Sent buyer item per USPS. USPS lost package, no insurance, am I obligated to refund buyer?

[rockcrafter]

Not sure I want to search all over ebay, so here it goes.

A buyer bought an item from me for around $90. I wrapped it up and sent

the item via USPS 1st class mail, then provided the buyer with a tracking no.

It has been a little over 1 month, the tracking no. still shows they have the package, but they cannot find it. I have filed a case which was cancelled by the PO who would have received it in MN, but when I went back to my PO, they said it shows it was scanned, but never left my town. It still shows that they have it, but I have done everything I can and I believe someone stole the item. 

The buyer is asking for a full refund. I told them that I would split it 50/50 with them because I fulfilled my obligation and it was the PO that had his item.

He indicated he talked with ebay and he wanted a full refund. I also note that he waited about 33 days before filing for a refund. What is my obligation to give the buyer a refund. I feel like I was generous offering half because once it is at the post Office, I should not be held responsible for it's delivery, especially if the buyer did not buy insurance. What are all of your thoughts? $90 is a big hit for me.

[dbfolks166mt]

You are going to take the loss on this one. Buyer probably has opened or will open a INR case. If he/she does you may as well fully refund their money before they escalate it to eBay and they unilaterally do it for you and then ding your account. 

     Next time if it is small try using a flat rate envelope, small flat rate box or calculated priority mail. All come with insurance. You will find that the cost is not that much more than first class. 

[caldreamer]

Unfortunately, you are 100% responsible and if you refuse to give customer refund...EBAY will automatically do it for you.

[janet9988]

So the BUYER should just be out the money? That is not right.

You know, if you had tracking showing DELIVERED and the buyer claimed they did not receive..........YOU would be protected by ebay policy.....So it goes both ways.

[coolections]

Your confused. Buyers do not have to purchase insurance. Insurance is for YOUR protection. When a buyer purchases something of course they should get their item or a refund. Think about it, if you ordered something on line and you did not get it you would be happy to not have your item and only get half your money back ?

[rockcrafter]

Guess I will have to bend over and grab my ankles. I would not want to be on the other side of this either. I can see it both ways. I am out my item AND I have to refund the buyer.  Thanks for all the replies. It is sad when an institution that used to be well respected is now untrusted.  always say I won't sell expensive items on Ebay anymore, because they always end up coming back to bite me in the a**.

[toysaver]

I'd never ship anything with a value of $90 First Class.  It's a risk you took.  That extra 3 or 4 bucks to up to Priority would have prevented this and been worth every penny. 

[yuzuha]

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@toysaver wrote:

I'd never ship anything with a value of $90 First Class.  It's a risk you took.  That extra 3 or 4 bucks to up to Priority would have prevented this and been worth every penny. 

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I've shipped $90 items First Class, but I insured them just in case.

If a seller chooses not to insure something they ship, whether that be by shipping Priority or purchasing insurance, that's their own choice, but it's not eBay's fault if they end up needing to refund the buyer because the package gets lost or damaged.

Personal responsibility, folks.

[nobody*s_perfect]

The OP is not a TRS, so with Priority Mail they'd get just $50 of insurance coverage.  If they wanted to be covered for the whole $90, they'd have to purchase the insurance coverage regardless of which shipping method they used.

[uncseniorsportsfan]

While that is true - the odds of a priority mail package getting lost or delayed is far less than first class mail.   I also would never ship a $90 item first class mail - even with insurance. 

[maxine*j]

It is the seller's responsibility to get the item to the buyer and to get it there intact.  This isn't just eBay policy, it is part of the U.S. Uniform Commercial Code, and it is  fundamental to contract law. 

Most sellers buy insurance so that if the item does not arrive, or arrives damaged, the insurer will reimburse the seller, as the seller must reimburse the buyer.  The seller protects the buyer against loss.  Insurance protects the seller against loss.

Let's reverse it.  Say payment to you was by check and you were told it was lost in the mail, so that's tough on you but not the buyer's problem so he still gets his item.   Or say the buyer's bank account or credit card shows the charge but the seller's doesn't show the payment, so that's tough on you but the buyer still gets the item.  After all, neither lost mail nor electronic glitches are the buyer's fault, so why shouldn't it become your problem and why shouldn't the buyer get his item?  

[maxine*j]

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@rockcrafter wrote:

Guess I will have to bend over and grab my ankles. I would not want to be on the other side of this either. I can see it both ways. I am out my item AND I have to refund the buyer.  Thanks for all the replies. It is sad when an institution that used to be well respected is now untrusted.  always say I won't sell expensive items on Ebay anymore, because they always end up coming back to bite me in the a**.

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And your buyer may be thinking of posting on the Buying forum:    "I guess I won't buy anything expensive on eBay any more.  Seller got paid in full, nearly a hundred bucks, I got nothing, even though I allowed extra time for delivery, and now the seller thinks he's being 'generous' by offering me half my money back!"  

[cthulhu-hand-lukes_com]

Sadly you didn't get insurance; shipinsure would've run you $1.90+, a small price to pay. Look at it as a valuable lesson; you refund them, or eBay will do it for you. Ridiculous as it sounds, during these times, it's on you for delivery. Pay once, cry once.

It's in the system. You can ask for patience on his part. Many buyers are trying to taking advantage of slower shipping times to get items for free..."What pandemic?" Never mind all the ballots in the system. Keep on eye on the tracking. You might be able to recoup your loss if it shows as delivered. That's a big might. 

It looks like you're a niche seller; I'd block the buyer.

[nobody*s_perfect]

It's reasonable to ask a buyer for patience when an item is a few days late beyond eBay's delivery estimate which can be notoriously optimistic. But it's not reasonable to ask the buyer for patience when their buyer protection 30-day time limit has nearly expired.

[maxine*j]

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@cthulhu-hand-lukes_com wrote:

Ridiculous as it sounds, during these times, it's on you for delivery...

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It is always on the seller for delivery.  It always has been.   It was when delivery was  by a guy walking with the item in a sack over his shoulder.   It was then delivery was horse and wagon.   It was in every type of delivery mode after that.  And it still is.

[hometownvintagecom]

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@uncseniorsportsfan wrote:

While that is true - the odds of a priority mail package getting lost or delayed is far less than first class mail.   I also would never ship a $90 item first class mail - even with insurance. 

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I ship expensive items First class all the time.  I insure it if the value is over $35 if the item is easily broken, if a non-breakable item I insure over $50, just as a precaution.  I have not had to file a claim with USPS for any item in over a year but, I take no chances.  The couple extra dollars are worth my peace of mind.