posted on December 2, 2004 03:39:46 PM
I bid, won, and the item is worth far more than what I won it at, but I won. I have the rest of this set of pottery that matches.
Ok, so it takes seller 3 days to get to me on shipping, she had no calculator or fixed rate in the auction, she didn't send an invoice. I got the final total about 4 days later, Ok no big deal, holidays and stuff.
I got it today. I knew it was broken, it rattled. She charged me $10 shipping, and used the new flat rate $7.70 box. No big deal again, I don't mind handling fees.
I open it, carefully, it wasn't packed in peanuts, it had wadded up newspaper. The pottery was bubble wrapped, but broken in two.
My fault, I didn't ask for insurance.
So, what is the procedure here, I let her know, I send it back, but when you have to send something back, do I use her original packing?? I've never done this before (course that is, if she'll take it back)
I am not familiar at all on this, and I almost feel bad for her that it broke and I have to tell her!!
It was a gorgeous piece....to me anyway since I collect it.
posted on December 2, 2004 03:52:37 PM
How was it shipped.
If it was USPO, take the item to the P.O. with all the wrappings and file a claim. they in turn will send it to the seller, she attaches the insurance ticket and then they process it and you get your refund, less shipping.
posted on December 2, 2004 03:54:26 PM
You accepted full liability for damage when you didn't buy insurance. The packing you describe would be plenty sufficient for the P.O. to pay if it was insured. I would not even mention it to her, as she has no responsibility. That's the reason when I ship something through the Post Office (which is a very rare occasion anymore) the shipping charges I quote will always include insurance. The buy has no option to decline. I do it to avoid situations such as this.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on December 2, 2004 04:00:08 PM
There wasn't any insurance purchased but she did a sketchy job of packing if she is an established seller. She should have used peanuts. If you have a digital camera, take a picture to send along with the email indicating that it arrived broken and what did she intend to do about it. Don't leave feedback until this is complete to your satisfaction.
posted on December 2, 2004 04:06:36 PM
Well, I certainly won't leave feedback. I sell a lot of glass and breakables, and (knock on wood) haven't had anything broken.
I'm not even sure she offered insurance, I had to email 2x for the shipping. I've never sent a breakable with only rolled up newspaper, I HAVE used shredded paper, only when I had to (it does make it heavier.)
She already gave me + feedback, I won't leave anything, but I will see if she wants to do anything about it, even without insurance, if not, my bad, but NO feedback, neg or otherwise.
I did look at her feedback, and its all 100%, but the items went high(er) and what they should go for, if that means anything, I don't know
BUT, the question I had, IF I had to send it back, would you send it back like she had it packed? in the rolled up newspaper, or pack the way I usually pack?
Thanks
posted on December 2, 2004 04:09:54 PM
always always always pay that $1.30 for insurance. And when you pay PP in the note part of PP say that you have included the insurance in the payment.
I've had PP refund me in several instances where either the seller didn't ship or it got lost. I learned a long time ago that even as much as I hate paying that $1.30 that I hate being more out of pocket of not having the widget and out the $$ of paying for it.
You seldom need insurance but most sellers don't even use delivery confirmation.
If you pay for the insurance, PP pays up.
"It is only with the heart one sees rightly,
what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Antoine de Saint Exupery
posted on December 2, 2004 04:18:25 PM
NearTheSea,
If it were me and I were going to send it back to the seller because it was requested then I would ask them if they wanted it sent back with origional packing or packed your way. I have only had one item arrive broken that wasn't insured and I asked the buyer to send me pictures and them repack in origional box w/ materials and send back to me. I was offering a full refund on that item, including shipping. (Was worth it to me to get it back and keep it myself.)
I don't know if this helps with your situation or not but... there is my two cents worth.
Kevin
Edited for spellinggggg
[ edited by Kevinatgrannys on Dec 2, 2004 04:19 PM ]
posted on December 2, 2004 04:48:46 PM
ps I learned if you DON'T put the note in PP that's it's hard to confirm that you actually paid for the insurance by their methods. I think they designed it that way personally. When you see your "details" it doesn't show a seperate payment for the insurance, or at least I never saw one.
sorry to hear this happened to you.
I'm amazed at the way people pack things sometimes. Newspaper to me offers absolutely NO padding in packing. I'd rather use the free bubblewrap from TJ Maxx than newspaper.
Even when I ordered som RAM from a name brand company and had to pay $$ for shipping, it arrived thrown in a box with NO packing material and the box was about 6 times bigger than the computer part. I was horrified and luckily the part still worked but I did fire off a letter to the company with my complaint.
