Poll: How to resove uninsured package loss?

[potatorage]

What is the shipping weight?

I have no idea, flat rate

 

[scopeguy20]

I have been the sender before, and even with insurance, (which did not eventuality repay me), I replaced the lost items. I could not prove the buyer really got the goods, as his signature was a scribble. -Glenn

 

[Tech_Junkie]

let me ask this:

So , if i type out a letter like that , stick it in an empty box and smash it up , i can get away with sending nothing to a buyer?

Sure..if the receiving person is to stupid to call the post office to check if its real or not.

USPS is a crap shoot. Others too. One xmass I had an $800 electronics order come UPS and I watched the guy dragging the bag on the ground and bouncing it off every stair he climbed. I chewed him out, didn't sign for it, and got him fired.

If you have anything worth over $50 always get it insured. Especialy electronics because companies will not take it back because of delivery errors.

 

[daguin]

Just from the appearance of the box, it looks like the "packing" was insufficient. The box was "squished" causing the corners to break open. The prisms probably fell out of the open corners.

The point here is that the box should have been "filled" with packing solid enough to prevent this level of "squishing" AND the prisms should have been wrapped well enough to prevent them moving through the resultant opening easily. A little bubble wrap goes a long way.

The following is NOT "legal" requirements. It is just how I roll. . . . .

I usually insure anything that costs over about $30 or ship it via an insured carrier. The cost of insurance is included in the price. If it is below $30, I simply assume the responsibility for loss. If something is lost or damaged, I assume full responsibility.

Beyond this senario, I still retain responsibility. During my recent "shift in reality" I was feeling "very broke" and shipped a few packages the least expensive way possible. They were "repairs" so there was very little money inolved. Those packages were "lost" somwhere in the postal system. (They were all shipped the same day, so they all suffered the same fate, whatever that was/is). Even though there was no "request or offer" for insurance, the loss will be covered by me to whatever extent the receivers desire.

People do not pay to have a "package shipped." They pay to have "merchandise delivered." Until that merchandise is delivered, the shipper is still responsible. The shippers responsibility does NOT end when they drop the package off at the post office. It ends when the merchandise is delivered (plus any warranty service)

Peace,
dave

**EDIT** I didn't clearly answer your question. My opinion is that Potatorage still owes you a set of prisms.

 

[Kenom]

Ok I donno if your aware of this or not but a priority package comes with DEFAULT insurance to $65 or somewhere thereabouts (this is what the clerks tell me). If the package is damaged and usps left a note indicating it was damaged then you've nothing to worry about and can EASILY get your claim.

Now as to the moral dilema. I always indicate to my customers what shipping method I will chose or give them the choice. I also give them the choice for insurance as well. If a customer does NOT choose insurance and an item gets damaged, then I would NOT replace the item.

 

[Deleted member 10578]

Basically, I tried to buy 2 prisms from a member here, and when I got the package there were no prisms. :undecided:
I paid potatorage $22 for two of the three 4" long prisms that he was offering in this thread:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/fs-chipped-optical-glass-prisms-40261.html
I PM'ed him a question asking for the cost and he replied with "$22 shipped priority". So I paypal'd him the $, and assumed this covered tracking and insurance. :tsk:
So, he sent them on July 12 and I got a smashed box (see pic) in the mail today (July 17), with a note from the USPS inside (see pic) stating that "they damaged my package", and "sorry". The package was not insured and I wanted to get some opinions on who's responsibility postal insurance is; the seller or the recipient? And how should we resolve this?
In all reality, potatorage could have simply sent me an empty box with a notice of lost package from the USPS, rather than the prisms at all. It was securely taped, and I don't see any broken shards of glass or packaging materials at all in the box. :thinking:
So, please offer your opinions.

Hi Ash,
sorry this happened to you, and I'll of a few comments/opinions as I ship 1000's of package a year with USPS and I've gotten a pretty good education about services and procedures.
1. Someone mentioned that express mail includes $200 of free insurance, actually it's only $100 USD.
2. Another comment that they thought there was $65 of free insurance on priority packages. That's not true, for domestic USA priority packages there is no "free" insurance, there is only the insurance you purchase on the package. On internation priority, there is a small amount "free insurance", but it's not much and the amount is based on the weight of the package.

