posted on June 17, 2002 05:11:44 PM
I sent a fragile item, double boxed to buyer. Somehow the Post Office managed to break it. I offered insurance at $1.10 but it was not taken. I asked the buyer to take it to the Post Office to see if maybe they would do something for them since it must have been mishandled. The buyer said the Post Office said 'they said since you did not opt for insurance, there is nothing that they can do. They said by saying that you did not want the item insured, you were saying that you were sure it was wrapped enough not to be broken. They said that I have a right too a refund, AS THIS IS Ebay's POLICY. I hope that we can end this transaction amicably.' I know there have been threads on this before. I have looked and looked and I do not see where it is Ebay's policy that seller has to refund for uninsured, broken, item. I have asked that it be sent back to me in the original packaging so I can see just what happened. Besides, when does the Post Office quote Ebay policy!
posted on June 17, 2002 05:49:27 PM
If the buyer accepts the package, opens it up, it becomes the buyers liabily if the item is broken. If the buyer sees damage to the box he should refuse the item and send back to seller, or at the least open it in front of a PO employee.
You now have no obligation to refund money, and ebay has no policy on this. It was never mentioned in the other thread where the question was why should the buyer pay for insurance? This answers that question because even if the buyer had opened it and noticed the damage, the PO would still cover it.
Your buyer is out of luck.
{don't take this as legal advice, that's my understanding of the law only}
posted on June 17, 2002 05:57:53 PM
How much was the item worth? Now there is another thread about postage that I started and quite interesting. I will tell you what I would do. If I have a breakable item I always include shipping, handling and insurance in my TOS. I would never give the buyer any option. It's insurance or don't bid. Now, if you offer the buyer to buy insurance and they refuse I always put insurance on those packages even if I am out the $1.10. It's far better to be out the dollar than have all the hassel that you are having. If the buyer opts out of insurance I never tell them that I will insure it. Image the buyers surprise when he gets the package and the insurance is on it. If it is broken I insure I am only out the $1.10. If it is not broked I am still out the $1.10 but I don't have all the hassells.
posted on June 17, 2002 06:16:39 PM
Personally I feel if an item gets damaged it is the sellers lack of packaging and should just refund the money. It comes down to experience in sending and receiving packages and seeing how items get damaged. I use crumpled newspaper to fill in empty space, the #1 cause of damage is empty space. With glass items it is shock, so bubble wrap or other shock absorber is required.
I have sent a couple odd shaped items that I thought were satisfactory packaged, but it got damaged and I realized I should have done better, so I sent a new item without question.
Use your own judgement. I use the same packaging over and over on most items so if someone complained on damage I would be highly suspect if they're telling the truth, but like on those odd shaped items I sent I just knew they were right.
posted on June 17, 2002 06:24:43 PM
I have to agree with Libra63 & quickdraw29. I will not ship anything fragile w/o insurance & I state it in my TOS. I also feel responsible when something breaks. However, I still feel that the delivery system has som responsibility. You can't imagine how these pkgs get treated. My son worked for UPS one summer & the horror stories he can tell are really gross.
Personally I feel if an item gets damaged it is the sellers lack of packaging and should just refund the money.
After watching postal employees playing catch with packages on the news and tossing packages backwards over their heads I would have to disagree. I've received packages that have been crushed and had tire marks. How could a seller possibly package a breakable item so it would withstand that kind of pounding?
The post office does not take any care in handling the mail. That's why they expect you to pay them to replace it when it is damaged.
posted on June 17, 2002 08:09:17 PM
feistyone Is right,
they break more packages then you can imagine, I've seen the loading docks,
where they just throw the box into the back of the truck, at that point it doesnt matter
how carefully it was packed, the force they threw it with definitly broke everything breakable in that box!
but I've noticed that they try to handle insured boxes better, if they damage it they have to pay for it and the post office is not very profitable at the moment
I agree wih someone here who said that everything breakable should be insured.
just note it in the auction,
"On fragile items insurance IS required"
any sensible buyer will agree with that .
(lets not start a thread on sesible buyers though, I might be pushing it on that one )
i once got a top shipped in Tyvek priority envelope with tire marks all over it and
small hole in it, caused by sharp objec of some sort, BUT it was insured
PO took one look at it and sent a refund.
posted on June 17, 2002 11:44:47 PM
Bubble wrap does a remarkable job protecting fragile items. I have shipped large fragile items without a box, just wrapped in bubble wrap and paper wrap and they arrived fine. There's no question it would survive being forcefully tossed or being under heavy boxes.
One buyer said a box of mine was severely damaged, and taped back up because it had a huge gaping hole in it. Said my newspaper saved the items.
posted on June 18, 2002 03:17:31 AM
I forgot to say, I plan on refunding. In over 1000 items sent, this is the first that broke. I do use bubble wrap, peanuts, newspaper ect. I was just offended that the Post Office said it was Ebay's policy. I have no negatives and do not want one now! I appreciate all of the feedback everyone has given me. I will insure all fragile items from now on. I should have insured that one for sure. Thanks folks!!
posted on June 19, 2002 02:04:51 AM new
I have handed packages to a USPS clerk,
witnessed them stamp it Fragile at my
request and then turn and throw it into
the wooden multi-compartment bin behind
them! I offer buyers the option of
insurance with return receipt, at their
expense (since insurance does NOT require
a signature, it is NOT offer by itself).
If the buyer does not want it, I do not
force it on them. That said, I wrap all
items like I would want to receive them.
I actually had someone tell me once that
they thought they could drop a computer
I sent off a tall building (still in the
packaging I used, of course) and it would
have still worked. :^)
Z
---
"Cannot say. Saying, I would know. Do not
know, so cannot say". -- Zathras (Babylon 5)
