Missing

[rockabillyjon]

I shipped an item in an envelope and it was marked as delivered but the buyer claims that there is a hole in the envelope and the item is missing. What do I do?

[emerald40]

You refund her.

As the recipient of things it white envelopes, I believe the buyer.

My item came crushed with large tears in the envelope.

[pburn]

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@rockabillyjon wrote:

I shipped an item in an envelope and it was marked as delivered but the buyer claims that there is a hole in the envelope and the item is missing. What do I do?

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Well, if you shipped it with tracking, all you have to do is prove it was delivered. What your conscience tells you to do is up to you.

It's possible your buyer may well file a "false" SNAD, claiming the item was "not as described" rather than not received at all. Only their conscience can predict whether they do that . . . but just be aware it's a possibility, so keep all the emails back and forth--and, of course, make sure all correspondence is through eBay.

If you didn't use tracking, well . . .

I take it the package was not insured. You could try to pursue (or have your buyer pursue) the issue with USPS. That would probably be pretty involved--including taking the packaging to the post office, or emailing photos, talking with the carrier, etc.

[7606dennis]

Ordinarily if the USPS delivers an envelope that is apparently empty with a hole in it where the contents may have been removed or otherwise came out, they usually mark the envelope denoting the fact.  Did the buyer mention any such markings?

[rockabillyjon]

Thanks for the help.

[cherry*fizz]

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@7606dennis wrote:

Ordinarily if the USPS delivers an envelope that is apparently empty with a hole in it where the contents may have been removed or otherwise came out, they usually mark the envelope denoting the fact.  Did the buyer mention any such markings?

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Yes, I have had this happen a few times. They will deliver something that's all beat up, and there is a paper on there explaining that it was a damaged item. That's not to say someone couldn't have pirated the package and just opened it up after it was delivered instead of taking the whole thing. But if it was obvious and was when the post office had it I'm surprised there wasn't a notice on there.

[ted_200]

It's possible your buyer may well file a "false" SNAD, claiming the item was "not as described" rather than not received at all.

If they indeed recieved an envelope, it's not a "false" SNAD. 

[bubbleman2010]

They were foaming at the mouth so bad for a free gift they bid against themselves twice....

[ted_200 · Accepted solution]

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@rockabillyjon wrote:

I shipped an item in an envelope and it was marked as delivered but the buyer claims that there is a hole in the envelope and the item is missing. What do I do?

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You're going to have to refund.  Buyer can open a dispute, and they'll win it, you'll refund anyhow.

Your post suggests it had tracking.  Envelope (as in letter envelope) isn't eligible for tracking.  If you put an item in the envelope and paid for Parcel service, that would explain it.  Damaged mail usually arrives in a USPS "body bag" with an apology note for the damage... although USPS might not have noticed it. 

If buyer files INR, you can beat that with the tracking.  But they'll just file SNAD after that (the correct claim to file here)... they got an item, an empty envelope, which is not what you described they would receive.  If you fight it, you'll ultimately lose, and you'll probably get a red donut for your effort to go along with the refund.

[duggmills]

If you shipped an item in an envelope (#10 ??), it could not have been worth much to begin with or you would have wrapped it with sufficient support and protection such that it would require the envelope be opened to access the item.

Send a full refund and consider it a learning moment.

[emerald40]

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@7606dennis wrote:

Ordinarily if the USPS delivers an envelope that is apparently empty with a hole in it where the contents may have been removed or otherwise came out, they usually mark the envelope denoting the fact.  Did the buyer mention any such markings?

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That is what I always thought and posted.

My last two white envelope packages came ripped open and crushed.  It was so bad that when I lifted it out of my outdoor box, the contents fell out and hit the ground, splat.

Left there with no message from the postal worker at all.

[lbro_46]

@rockabillyjon

Either of your recently sold items could have easily torn a hole in a number 10 envelope.

The Maltese cross could have easily torn a hole in a bubble envelope even if you hadn't wrap it properly.

[lbro_46]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@7606dennis wrote:

Ordinarily if the USPS delivers an envelope that is apparently empty with a hole in it where the contents may have been removed or otherwise came out, they usually mark the envelope denoting the fact.  Did the buyer mention any such markings?

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That is what I always thought and posted.

My last two white envelope packages came ripped open and crushed.  It was so bad that when I lifted it out of my outdoor box, the contents fell out and hit the ground, splat.

Left there with no message from the postal worker at all.

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I recently purchased a large amount of Navajo Sterling and it arrived in a plain white envelope that had been torn open. Somebody put tape on it to reseal it but I didn't have any notification of damage.

Sadly about half of what was missing and the rest was crushed flat. It hurt my heart to see such beautiful pieces ruined.

[reallynicestamps]

And entirely the seller's responsibility.

A buyer is paying for prompt and secure delivery.

Putting bulky items in an envelope without protection is careless and foolish.

I hope you opened a Not As Described dispute and made the seller take the destroyed jewelry back at his own expense.

Sometimes the customer actually is right.

[ted_200]

Sellers here have complained before about buyers sending demanding detailed packaging instructions.  Examples like the Navajo jewelry is why they do that.  I won't even ship that stuff in a bubble mailer, it's got to go in a box inside a mailer. 

I get demands myself every now and then.  It's tricky to explain that I know what I'm doing and they're just going to have to trust me, or else send me 5 times what I charged them for shipping to do what they want.

One of the first things I ever won on eBay was 7 or 8 silver dollar size coins (selller charged $6 shipping, and First Class Package was under $2 back then).  He put them all loose in a letter envelope with a single stamp!  They arrived with a torn envelope, one coin hanging out, the whole thing in a USPS body bag.  Every coin was there, no damage, and USPS didn't even charge the postage due on it.  Some people are just lucky, I guess.