Item stolen from mailbox question

[druusilla4]

Just curious what other sellers do if an item they sold was stolen from the buyers' mailbox? USPS says they're only responsible for lost or damaged items, and that the seller is responsible for items that are stolen, and will refund or replace the item.

[hollywoodblond]

Had it happen twice, the buyer is responsible on that end. You received wrong information.

[disneyshopper]

If tracking shows that the package was DELIVERED, the BUYER is responsible for providing a safe and secure method of receiving packages.  If items are regularly stolen from the mailbox or off the porch, the buyer should probably rent a post office box for receiving packages.

[little*blackdog]

Actually, if the USPS tracking shows the item was "delivered" to the buyer, you as the seller don't have to do anything.  The buyer should contact the police and file a report of the theft.  It's not your responsibility to secure anyone's mailbox, drop locker, etc.  That responsibility falls totally on the buyer.

I am curious what the buyer has said to you, to make you believe the item was stolen.  It could of blow away in the wind... or been carried off by a dingo!

[donsdetour]

 I tell the buyer to contact the PO and make sure were it was delivered and to check with neighbors and so on.

The seller is usually clear if it shows delivered.

[swappart]

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@druusilla4 wrote:

Just curious what other sellers do if an item they sold was stolen from the buyers' mailbox? USPS says they're only responsible for lost or damaged items, and that the seller is responsible for items that are stolen, and will refund or replace the item.

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That would open the door for more fraud than we already have to deal with. I go by the tracking. If it says it was delivered, it was delivered. I do whatever I must to ensure my products reach the buyer in the same condition as they were when they left my facility, but it's the buyer's responsibility to have the items delivered to a place where thieves can't get to them.

[nobody*s_perfect]

USPS has no reason to understand eBay's policies about this. As noted in the other posts, the seller's responsibility ends when the package is scanned as Delivered.  

Packages do get mis-delivered, so your buyer can take the tracking number to his local Post Office and ask them to check the GPS record which will show exactly where the package was when it got scanned.

[luckythewinner]

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@druusilla4 wrote:

USPS says they're only responsible for lost or damaged items, and that the seller is responsible for items that are stolen, and will refund or replace the item.

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The USPS does not dicate eBay policy regarding refunds. 

eBay dicates eBay policy regarding refunds. 

[kensgiftshop]

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@druusilla4 

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If they say it was stolen from their mail box after delivery, tell them to file a mail theft report and a police report.

As long as tracking shows it was delivered to their zip code, you should be covered.

[redlmc]

Had this happen to an item I sold last year.  The buyer got very angry at me and stated I should send another item.  Buyer stated if I was a decent person I would do so.  

Tracking info shows the item was delivered to the address she provided, she said she did not get it.  She never followed up with the post office, police, etc.  Not sure if it truly was stolen, or something else.

[swappart]

I should add, I've had this happen to me as a buyer too. Twice actually, and the first incident involved 2 packages. My mailbox is 5 feet away from a busy bus stop, and somehow the mail carrier thought it would be OK to just leave a package sitting on top of it. The first time, it was an $8 ink refill and something else. Nothing of real value. The seller said she would send me a replacement, but once I learned they had been stolen after delivery, I told her she didn't have to because it wasn't her fault. This was back in 2014. I'm not sure what eBay's policy was back then, but I know what is fair and what isn't. There are people in this world who want to blame everyone else for their problems, but I'll never be one of them. After the second incident, I got a P.O. Box for my business mail.

[wesk_36]

It's not your fault or responsibility.

I had a tracking scan show delivered to my address just the other day; it was an expensive item, so I walked down the street checking with neighbors and sure enough, the USPS mail carrier delivered it to the wrong address.

For some reason the "mailman" does this at least a dozen times a year, sometimes the delivery is made to a totally different street. Maybe he's dyslexic or just plain sloppy.

We have honest neighbors and sometimes they show up with my packages.

I also deliver mail to neighbors that was wrongly delivered to me.

So that's the first thing I do, check with neighbors.

Hope the buyer at least makes an effort to look for it and check with neighbors before blaming you.

I hope it wasn't a criminal porch pirate.

[mozartbach1971]

I've had packages from my neighbors delivered to my address in the past, and the other way around.

[itsjustasprain]

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@druusilla4 wrote:

USPS says they're only responsible for lost or damaged items, and that the seller is responsible for items that are stolen

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Where does the USPS say THAT? You are not responsible for items stolen after delivery.

[7606dennis]

The buyer is responsible for providing a safe place for the item to be delivered.  If the item is delivered and then stolen from the buyers property after delivery, it is not the sellers responsibility.  The buyer should report the theft to their local law enforcement agency as they would any other theft of their property.  If the item was shipped via USPS, the buyer should also report the theft to the US Postal Inspectors.