posted on April 25, 2005 07:22:40 PM new
I also agree about customs. Since I started doing DC, I have NEVER had a package lost. It will probably arrive. She will probably feel like an idiot when it does and she sees the postmark from March. She will also probably never admit it.
posted on April 25, 2005 07:29:57 PM new
Since I am not about to take responsibility for items that I sell once they leave my hands, I require buyers to pay for insurance on any item valued over $10.00. My postal clerks love me, and I haven't had a complaint from a buyer yet.
Of course I don't ship outside USA, AND I DON'T TAKE PAYPAL.
If you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first, they'll believe you
posted on April 26, 2005 03:43:55 AM new
Sears doesn't sent packages USPS. The last package I got from them was sent UPS and it's insured. BTW, with over 1100 sales, not one has ever been lost. Like, Tom I insure breakable items whether the buyer pays for the insurance or not.
I once had a package take 2 months to get to Victoria BC Canada! Thankfully, I had a customer who knew this was probably going to happen and was very patient. Now, I don't sell anything overseas that doesn't fit into a Global Priority envelope. To sell my large items to someone overseas is not economical to them anyway. They can buy the same things over there without the high shipping cost.
posted on April 26, 2005 04:45:04 AM new
We have a buyer in Canada we sent an 'item' to on March 16th, which he has not received yet ... we sent via 'Air Letter Post' ... we have a PS Form 2976 (whatever that is) which has a big ol' number on it, but when we asked our Postal people is this number 'traceable' please?, they said it only proves we shipped it. ... the buyer has checked with his post office and they said they haven't got it (the package) ... does anyone here know who he calls or talks to, to find out if it is sitting in Canadien Customs? ........
posted on April 26, 2005 05:34:10 AM new
I believe that sellers should accept some responsibility for delivery of their product. To deny responsibility for delivery while choosing not to communicate with the buyer is definitely a substandard business policy.
All sellers should be prepared to refund for non-delivery. If the value of the package is higher than you can easily afford to reimburse then you should insure the package even if the buyer does not choose to insure.
posted on April 26, 2005 07:09:30 AM new
Why do all sellers assume that all buyers who say the payment is lost in the mail are scammers but feel that when an item does not arrive it has nothing to do with them or is likely a scam on the part of the buyer?
I paid $40 for a postcard from England that never came. The seller said "Too bad" and that was the end of that. I think there is a double standard here.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on April 26, 2005 01:00:12 PM new
This package could very well be stuck in customs. This has happened to me more than once. France once held a package for over 30 days. However I only ship by express mail.
You could call the post office and ask for the phone number or website for that persons customs office. Sometimes I had to do that just to get some information for my customer.
posted on April 26, 2005 01:04:30 PM new
I had a seller once buy a new item and ship me that item because the first one got lost.
I said she didn't have to, but she did.
Personally, I would write it off and cut International shipments.
There are a lot of crummy bidders, but guess what? They spread the word.
"I got ripped off on ebay once..."
Does me no good when traffic is down and I want to put some auctions up.
posted on April 26, 2005 03:48:49 PM new
We ship thousands of packages internationally every year and yes, one or two vanish every year. However we lose many more high-value items in domestic shipments in an unrelated online business. All items are shipped with certificates of posting, or tracking, but still they can go missing.
Our best insurance has been easy-to-read return addresses (covered in waterproof tape) on all packages coupled with copies inside all packages (in case the outside gets damaged).
