posted on July 12, 2001 10:06:59 AM
During the holiday rush last year, I shipped all my packages with delivery confirmation. Sending the link along would save me e-mails from buyers wondering about its status. Anyway, I never lost a package... broken, ripped apart, crushed yes... but never lost a package. Now, I stopped using delivery confirmation and more buyers are saying they never received it.
Their dishonesty angers me. But I send another one along just in case they are telling the truth.
posted on July 12, 2001 10:49:09 AM
We have had exactly the same experience in the past.
As long as we have DC confirmation on NOTHING goes missing -- so we send over a hundred packages a month for months OK. Then when we stop using DC for a month we suddenly have several packages that never make it.
posted on July 12, 2001 10:50:37 AM
Can't say I agree with that. I have mailed about 600 books (from Canada). We do not have delivery confirmation (affordable). No missing packages or buyers who claimed not to receive them....
posted on July 12, 2001 11:18:49 AM
It's probably the post office and not the buyers. Have you seen all of the stuff USPS sells on ebay. Where do you think it is coming from?
posted on July 12, 2001 04:23:57 PM
From long experience, I am convinced that a certain percentage of buyers fabricate the "missing package" story to see what they can get from sellers.
Prior to Delivery Confirmation being used, I would have a missing package claim 3-4 times a month. With delivery confirmation I get maybe one a month, and when I reply with the tracking number and details it always miraculously seems to appear within 24 hours! (neighbor had it, it just was delivered etc.)
DC is worth every penny, believe me, and avoids lots of wasted time.
I also find that emailing the customer within 24 hours of shipping helps - they are on the look out for it. It also serves as a reminder of the service I deliver on ebay and encourages repeat sales.
posted on July 12, 2001 05:21:07 PM
I ship 250 packages or so a month -since I started using DC I have no problem with lost items. I just got tired of the 3 or 4 a month who claimed it never arrived. Very interesting and worth every penny.
posted on July 12, 2001 05:48:41 PM
I've been using Endicia for postage, and they have free electronic delivery confirmation.
More than once I've had buyers whose packages hadn't arrived, then when I sent the Delivery Confirmation, suddenly the package appears. And it's possible, of course, that it happened just the way the buyer said, but there's been a few times I've had my doubts ...
Even when I was paying for it, delivery confirmation is still worth the cost. I've found it most useful on packages that are worth $15-$25 -- they really don't need insurance*, but you still want to have some proof of shipment.
posted on July 12, 2001 06:07:53 PM
I just knew if I came here to ask if anyone else was getting duped for 'lost' packages..and lo and behold.. it's at the TOP of the list!!
I just have had 2 this last week that I resent cause they never arrived and now a third.....what is going on? I've been selling for 3 years and never ever had anything like this and all at once... I was highly blaming the postoffice but now.....well, how can you tell.... I have now added~~ "I can not longer be responsible for what the Post office loses and I will be adding 50cents for DC."
We could go broke replacing items or refunding......and I have my suspicions about where all are 'lost' items go... guess I need to check their auction site!!
I did talk to the postoffice today and lady said --media will sit until all Priority and 1st class get mailed and then they'll get around to the media... I stopped that also.. (bookrate) and they won't let you do DC on anything but Priority at least where I live cause I tried on 1st class today...
I can only hope the buyers understand the need for extra$ to cover DC ---this 'lost' business can not go on!!
raggedyluver
posted on July 12, 2001 06:16:01 PM
CORRECTION~~~ I'm sorry they do DC on 1st class for 60cents and Priority is 40cents..they do not DC media (bookrate)! Sorry......
raggedyluver
posted on July 12, 2001 06:26:37 PMRL: please note from USPS site:
Q. For what type of mail is Delivery Confirmation available?
A. Delivery Confirmation is available with Priority MailŪ and Package Services (formerly Standard Mail (B)) which includes Parcel PostŪ, Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail, and Media Mail (formerly Special Standard Mail). It is also available with Standard Mail (formerly Standard Mail (A)) parcels and Parcel Select for business-to-business and business-to-residential dropshipments.
posted on July 12, 2001 06:55:46 PM
I think it must be like the number of NPB's you get - it depends on what you sell, or the level of maturity of your buyers. I have shipped about 700 books with one lost package. I almost never purchase DC - I'd say 10 or 12 times at the most, when a customer requested it, or I had a funny feeling about the buyer.
