posted on July 27, 2006 05:17:33 PM new
I bid and won a pottery salad bowl in a friend's mother's old dish set. She was thrilled. The bowl came in a box barely larger than it was, shattered, with the small bubble wrap in a layer around it, and parcel post!!! The seller sent me the insurance receipt and said be my guest.
Our postmaster looked at the item in its box, all broken up, today and said it was obviously poorly packed but since she's a good friend of mine, she's paying the cost of the item. That leaves $15+ of shipping and insurance. If you were the shipper of this item, would you refund that, also? I've asked the seller if he'd do that and haven't heard yet. (I haven't left feedback for him yet, thank goodness.)
posted on July 27, 2006 05:26:54 PM new
Sorry - the way we handle it won't help you in your current situation.
We insure through DSI for the full amount you pay us. And, the amount we would refund is your total amount, because DSI would pay us the full amount (including shipping) - so no one would be out any money.
That being said, we also wouldn't have packaged something poorly and it really would have to be nearly crushed to sustain the significant damage yours did.
From a customer service persepective, I'd want to make you whole and refund your shipping cost - with an apology for you having to go through any steps at all on your own (with USPS).
Just a few pennies from our neck of the woods...
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on July 27, 2006 05:30:51 PM new
I think most of the sellers here are experienced enough to have packed the bowl properly to begin with and not have situation arise in the first place.
to answer the question, yes, I would refund.
Here's my point of view, and I think it coincides with consumer law.
The buyer pays money and shipping costs for a widget in the condition described in the auction. It is the seller's responsibility to get that item into the hands of the buyer. If the post office breaks it, loses, steals it, or whatever, it is the SELLER'S responsiblity to fix it entirely. Errors and problems in getting the thing delivered is the seller's responsibility, and that even includes stuff like "they stole it off my porch!" Maybe you can hold the post office responsible, but the buyer holds YOU responsible.
I have been known to play mind games with my customers, but only when they are obviously trying to scam me. When I screw up or something else goes wrong that is clearly not the direct fault of the buyer, I always err on the side of cutomer satisfaction.
posted on July 27, 2006 05:32:20 PM new
can you still file insurance claim? if so maybe it won't be so bad? BUT you may lose a friend if you neg her. Did I get that right you bought from a friend? if so tell her she needs to go to packing school. Have her refund your cost after filing insurance claim and her pay difference. OH if she is selling her mothers set individually she will get a lot of negatives if she packs them all that way.
On breakables I double box and give at least 3 inches clearance between boxes all peanut ed. I over kill on packaging but don't want anything I send to get broken if I can help it. Have even been known to do that will porcelain dolls too.
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posted on July 27, 2006 05:38:42 PM new
Irked: No, it was purchased FOR a dear friend FROM someone on the east coast. I won it, paid for it and my friend is reimbursing me for all the pieces I've found and won for her.
Yes, the p.o. is paying for the item, but not for the shipping. That's why I asked here what you all would have done. (This, oddly, has never come up for me, never happened with something I've shipped insured. If it was shipped without insurance and I felt it was my fault, I've reimbursed ALL costs.
Edited to add: Looking at my original post, I realize I wasn't so clear!! Sorry. My friend inherited her mother's set of Stangl dishes and needed to fill in the pieces that were missing, no longer with the set.
[ edited by roadsmith on Jul 27, 2006 05:40 PM ]
posted on July 27, 2006 05:44:11 PM new
I was totally honest with our postmaster, telling her I would NEVER have shipped anything that way myself. I always first wrap the item in all the padding I think it'll need, THEN find the right box for it. I think a lot of sellers find a box they think will work at the least cost to them, and then try to fit the item plus packing into it.
The postmaster told me no one should ever send a fragile item by parcel post. (We'd paid for priority shipping but got it via parcel post.) She's seen how they're handled--they go up a conveyor belt and then are dropped several feet, hard, into a large container. Yikes.
posted on July 27, 2006 06:14:46 PM new
Or drop kicked across the tarmac at airport like that video they showed a few years back how packages were being handled.
Well in that case give them a big fat negative if they will not file the insurance and refund your total shipping and bid price. Inform them that their packaging was totally inadequate and sloppy at best in too small of a box..........Period in case you didn't get that LOL . Also inform them you will file a snad or what ever it takes to have them make it right. Also inform them that if you paid for priority mail and it was sent parcel and you know the rates and feel cheated. Get down and dirty with em if ya have to. & if you feel you want to file insurance claim tell them you expect your postage back from them. OR if you paid with Paypal do a charge back.
Maybe they will offer your postage back if they are thinking you will do what ever it takes to get satisfaction.