If the seller doesn't say that insurance is included, then it probably isn't, never assume it is.
In your case, it probably wouldn't have mattered.
I say this because the USPS needs to see the damaged merchandise and verify that it was properly packaged with enough care and padding. Since there was nothng in the box, USPS wouldn't give you a dime as there is no proof of damaged goods.

In the future, if a package ever arrives damaged, you need to open it in front of the carrier. If they just leave it at the door, then take it to the post office and open the package in front of the clerk so thy can verify the contents and how well they were packaged to prevent damage.

As for them paying on an insurance claim, there are two ways they will do this and for both it can take many months. the 1st is if the package is lost in shipping and is insured of course. The 2nd is if the package / box sustains heavy damage during shipping like you did; but even if the box is crushed, they need the broken to still verify there was something actually in the box and it's true value.

If a package arrives and there was insurance on it but the package is not heavily damaged/crushed; however the contents are broken, it won't be covered as the contents need be well packaged and padded and if they broke without a fair amount of damage to the box, then they won't pay a claim on it.

Hopefully this information will help you others in the forum in the future.

 

[Deleted member 8382]

Daguin quote:

"People do not pay to have a "package shipped." They pay to have "merchandise delivered." Until that merchandise is delivered, the shipper is still responsible. The shippers responsibility does NOT end when they drop the package off at the post office. It ends when the merchandise is delivered (plus any warranty service)"

I totally agree here.

Yours,
Albert

 

[Kenom]

yeah I actually went down to the post and asked about the supposed included insurance in priority and was informed that there wasn't. So I retract my statement.

 

[Arenared]

Well , to let this die..

Seller is responsible.. the buyer sent money and has not received any product.

simple..

let the seller deal with the PO.

Seller should refund the money or resend said product.

If anyone needs to prove anything , it would be the seller, the buyer proved payment for said goods.

I had a problem like this, Jayrob sent me a 100mw green in his "for green" host.

i never got it. i tracked the problem down to my local post office , they signed for my package without me being there.. at this point it was not Jay's fault. . ( although he offered to help me out, then retracted any help, pffft), but the postman offered to pay for the packages that were misdelivered not on his watch... needless to say , i sucked it up and said fuck it. . and keep a close eye on my mailbox.

 

[potatorage]

Well , to let this die..

Seller is responsible.. the buyer sent money and has not received any product.

simple..

let the seller deal with the PO.

Seller should refund the money or resend said product.

If anyone needs to prove anything , it would be the seller, the buyer proved payment for said goods.

Ok, you are not the one to decide what should happen. I asked for opinions, not for someone to tell me what to do. Please don't think you have supreme authority. I still want more opinions, so GTFO!

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Meet in the middle. Either send him 1 prism (packed really well and insured), or refund half his money. Sounds fair if both agree. IMO

 

[Justin]

When conducting business involving any kind of shipping, the buyer and seller should agree on a standard incoterm to outline the shipping responsibilities. If you both agreed to "FOB New York" or something like that prior to shipping, the buyer's and seller's responsibilities would be clearly outlined and incontestable.

Search "incoterm" on wiki for more details. These standards exist in order to prevent disputes like this one.

 

[jrjr]

I'm sure $22 is not going to be a life changing hit for either one of you. Either send a couple more to the buyer or send more money to the seller. In the future you will remember this as a lesson learned and it may save you hundreds later in life..... Don't make a mountain out of a molehill so to speak.... Peace

Edit:
I WOULD say though that potatorage should make good and send more prisms.... After reading again it sounds fishy to me. I have a roll of that same tape and a printer to make a letter..... just doesn't seem right that the usps would put a note INSIDE, they usually attach on the outside.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Either that or never buy anything off potatorage. D'oh!!

 

[Arenared]

Ok, you are not the one to decide what should happen. I asked for opinions, not for someone to tell me what to do. Please don't think you have supreme authority. I still want more opinions, so GTFO!

This isnt your thread either dumb fuck. Give the man the goods he paid for.

 

[potatorage]

I'm sure $22 is not going to be a life changing hit for either one of you. Either send a couple more to the buyer or send more money to the seller. In the future you will remember this as a lesson learned and it may save you hundreds later in life..... Don't make a mountain out of a molehill so to speak.... Peace

Edit:
I WOULD say though that potatorage should make good and send more prisms.... After reading again it sounds fishy to me. I have a roll of that same tape and a printer to make a letter..... just doesn't seem right that the usps would put a note INSIDE, they usually attach on the outside.

The box was broken open, usps taped it together.