"It is only with the heart one sees rightly,
what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Antoine de Saint Exupery
posted on December 2, 2004 05:02:49 PM
Near: I have a question. You said the seller sent the item in one of the priority flat-rate boxes. The only two sizes I know of are a small square one or a long rather flat one.
Can you give us an idea of how large the item was--and perhaps roughly what it was? (porcelain figurine, bowl, cup, etc.)
I have these flat-rate boxes here but haven't used either size yet. And I cannot imagine sending a breakable in either of those sizes!
One of the few times I've had to reimburse for breakage was a couple of years ago when I cut corners and put a flat ceramic tray into a long, rather flat priority box--with bubble wrap, but not nearly enough as it turned out. Breakables need more padding and packing than that size will allow.
posted on December 2, 2004 05:25:06 PM
glassgrl, yep, I have things thrown in either a bag mailer or box.
Roadsmith, it was the flat rate box that kinda looks like the shoebox. It was a pottery pitcher. I could tell when I opened it, that it didn't fit right, it (bubblewrapped) was showing.
I just got an email from her, I wrote and told her it was broken
Here is what she said:
Hi Shelly
I am so sorry. You are talking about the haeger pitcher. I mailed it priorty so the postal service would take better care of it. I cannot remember if I insured it or not. Give me your address and let me look in my receipts. If I did not , if it is ok with you I will reimburse you half of the items price. Is that fair to you. Again I am so sorry. Let me know.
Thank You XXXXXXX
Does mailing Priority make things 'safer' now? new one to me!
posted on December 2, 2004 06:03:24 PM
IMHO, it is nice that she responded but if I were in her shoes, I would have apologized up & down for the lousey packing job and giving a full refund.
Don't take half of the amount. It isn't what you paid for. She is at fault in this situation.
I had this happened to me a few years back when I bought 6 different size Atlas canning jars for my kitchen. The seller didn't even bother to bubblewrap them and just loosely placed them in a big box. My postal clerks rang my bell then laughed as he set it down on my door mat. 5 of the 6 jars were broken. Luckily for me, I did buy insurance but why should we have to file a claim if a seller is negligent in packing.
posted on December 2, 2004 06:04:05 PM
IMHO, it is nice that she responded but if I were in her shoes, I would have apologized up & down for the lousey packing job and giving a full refund.
Don't take half of the amount. It isn't what you paid for. She is at fault in this situation.
I had this happened to me a few years back when I bought 6 different size Atlas canning jars for my kitchen. The seller didn't even bother to bubblewrap them and just loosely placed them in a big box. My postal clerks rang my bell then laughed as he set it down on my door mat. 5 of the 6 jars were broken. Luckily for me, I did buy insurance but why should we have to file a claim if a seller is negligent in packing.
posted on December 2, 2004 06:32:49 PM
No. 1, No Insurance? Shame on you. No. 2, Shame on the seller for a lousy job of packing. I recently sold a Lenox Oval Veggie bowl & it was broken in shipment. But I had insured it with DSI. They paid off within 2 weeks. That is the first piece I have broken in over 2 years. I thought I had packed it well enough, but USPS must have used it for soccor in order to break it. Just goes to show that anything can happen. I insist on insurance on all breakables. In the past 6 plus years, I have shipped hundreds of pieces of china, & I think I know how to pack. Shizz happens.
posted on December 2, 2004 07:33:44 PM
When I sell an expensive item I include the postage and insurance in the S/H and it says so in my payment and shipping details. If I forget to mention insurance I always add the $1.30 myself to CYA for something just like this. I hate to refund but I don't mind the $1.30. But them if this item has insurance on it and NTS brought the item in the box with the packing back to the post office would the USPS pay the insurance claim? That is the question here. With incomplete packaging is the USPS responsible? I doubt it, I think then the responsibility goes back to the seller.
_________________
To Quote John Kerry in his concession speech. "But in an american election, there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans
posted on December 2, 2004 08:09:51 PM
USPS, UPS & FedEx are going to take any liability for poor packaging. In fact, they can deny a claim for poor packaging. That is one reason I have gone to double boxing on nultiple items. By the way Libra, DSI is only 40 cents per $100.00 & I have found them reliable.
posted on December 3, 2004 08:14:57 AM
Sanmar what is DSI. That would be worth looking into.
_________________
To Quote John Kerry in his concession speech. "But in an american election, there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans
posted on December 3, 2004 09:30:03 AM
In this situation I would accept half the amount and chalk it up to experience. And glue the piece together and arrange it towards the back, until you find another one.
since I collect it.