posted on January 11, 2001 12:03:52 PM
I have a weird situation.....I bought an item for $15.00, shipping was $10.00. The item arrived broken. The box wasn't damaged at all, but the item was too big for the box and wouldn't have fit in unless it was broken to begin with. I bought this item to restore, so it's not that big of a deal, but I thought I should let the seller know regardless.
He immediately wrote back and said "sorry, but after it leaves my house it's no longer my responsibility. Since you didn't pay for insurance, you have no claim with me. I pay extra for my items - wish you had paid the extra for insurance".
I never said a word about returning the item, etc., I just thought he should know it arrived broken.
The ACTUAL postage on the item was $4.00. I paid $10.00, so I paid $6.00 extra, and ASSUMED it was for a good packing job and insurance, but he's assured me insurance was on top of that.
Here's my point....he's already left me pos. feedback, but because he's acting so stupid, I'm on the fence about returning feedback in a lady-like manner. I've never left neg. feedback, as I've never had any unsolveable problem.
I'm not really "out" anything, but I wouldn't want you to deal with him......
posted on January 11, 2001 12:52:23 PM
I would post a neutral, and let people make up their own minds. But I would make clear what happended, and that it was broken, because of the way it was packed, not from shipping.
posted on January 11, 2001 01:05:33 PM
"The ACTUAL postage on the item was $4.00. I paid $10.00, so I paid $6.00 extra, and ASSUMED it was for a good packing job and insurance, but he's assured me insurance was on top of that. "
So this person lied too? Assured you before hand it was insuranced, what a dog! I have heard if packing was done poorly you would not have been able to collect on insurance
anyway. My first response would be to give the negative, just expect a stupid response
back in thier comments section. Make your negative short and right to the point, as
best as a line explaination you can give. I was mad as hell when I read what my
first and only negative responded to my comment. If I had to do over, I would have
taken a "time-out" to have explained better. Instead, I find myself anger all over again
because of their response which I find offensive to me, and Ebay won't remove it!
posted on January 11, 2001 02:21:22 PM
Sorry, I meant he assured me I DID NOT pay for insurance in the added $6.00. In his TOS he clearly states shipping was $10.00, which I agreed to pay, but it's his attitude that bugs me now.
I don't mind paying extra for shipping, but I'd like to see that added expense go to proper boxes, peanuts, etc. This was never an issue, but now it bugs me.
I bought an item that was whole, but needed work. Now it's broken - which is no BIG deal but it's the way he handled my email assuming I wanted my $15.00 back, which I never mentioned, and more or less saying "too bad" without asking for details, etc.
In essence he's not at fault, but I feel he's the one that "started" this. If he had replied "hey, no problem, send her back", or "what can I do??", I would have told him I would keep her in spite of the damage. End of story.
posted on January 11, 2001 02:41:30 PM
According to a recent post over on the Ebay boards, the UCC places all responsibility for the safe arrival of merchandise on the seller, unless the buyer has specifically waived insurance coverage by refusing to pay for it. (I don't particularly like the tone of the guy who posts this info, and I heartily disagree with him on what constitutes an "express waiver", but it sounds to me like you weren't given an option and any reasonable person would have understood that the charge you were quoted included insurance.) If you wanted to get really sticky with your seller, you could probably address it from that viewpoint, but I'm not sure how or to whom you'd address it. It's hardly worth taking him to court. Exactly what did the listing and EOA say about shipping charges? Did they name an additional amount to be paid for insurance? I really doubt you're going to have much luck in getting the seller to make good. If you're going to recover any of your money, you're probably going to have to file a fraud charge of one kind or another. The argument that the piece had to be broken to fit in the box in the first place seems to be a good place to start on that. Try filing with Ebay, USPS, your credit card company or anyone else that might be interested. What kind of feedback does this guy have?
posted on January 11, 2001 04:18:17 PM
That's just it "pickersangel"......I NEVER asked for my money back. I just wanted to let him know that the item arrived, but was damaged, then he went into this dramatic thing about how I never paid for insurance. His exact words were, "if you paid for insurance - NO PROBLEM. If you didn't - BIG PROBLEM!". He was being really defensive for no reason.
I told him I THOUGHT ins. was included in the extra $6.00 I sent - not that I wanted to make a claim or anything, but I thought it MUST be included for the ridiculous amount of postage he requested. (it didn't mention ins. in his description.)
His feedback is really good. 750 pos., 5 neg's & 6 neutral's.
By the book, he really hasn't done anything wrong but he's been a greedy dork to work with.
Since I've never left a neg., I just wonder if a neg. would be right considering......
BTW, he left me a glowing feedback...that's why it's so hard to know what to do.
posted on January 11, 2001 04:45:20 PM
Powerseller-I try not to buy from them because they think they can do no wrong. Now this is MY opinion and mine only so don't jump down my neck. I once read a thread where a powerseller borrowed (stole) a description from someone and the response to that was how do you think I became a powerseller I don't have time to write my descriptions so I borrow them from other sellers. I think that seller should know better if he has a feedback like that, that you don't pack an item in a box that won't fit in it and if he did he should go good for it. A negative will alert buyers about his packaging ability. I personally think that this is how he makes his money by overcharging shipping. I think I am doing something wrong. As a seller I put the insurance on it myself so that I don't have to pay for damage goods.
posted on January 11, 2001 05:22:00 PM
I'd guess he's defensive because he thinks you'll come after him for your loss, since the item wasn't insured (and according to the interpretation of the UCC code I've been given, you'd be justified in doing so). I can understand not wanting to mess with it over $25. Definitely neg the guy for inadequate packing, inflated shipping with no insurance included, and crumby customer service!
always pickersangel everywhere
posted on January 11, 2001 08:17:44 PM
Put the whole thing back together then try getting it into the box. If it doesn't fit I would leave a neg with the comment Shipped broken item - too big for box. AVOID
posted on January 11, 2001 08:23:53 PM
I would at least post a neutral, if not a negative (for attitude) and post within my commments that $6.00 was a high Handling fee to pay for a poorly packaged item....That should about cover it all......