But above all else be nice at first then if you have to get down with em do so.
You can tell by my post I am fed up with problems and have great empathy for others with them right now. ha ha ha.
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posted on July 27, 2006 06:16:33 PM new
Hi Adele,
Did you pay thru paypal? Couldn't you file a claim for item not as described??? since it came shattered not as described???
mama
posted on July 27, 2006 06:34:02 PM new
I rarely ship anything but postcards. I had the irregular shipment of 4 postcard frames, ate $5 in shipping. The customer complained today that due to too much empty space in the box, the box arrived crushed (but the frames were undamaged because they were individually padded). So now I have to worry about the packaging arriving in good shape?
posted on July 27, 2006 06:43:05 PM new
Sometimes a picture says it all. The totally awful packing jobs and concurrent breakage arrving at my doorstep automatically get a photo sent which invariably has taken care of any issues or discussion with the seller. In your case I would expect the seller to reimburse you for the postage -- I always do if it's my fault, and sometimes it really is. Just a cost of doing business is all.
posted on July 27, 2006 06:58:53 PM new
Birgit: The very first thing I did when I opened the package was to take 7 closeup photos of the progression as I moved on into the package. I sent those to the seller immediately and said whoever packed the item should be fired. He humbly replied "that would be me."
So I'm wondering if it's possible to file with PayPal just for return of the shipping and insurance costs?
posted on July 28, 2006 04:00:11 AM new
Well, since you paid for priority and they shipped parcel post I believe you are entitled to the difference. That would be not as described.
posted on July 28, 2006 04:34:05 AM new
So how did you pay? With credit card I hope, or? Did you hear back from the "humble seller?"
I don't think you can get shipping back from PP -- I had an item lost, and got 99c back (cost of item) and ate the $20 shipping (heavy andirons, probably poorly packed and scattered piece by piece behind the trail of the box from NJ to SC most likely).
However, I don't see any reason not to at least file with PP. That usually puts the fear of G-d into the other party and may propel them into action.
Moral of this story: Pay with your credit card. Use a separate buyer ID. Always.
posted on July 28, 2006 04:48:20 AM new
If you pay with Paypal,it does not matter whether it is credit card,Paypal cash or bank fund,Paypal will investigate your complaint.
I doubt if the seller will refund your 15 dollars shipping,the fact that she is using parcel post instead of priority mail tells me she is not making enough on the transaction!
(and one thin sheet of bubble wrap in a box just barely enough to hold the item??)
Aint that the problem on Ebay these days,NOT MAKING ENOUGH !
posted on July 28, 2006 05:22:11 AM new
Sigh. How many times have we read on this board about panicked sellers who had buyers doing chargebacks with their credit cards? It works both ways you know. AND it takes care of your entire purchase, shipping included.
PS: Have you tried calling the seller? Sometimes, a voice to voice discussion works MUCH better than disembodied emails.
posted on July 28, 2006 10:45:11 AM new
How much money are we talking - total?
If it were me - I'd stop the post office friend's refund and file everything with paypal if that's how you paid.
Let paypal know that you paid for priority and insurance but it was shipped parcel post. You took it to the post office and they said it was poorly packed/shipped parcel post and that's what caused the damage.
Tell the seller you will file the insurance refund in his/her name as soon as paypal refunds your money.
If you loss - then go to your friend at USPS for the refund of the item.
The seller should have to eat the shipping in this case but paypal is the only way to get it back for sure(maybe). The fact that she/he didn't even file the claim for you shows she/he didn't think it would be paid.
posted on July 28, 2006 11:28:10 AM new
I've already deposited the m.o. from the p.o. (for cost of item only). I've now started a PayPal dispute for the $15.20 shipping and insurance. We shall see what happens. I've never done this with PayPal before; this is a first. If it's really simple, I'll be sorry I didn't stick the seller for the total cost.
I don't have a lot of time to waste on this idiot, so if nothing happens soon, I'll leave a neg and move on.
posted on July 28, 2006 11:39:47 AM new
Let us know how it plays out. It will be interesting to see if paypal will pay. I doubt it as now the seller will just say it was the USPS's fault and paypal will buy that.
Just a thought but why not ask the seller to split it with you before you file? The worst that will happen is that he will say no and then you can still file.
I would try to get a statement from the USPS friend about the poor packing etc if I were you.
posted on July 28, 2006 01:38:59 PM new
The fact that the insurance claim was paid could be a problem. It's a quirky thing, but when you file a dispute, it is suppose to be for the full amount, kind of an all or nothing thing. But it is still worth a shot.
