take the loss. It can suck but that's how it is. The buyer is paying for an item, not the act of handing an item to a shipping carrier.

That said I really hope you get some form of compensation, though I'd be surprised if you do.

 

[dspoonrt]

The PayPal dispute is now resolved. The buyer was very agreeable, but PayPal's dispute process makes things (like partial refunds) a lot harder than they should be.

I will let you guys know how things turn out with the USPS.

 

[dspoonrt]

Update from USPS:

A USPS customer service representative just called me to apologize for the inconvenience and to say that there's nothing they can do for me. He said it's the first time something like this has happened in the 20+ years he's worked for the USPS (who cares?). He continued on to say that the company is not claiming responsibility because apparently it was another driver's fault that the accident was caused. I called bullshit, and he said, "I'm sorry that doesn't help you at all, but that's our stance." I told him it's amazing that their customer service department is so powerless in actually helping their customers, and he just commiserated saying that he often doesn't agree with the USPS.

I will continue to probe the USPS to see if anyone in the organization has the capability of providing the smallest amount of customer assistance. Next stop: Consumer Advocate of the Postal Service

 

[SNKorSWM]

Ouch! Surprised to hear that the USPS is shirking all responsibility, not even giving you back the cost of shipping, which they failed to accomplish.

 

[BIG BEAR]

I had a Domestic parcel with tracking list as never reaching it's destination where I was reimbursed on the postage.I took my receipt to the PO where I mailed the parcel,filled out a form and the postage fee was returned to me. I first had to wait like a month to give the parcel an opportunity to reach it's destination which I did.The parcel was tracked to the buyer's local PO so my PO made a call to the buyer's PO where they stated it was MIA even though it had been logged in.
You have documentation of USPS admitting negligence which means they are liable for the return of your postage at the very least. You paid for services that they did not fulfill,period.
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