I always include the buyer's address inside the package, firmly attached to the paper around the book. I think if someone opens a package and finds that, they realize that if they claim it did not show up, I (and the post office) can tell them it will eventually get to them even if the outer package was destroyed. Very secure packaging with a large, very clear address helps to get packages to the right person.
I received a book in the mail yesterday - wrapped in bubblewrap and in a large, lightweight envelope. No address on the inside, and no return address at all. If the envelope had been torn and the book had fallen out, it would have wound up on the eBay USPS site, I guess.
posted on July 12, 2001 07:07:33 PM
I find that DC provides an extra measure of customer service, for a small price. I don't use DC on everything, but always on items over $10.00. Hey, you should have enough profit built into your bid price to cover it. It's always great to be able to let the customer know when their item was shipped. 40cents, 80cents, hey peace of mind!
posted on July 12, 2001 07:15:28 PM
What recourse do you have if you DO use a DC and it says it was delivered but the person says they never got it? The package was insured BUT if the confirmation says it was delivered, the PO isn't going to pay out any insurance money on the item. I ask because this is happening to a friend of mine who sent an item with insurance and DC. The bidder says she didn't get the item though the confirmation says it was delivered yesterday. The bidder received the confirmation number and STILL insists that it wasn't delivered.
How can she use this proof? The bidder, I feel, will do a chargeback (gut feeling) and in the end my friend will have no money and no item while this bidder gets an item for free!
Any advice and/or explanations of exactly how the DC works would be appreciated. Thanks!
posted on July 12, 2001 07:22:54 PMTSQ, I wonder if the parcel shows delivered only because it's arrived at it's post office destination but hasn't actually been delivered by the letter carrier to the destination address. I say that because, with my experience in post ofc matters, I know that these items get scanned at the post office level and it's possible that the actual delivery to the addressee has been delayed or is scheduled for the next day...Don't know if this helps but it's a possible scenario.
posted on July 12, 2001 07:40:44 PMTSQ - I got caught up in the same catch-22 once, and I vowed I would never buy insurance and DC on the same package again. This was not an eBay item, but a pager I was returning to the company we'd leased it from. I thought I was really covering all bases - HA! - they said they never got it, the post office (DC) said they did, and the post office refused to pay the insurance claim. We kept insisting to the company that it was delivered, and because of numerous other problems we'd had with them, they finally just dropped the issue. But if they hadn't, I guess we'd have had to pay the $50.00 they wanted for the pager.
There really is little if any reason to buy both DC and insurance - makes a lot more sense to just buy the insurance, if the value of the package warrants anything at all. JMO
I suggest the seller go to this link, enter the buyer's address and forward the result to the buyer. The buyer can investigate their claim. I've had very few buyers claim they still did not receive their item after this.
posted on July 12, 2001 08:39:39 PM
The lady at the postoffice said "you can insurance something for $100.00 but you can only claim insurance lose with an orginial receipt." I said what if you buy it at a Thrift store for $10.00 and you sell it for $40.00 or if at a garage sale and there is no proof of purchase? Answer.. You'll not get a claim for what it sold for but
what you paid for it! And you can buy insurance on anything,,but,without a orginial receipt you'll not be able to claim.......So mostly Insurance would be a waste of time for me!! I pick up too much stuff and resell that don't have receipts or a low cost..That only leaves DC-- which only tells me it finally reached her town!
posted on July 12, 2001 08:53:42 PMAnswer.. You'll not get a claim for what it sold for but what you paid for it!
Others have posted that they have received the same response from the post office, but you know what... if that happened to me (as a seller), I would keep after them until they paid the claim based on the final auction price.
Once I have accepted the buyer's payment, the item is his, and the final auction price is what he paid for it. I wouldn't take "No" for an answer.
Actually though, this would never be a problem for me, since I insure using U-PIC, and they will accept the eBay price when paying on a claim (and they are half as expensive as the USPS, to boot!)
posted on July 13, 2001 02:37:00 AM
To say that "You'll not get a claim for what it sold for but what you paid for it" is ludicrous!!! If that were the case, then every company filing a USPS insurance claim would lose 100% of their PROFIT on every lost/damaged item and would have nothing extra in the insurance refund to cover their EXPENSES in the transaction---the cost of selling it in the first place, shipping it, and processing the insurance claim! No one in their right mind would purchase USPS insurance!!!!!!!!!!!
