dtconley
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:45:14 PM
Hello,
this is my first time posting, so be gentle with me. I just need to vent, and to see if anyone else has been in this situation? I recently sold an item for $80. I received an email from the bidder, who said that it had sustained some damage in the mail, and sent me a photo via email. (It did have some damage that wasn't there when shipped)
Concerned, I told him the item was insured and I'd be happy to fill out a claim form. He does not want to do that, since the post office will keep the item. He wants to keep the item himself. He feels that it isn't too much to ask that I refund him 30% of the bid price.
Is that wacky or what?
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ExecutiveGirl
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:51:13 PM
Hi,
Some people seem to think they can have their cake and eat it too, huh? 
I'd tell him he can either file a claim at the PO and get a full refund (from the USPS), OR, keep the item and not get any $$ back.
He can't have it both ways.
Besides, you insured it - so why should you be out of pocket for something the USPS did to the package?
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gs4
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:53:05 PM
Ask for the item back. Sounds more like they want a discount. I would give them nothing at this stage.
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jensmome
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:53:26 PM
Why have insurance if you're not going to use it? Tell him sorry, the USPS damaged it, not you.
If you don't have a shipping disclaimer in your TOS, now would be a good time to consider one.
Good Luck.
Kathy
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skip555
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:56:06 PM
was the item well packed ???
be honest with yourself and if you feel your packing could have been better you may want to think about refunding some.
I had a situation where I had packed the item well , The buyer commented that it was well packed and it broke anyway.
in that case I refunded half of her bid the way I look at it I still made a little and it helps keep ebay a nice place to do biz.
You may want to look at your profit on the item and see if there is any room.
you of course are not obligated but it would be nice
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sharkbaby
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:56:36 PM
I agree that they might be trying to pull a fast one. Maybe they already had one that was damaged and they photo'd that one to try & get money back too. Only you know how well you packed it. If I pack an item I would have a pretty good idea what type of damage it could possibly sustain. (Of course I'm an extreme case as I pack stuff so well you could drop kick the box across the warehouse and it would be fine!)
I'd be careful with this one, though and do what the others have suggested!
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dtconley
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posted on May 3, 2001 01:58:38 PM
Thanks for the advice. Thats what I thought too- why should I give him a refund when it is insured? He sounded so sure of himself, that what he was asking was reasonable. Go figure.
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dtconley
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:03:53 PM
skip555- I've been selling on ebay for over two years, have quite a bit of experience with packing. Feedback 1600+. I was convinced when I mailed it that it would get there with no problems. Things happen, I know, thats beyond my control once it leaves my hands. I was truly surprised when he said it was damaged, but more surprised that he doesn't want me to file a claim.
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commentary
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:09:56 PM
Actually - the solution is quite simple.
The postal service allows you to keep the item if the item still has value even in a damaged state. When you file the claim, you have to tell the post office what the remaining value of the item is. Than, the post office will not pay the full claim but only the damage portion.
Also, the seller cannot file the claim unless the item with packaging is return to the seller. The item with the original packaging has to be shown at the post office where the claim is being file. If the item is poorly pack, the claim can be denied.
I only had to file one claim about a year ago, and this was what was explained to me then. Not sure if any rules have changed.
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skip555
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:17:33 PM
dt I can understand him not wanting to file a cliam if it means he has to give up the item I am assuming it is a collectable item and he would still like it but feels the value is reduced
I have never filed a claim with usps but if they do take the item he is saying he would rather keep it but is asking for consideration
Sounds like it was well packed so your <b>obligation </b>would be limited to filing the insurance claim.
A good friend of mine says " it's always good for both sides to leave a little money on the table ".
Iv'e always interperted this as to not look out for the last dollar but to work with peaple
If it were me I would try to work with the buyer ( i don,t know about 24.00 dollars but I would offer him something .)
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misscandle
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:20:57 PM
He sounded so sure of himself, that what he was asking was reasonable. Go figure.
When they sound too smooth, it makes me wonder how many times they have done this before. Some people routinely try to get discounts or freebies by pulling stunts like this. Knowing the ropes is a clue. Not saying every knowledgeable bidder is a scammer, but it is one thing to consider.
Insurance is there for a reason. Insist that he go that route as the damage was not your fault. If the P.O. determines it was your packing that was inadequate, well then you can talk refunds. Until then, why should you pay? (Hoping for return business or to avoid bad feedback is not a reason, in my book, to return good money when I've done nothing wrong. Like paying people to buy from me. Lose money on every sale, but make it up in volume. HA!)
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toollady
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:24:44 PM
If the item was insured, it should NOT be returned to the seller! It will void the original insurance.
Seller or buyer may begin the claims process. Buyer will need to bring the item with the box and all packing materials to the PO.
If the seller begins the process, the claim form will be sent to the buyer's PO for the buyer to fill out their portion of the claim.
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sharkbaby
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:28:07 PM
toollady is right!
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commentary
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:32:57 PM
Toollady - are you sure. I filed a claim with my post office after the item and the original packaging was returned to me by the buyer. The postal employee did not even ask and process the claim. Did my post office do something they should not have?
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toollady
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:40:05 PM
Commentary, I would have to say that your PO did something that they should not have. It wouldn't be the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last.
If buyer returns the item to you, who is to say when the damage occured?
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commentary
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posted on May 3, 2001 02:49:02 PM
Toollady - I should have indicated that the package was marked as damaged upon receipt by the receiving post office. Somehow the whole package got immerse in water. It was so bad that the postmarks all washed off.
I filed for the refund so that the buyer did not have to go thru the claim process and also have to wait for the money. But I did check with my post office before askig buyer to send me back the item.
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toollady
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posted on May 3, 2001 03:15:06 PM
Ah! your's is a special circumstance then, since the PO admitted the damage right off the bat.
The problem lies when the damage is not visible from the outside of the package.
There is the option of the refund going to the sender (seller) instead of the receiver(buyer), so you could have refunded the buyer and they wouldn't have had to return the item to you, and then waited for the claim to be processed. It is just matter of the paperwork getting done.
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on May 3, 2001 09:27:24 PM
There was a thread a while back about a similar problem. The seller checked the feedback of the buyer - and the feedback they left for customers. The seller discovered many comments left by the buyer like, "Very helpful with damaged item", or something like that.
Moderators - do you know which one I am referring to? It might be really helpful in this situation.
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