Seller wants to put USPS claim after I send it back

[tenbiksewingembroideryitems]

I received a glass item that was damaged b/c the seller did not pack it correctly.   They put one glass item inside another glass item with very thin bubble wrap and it bounced up and down inside the other piece and it was damaged.  The outside box is not damaged at all.  This is concealed damage, right?

The seller wants me to send the item back and then they will file an USPS claim.

I have been refunded and the seller will pay for the return.

Will USPS pay for an insurance claim after id it was shipped AFTER the damage occurred? 

I guess they could claim that the damaged occurred during the second shipment, but I just don't think they will pay for it? 

I always have the buyer take it to the USPS for inspection, if necessary during the claim process.

Thoughts? 

[spark-chaser1]

What is problematic  is that broken glass cannot be shipped in the mail.

A bit of irony, there, too.

The insurance will most likely not cover the breakage, IMHO… the method of packing will most likely be the reason.

[spark-chaser1]

The good news is that you get your money back ; the success or failure of the seller to recoup through insurance is squarely their problem to deal with. 

Your procedure of having a buyer get it inspected before shipping is a good one… that way it is seen before further potential secondary damage can occur while it is being returned. Provided, that is, that your buyer is cooperative.

Your  seller IS making a mistake getting it inspected when they receive it after being  re - shipped. The packaging will vary from the way it was originally sent.

[tenbiksewingembroideryitems]

They had a lot of packing material but when they put the one item inside the other, there was no packing. I am going to send it back as I received it.   

Concealed damage is very hard to win a claim since there is no outside damage.

The seller never had a case against him so he refunded me before I sent it back.   Hard learning curve!

[spark-chaser1]

Technically , your job is done… the seller refunded you arbitrarily. GOOD ON YOU for still  wanting to return  the item, even though it’s no longer your problem. The seller has made several mistakes, it speaks highly of you that you want to help.

Having said that, I would be careful as to how you send the item back, as again - postal regulations do prohibit shipping broken glass… take that into consideration, perhaps  contact the seller to run it by them, because at this point returning the item to attempt a claim that will fail   Is a waste of time and money, at the risk of a shipping hazard on top of it all.

[12345jamesstamps]

I would take photos of items broken and send to seller by email. Maybe the seller will not want the items back then. I know I wouldn't. Plus you will save return shipping postage for the seller. 

USPS insurance is for lost items usually. I would also tell the seller that. The seller will be doing a lot of foot-work for nothing.

As long as you get the refund it sounds all good.

Sounds like it was an inexperienced seller who doesn't know a lot. Doesn't hurt to tell them in a very nice polite way what are the best options to do this.

[nobody*s_perfect]

The seller's strategy is not consistent with USPS insurance claim policy.  Re-shipping the item will void the original insurance and will remove what little chance their might have been for that claim to succeed.

What the seller should do is just file the insurance claim.  You should hold onto the damaged items and all of the packaging because often the PO will ask to examine them as part of the claim process.  Since you're wiling to make the effort to ship the item back, it makes sense that you would also be willing to trek to your local PO just to show or give them the item.

[tenbiksewingembroideryitems]

First of all, I am a 23 "veteran" of eBay selling.  I've been through "cases" and damage claims that did not go

So I normally contact the seller and see if they want to settle outside of a seller damaging case.  He is new so I just went forward with a case.  Instead of doing what the case said, he refunded me and then eBay told him to get the item returned.

Yes, inexperienced seller. 

Therefore, I have photos of the broken pieces with small pieces in a bag.

He thinks he will get  his money back from the USPS; the other piece is not broken only the one piece broke.

So he could sell the other piece.

I think I will contact him about this, thanks

[muttlymob]

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@spark-chaser1 wrote:

Having said that, I would be careful as to how you send the item back, as again - postal regulations do prohibit shipping broken glass…

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Do you have a link to an actual USPS reg that prohibits shipping broken glass?

If properly packaged, broken glass is no more hazardous than unbroken glass.  Or sharp knives, or a multitude of other items that USPS will accept for shipment.

[spark-chaser1]

Not right off hand… I read  it constantly on a huge poster listing “ Don’t-Ships” that’s impossible to miss at my PO that I have to look at at least 3 times a week.

Just because some people may be smart enough to wrap it safely and it will make it without an issue doesn’t guarantee that 1 out of 3 won’t throw it into a soft envelope and just send it- hence the reg.

[muttlymob]

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@spark-chaser1 wrote:

Just because some people may be smart enough to wrap it safely and it will make it without an issue doesn’t guarantee that 1 out of 3 won’t throw it into a soft envelope and just send it- hence the reg.

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Based on this reasoning, anything that is remotely sharp or has the potential to be sharp (eg, unbroken glass) would also be banned. 

Many of those posters in the PO lobby aimed at customers are very simplified guidelines, recommendations, safety warnings - and do not reflect actual bans or specific regulations.

The only reg I can find related to broken glass is in the "sharps" category, and applies to items either contaminated or potentially contaminated with pathogens.

[spark-chaser1]

Yeah,.. you are referring to Reg 8.2(g) “ sharps”.   
 Any infected item or, if causing a cut and be contaminated with blood , BECOME infected…

I would believe  that is the particular reg they are quoting from, the wording is similar.

 
By your reasoning, I guess the OP can just go ahead and ship it, because, hey… those USPS posters  aren’t really serious. 

It kind of goes without saying ( or at least I think it does) if anyone is  about to mail something they aren’t sure they should, they should take it upon themselves to check and be safe and sure  than to just assume they can because they read it “ somewhere in a forum”.

I initially pointed it out as a cautionary message based on what I’ve seen and am aware of, not as something to hinder the OP from carrying out what they wish to do or to fuel a debate with other posters.   

I should have simply stated that the OP should consult their postmaster and ask, and just not send it back and take the risk it … might…. Be ok. 

[spark-chaser1]

Unless others reading this thread want to wade through the USPS regulations,  a cliff notes version is provided here:

The point 8.2(G) “ sharps” makes is this : if the broken glass ( mentioned in the list of defined items and is the subject in this case)  is not properly packaged/ contained, and it subsequently punctures the packaging in handling, a worker gets speared with it, their blood gets on that, and it keeps moving up the chain, someone else can potentially get cut/ infected. That’s probably why it made it onto a poster that isn’t as wordy as my explanation.  

Postal regulations are like any other governmental regulation - they can be subject to interpretation and partial exceptions can be allowed on a case-by-case basis. It is up to the OP here to get clarification.