posted on September 24, 2000 03:16:32 PM new
After shipping 100's of 1st class packages with no insurance or delivery confirmations,
I have a buyer who says they never received the package.
The buyer chose not to insure and I have no reciepts. What if anything can be done via the post office?
The buyer has a low feedback of 8 but all positive and seems like a straight shooter.
I could bite the bullet and send him a second order but I really can't afford the loss (38.00), nor do I want the neg (so far I'm a virgin) and shooting for that blue star.
So far I haven't made any commitments to the buyer but told him I will check with my postmaster tomorrow.
Any suggestions on how to handle this will be appreciated. I'm really new to mail order and just getting my feet wet.
posted on September 24, 2000 03:23:12 PM new
Well, unless you have had the buyer accept the risk of loss by specifically requesting no insurance you are on the hook. With 100's of parcels sent out and this being the first lost, it is your turn in the barrel and you owe a refund. There is not much the PO can do and nothing that will get the item back. Have the PO institute a trace and see what develops. You have no recepits? Your feet are now soaked.....you owe a refund and need to tighten your procedures. You want to do business but do not want to do the work needed to be IN business. You cannot have it both ways. Look at it like this....at 38.00 your hundreds of parcels have just cost you an additional 25 cents each. Thats the cost of doing business.
posted on September 24, 2000 03:43:27 PM new
You don't say how long it has been since you shipped the package. The few times that I have had an inquiry such as this, I usually tell the buyer that the post office will begin a trace after 30 days has passed. I usually ask them to be patient for a few more days and see what happens.
In all cases, except one, the package eventually arrived at the intended destination. For the one non-arrival, I had another copy (not usually the case because I normally sell mainly one of any type of item) and sent it to them.
I thought I once read here that buyers have to sign a postal form when a trace is instituted stating they never received the package. Anyone remember this?
posted on September 24, 2000 03:53:18 PM newYou have no recepits? Your feet are now soaked.....you owe a refund and need to tighten your procedures. You want to do business but do not want to do the work needed to be IN business.
Wow. that sounds a little harsh. The original message said the buyer chose not to insure.
In any case, I'd probably send another one in the name of good customer service, however, if the buyer was offered, but declined insurance it's a call you have to make. And a tough one indeed. You risk a neg if you choose not to replace the lost one.
If you are selling a lot of items at nearly $40., you might want to make insurance a mandatory part of purchase. Add the .85 to your shipping costs and state in your auction that: Buyer to pay $$$ for shipping and insurance.
