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USPS damaged item to buyer
USPS damaged a meat slicer I sent to buyer $300+. I did not add insurance to the standard eBay shipping label. Do I have any recourse? I think I can file a claim with documentation and pictures to USPS and possibly be reimbursed $100. eBay doesn’t have a telephone number that I can find to talk to a PERSON! I am thinking I am SOL on this but wanted to hear what anyone on this forum had to say. Thanks.
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inceptions
Mentor2 years agoIf USPS deems the packaging to be sufficient, they will honor an insurance claim up to $100. But on an expensive item, they sometimes want the recipient to bring the item and packaging into the post office for inspection which the buyer is under no obligation to do.
Ask your buyer to open a return. You'll need photos of the damaged item and packaging. If you want to file a claim, reimburse the buyer with her full payment first, and then ask her to hold onto the item and packaging while you open a claim.
You can file your insurance claim online here and see how it goes:
https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm
Note that extremely rough handling is normal handling for USPS and all the carriers. That's why it's important to package the item in a way that guarantees it doesn't become damaged in shipping (unless something very unusual happens like the mail truck is hit by a meteor, the item falls out of the semi on the freeway and is then run over by an 18-wheeler, etc.
If you want the item back, then don't refund until you receive it back, but understand that you will not be able to receive reimbursement on a claim if the buyer ships it back to you.