I thought eBay covered sellers for INR requests when USPS shows item "Delivered"?

[refdef]

Believe me, I searched the forums for this and went off on several tangents that turned out to be time sucks.  But anyway.  I have a buyer that opened an INR case today, while USPS shows the package was delivered yesterday.  I **thought** that I read somewhere that once USPS scans an item as delivered, the seller is covered for INR purposes.  I am lost on how to handle this, because I certainly am not enthusiastic about losing a $40 item AND $40 in revenue.  Please advise and thanks.

[myboardid]

Regret - we know you already sent the tracking number to eBay and to the buyer, but you need to repeat it in the response to the case.  eBay will not go check the records, it must be entered again.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@tedster99 wrote:

Tracking has improved over time with USPS. It used to be that "Delivery Confirmation" meant that the item was "Delivered", but the fact was, that scan didn't ensure that the package was actually delivered to the correct address. I think now they have GPS information linked with the scans now, not sure on that, but it's my understanding they can look into that if there is an issue with a customer claiming they didn't receive a package. This would go a long way to resolving where the package might have ended up from there.

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I've read this too & I know they have GPS on the scanners b/c I was on the phone with my local PO one day, when a clueless sub showed up in my driveway 2 hours late, after telling the C/S person he was almost at my house 3 times over the last 2 hours & he did not have his scanner, she was able in real time to see where it was (at a prior stop of course).  

I've head of it being used for delivery scans too, but  it wouldn't help in certain cases, like cluster boxes, which will have the same coordinates basically for 50 units or one I'm dealing with now that is a high rise unit with I presume an office/doorman where all the pkgs get delivered.  

[tedster99]

It's getting off into the weeds a bit, but because of the increasing number of "issues" it might be useful to visit or re-visit some of the basic concepts on what "Delivery" actually means. We live in (or used to) live in a "high trust" society. So for a long time, as in many decades, a delivery person can drop off a package on our doorstep and we don't need to worry about it. It will still be there when we get home from work. But technically speaking, an item is not "delivered" unless and until there is someone there to receive it. It's kind of a gray area, but it was never much of an issue. Not very often anyway. 

Another interesting point of order, many times an item might be damaged in shipment without external damage of the box being evident. But if there is obvious damage, the item should be refused. This is shipping 101. That way it gets returned to Sender. We see a lot of posts about trying to get the buyer to save all the packaging, take pictures, take it in to show the post office, etc. They don't want to do that, and they probably shouldn't have to do that. The seller is the one who has the incentive, not the buyer.

[glgenterprise]

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@tedster99 wrote:

It's getting off into the weeds a bit, but because of the increasing number of "issues" it might be useful to visit or re-visit some of the basic concepts on what "Delivery" actually means. We live in (or used to) live in a "high trust" society. So for a long time, as in many decades, a delivery person can drop off a package on our doorstep and we don't need to worry about it. It will still be there when we get home from work. But technically speaking, an item is not "delivered" unless and until there is someone there to receive it. It's kind of a gray area, but it was never much of an issue. Not very often anyway. 

Another interesting point of order, many times an item might be damaged in shipment without external damage of the box being evident. But if there is obvious damage, the item should be refused. This is shipping 101. That way it gets returned to Sender. We see a lot of posts about trying to get the buyer to save all the packaging, take pictures, take it in to show the post office, etc. They don't want to do that, and they probably shouldn't have to do that. The seller is the one who has the incentive, not the buyer.

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But there does come a point where it is the responsibility of the buyer to have a secure location to receive packages if they will not be home or if their neighborhood is known for porch pirates.

And I'd caution buyers about refusing delivery of a damaged box - once they refuse delivery they've negated their MBG. It's specifically in the MBG policy that refusing delivery for anything other postage due is not a covered claim. I know it's a PITA for a buyer to have to do anything for the insurance claim, but for all the times people come on here and complain about the hoops that USPS makes them go through before denying the claim - knock on wood - I've never had a claim denied and never had to have a buyer take packaging to the PO. The online claim and photos have always sufficed.

[tedster99]

Well it's both - the carrier is not supposed to leave parcels if there is a problem or it is an unsecure location. They will leave that pink slip - a 3849 - requiring re-delivery. They could do that for every parcel on their route if they thought prudent, I suppose.

Nobody wants to sign for packages. They want their stuff, and not the next day, or more likely the next day after that, or driving to the post office to pick it up. And then they can't find it, etc. It's never a problem leaving packages on the porch - until it is. 

I'd caution buyers about refusing delivery of a damaged box - once they refuse delivery, they've negated their MBG. It's specifically in the MBG policy that refusing delivery for anything other postage due is not a covered claim. 

Wow! I didn't know that. That is seriously misguided policy. If I were making the rules, postage due would actually be no big deal, as it would be so easily reconcilable right back to the seller. 

A box full of tinkly broken glass, obviously damaged, there's no point to opening the box. It's damaged goods. It needs to go back to the seller. I don't want it. This is how it is handled at retail brick & morter for centuries, probably.

[inhawaii]

Any time this has ever happened to me, ebay has always found in my favor.