I had an insured package of jewelry 'disappear' en route to the buyer via USPS a couple years ago, and the claim process was slow, but I was reimbursed the FULL AMOUNT of the insurance I purchased without showing my original purchase receipt. The buyer was impatient and wanted an immediate refund six weeks after mailing, when it became clear it was 'lost'. I sent her a money order as refund for her full purchase price, and submitted the money order receipt as proof of the item's value/purchase price, which I'd already refunded to her. The Post Office never asked me what I had paid for the item (which was about half the amount I sold it for), nor did they ask me for MY purchase receipt as proof of value. They paid my full claim, and also refunded my postage and insurance costs.
posted on July 13, 2001 05:11:13 AM
Mr.Potatohead-- What is U-Pic and how do we locate it? Could just be an area thing.
--------
ganree--I truely believe the USPS workers tell you what they want... I don't use just 1 postoffice and I have had different responses to the same questions! Some of the USPS do not like the ebay dealings and you can usually tell,,esp. when I have 10packages and hold up a line!!
So for factual info on what the USPS stands by..where should we go? Certainly not to the workers themselves!!
My items are lowcost,,mostly under $10.00 so doesn't seem necessary to use insurance,,my main concern Still is those LOST packages happening Way to often now!!
posted on July 13, 2001 08:47:56 AM
I always use DC with all my things I mail. I use Endicia, so it is either free or .12. I email the person the number. By doing this I have not had anyone asking where their package is. I use Media Mail rate quite frequently, so packages can take forever at times to arrive at their destination.
I purchased something around a month ago, but failed to show up. After contacting the buyer, found out he used DC and showed it was delivered several days after it was mailed. After contacting the Post Office concerning this, I was told the mailman scans it at your house when he leaves it, not as I thought, when it gets to the post office. I even spoke with the mailman and he verified this. This was left in front of our door and most likely someone took it. Luckily it was only around $15, but it still makes you disgusted. It wasn't insured, but I guess that wouldn't have helped in this case anyway. But I certainly cannot blame the seller on this case as he did his part.
posted on July 13, 2001 09:02:08 AM
Hi, jmr82 - I wonder if the package had been insured, would the carrier have left it at the door, or not? I don't know if all carriers follow the same procedure on this. Anyway, I am glad for your sake that it was not an expensive item.
posted on July 13, 2001 11:15:07 AM
I still can't believe the number of people that use (& pay for) DC. It's a waste of money (if you get it for free, don't use it anyway -- it's a MAJOR reason mail service has slowed so much...)
IF YOU USE DC
1) If the package is lost, you're still out the money.
2) If the package is damaged, you're still out the money.
3) If the DC says it was delivered & the buyer says it wasn't, you're still out the money.
Don't believe me on 3)? Ask any insurance carrier. Ask any lawyer/judge. Ask any credit card company. All DC means is that they left it on a doorstep somewhere... It doesn't mean it was received & NO ONE will consider it "proof" of delivery.
If you're paying for DC believing it somehow protects you from a buyer claiming they didn't receive something, then you're wrong. You WILL get a chargeback. You could be sued for the amount of the purchase and would LOSE. DC does not replace insurance. It doesn't even replace Certified Mail. To me, it's absolutely worthless -- there's NOTHING (legally or otherwise) that you can do with a DC saying something was "delivered" if the recipient claims it wasn't. You WILL be out the money if the buyer wants to push the issue.
It honestly has me baffled that so many use it. If people 1thought it through, they wouldn't waste their time/money.
posted on July 13, 2001 11:27:38 AMMr. TooLongOfAName4Me2Remember:
Of course! For expensive items, I use insurance!
But for my run-of-the-mill $10.00 - $30.00 items I usually sell, DC DOES provide some security! At least in my experience with only 1000 shipments over the past 18 mos!
posted on July 13, 2001 11:53:09 AM
ebpsg - I think most sellers are aware of the points you make, and as I stated earlier in this discussion, I very rarely purchase DC. But I do believe it has value in one way: someone looking to scam a seller by claiming an item never arrived will most likely choose a seller who did not add DC to the package.
posted on July 13, 2001 12:45:17 PM
ebaypowersellergold
DC has held up in several court cases that have been mentioned on this board. Also, DC is proof of mailing which according to the law, relieves the seller of all responsibilty unless otherwise negotiated. It is called Free-On-Board shipping point and is the default.
