The USPS damaged a package and the items inside - what options do I have

[cinema_visions]

I shipped a package from California to New York state via USPS Media Mail, and it arrived at my customer's residence with a big crunchy bend on one edge / side.  Inside were four 1940s paper lobby card movie posters that were torn in the same spot about 3 to 4 inches.  I have been told that since the customer opened the package, the USPS no longer has to take any responsibility for the external damage to the package that effectively destroyed the value of the contents.  This is about $50 worth of poster material.  Is it basically my responsibility (per eBay rules or ethics in general) to refund the customer in full, including the $8 shipping fee he paid me even though I packaged the material quite well with 4 layers of rigid cardboard around the posters, but clearly something very heavy slammed into the package.   Suggestions for compensation from either the USPS or eBay, or am I just on the hook for this?

[joseh1445]

Unfortunately you are in the hook for the damage.  You should had use better packaging materials.  I have shipped over 250 items in the last 12 months, and none arrive damage.  Make this a learning experience, take the loss and move on.  You will make your money down the line with other items that you sell.  

Good luck on your selling journey.

[dhbookds]

Media mail does not come with automatic insurance, so unless you took out extra.....there will be no compensation from them.......      

[a_c_green]

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@cinema_visions wrote:

Suggestions for compensation from either the USPS or eBay, or am I just on the hook for this?

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Just to clarify, your photos show a Priority Mail box. If you shipped this as Priority rather than Media Mail, that carries either $50 or $100 indemnity (depending on your seller status). The box was obviously damaged along the way, but I don't know who told you that you can't file a damage claim after the package is opened. Your buyer may need to bring the package back to the post office in support of your claim, but the obvious external damage should help in your favor.

Your seller obligation is to get the package to the buyer in the condition in which it was sold, and insurance is to reimburse you for refunding the buyer in case of disaster.

[joseh1445]

Poster shipped by Media Mail.  Use priority envelope as his packaging materials.

[cinema_visions]

Hi- Though I appreciate the reply, the packing materials are not really the issue.  I've shipped 500 packages in the past 6 months, and none arrived damage until this one.  The answer can always be to wrap every package in enough iron and lead, charge $1000 to ship it, and no damage will happen.  Normally the multiple layers of rigid cardboard are sufficient to throw the package against a wall and jump up and down on it, and the folded posters inside will still be fine.  In this case, the USPS took a sledgehammer to one side and mashed into it, so the question is what to do when the USPS clearly went above and beyond damaging a package beyond any sort of normal wear and tear during shipment.  

[the-hook-and-the-loop]

Did you use Priority Mail shipping supplies for packing a Media Mail parcel? USPS will love that you did. Or did you ship Priority? You said $8, so that sounds like it shipped Media Mail. USPS won't reimburse you then.

[cinema_visions]

I can see how this confusing.  I use the free Priority Boxes from the post office, cut them into multiple 11 x 14 inch sections, then ship them inside a DuPont tear proof / water proof envelope, in this case I shipped it Media Mail with tracking, which is supposed to have $50 insurance, but the USPS where I shipped it from said once a package is opened by a customer, the USPS is no longer liable, insurance only really ever covers if the package is outright lost.

[dhbookds]

Again........unless you opted for insurance (and paid for it)........it is not included in Media Mail.....tracking is included:   The "once package is opened" statement is ludicrous.....  Until it's opened, you don't know if the item is damaged.....

[dnasilver]

Best not to ask USPS to refund. They do not make Priority Boxes for you to use as packaging material. This drives up the cost of shipping for everyone.  Looks like you are on the hook for refunding your buyer.

[lamber9347]

I can understand why you are asking for USPS compensation, although you won't get any because you chose to use media mail. I don't understand why you are asking for eBay compensation. What did eBay do wrong here?.... 

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@cinema_visions 

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@cinema_visions wrote:

I can see how this confusing.  I use the free Priority Boxes from the post office, cut them into multiple 11 x 14 inch sections, then ship them inside 

Kinda naughty, those priority boxes are free to use for mailing priority not for cutting up and using for packing. Old used ones are OK.

     Wouldn't your posters have been better protected in a tube mailer? 

     Just curious,  did the buyer send you pictures of the damage posters? Or just the box and claimed posters were damaged?

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[randallmorefield]

Red flag if you shipped media mail in a priority mail box. Can't believe it was delivered??

[klhmdg]

@cinema_visions    Those Priority boxes are to be used only for Priority shipments. The baxes are not to be cut up and used for anything else.

The USPS does not even allow usage of used Priority boxes for packaging.

Media Mail has zero insurance, unless you pay extra.

This can be found on the USPS website.

Also I dont know why you were told that once it is open "oh well" - that is not true. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@cinema_visions wrote:

I can see how this confusing.  I use the free Priority Boxes from the post office, cut them into multiple 11 x 14 inch sections, then ship them inside a DuPont tear proof / water proof envelope, in this case I shipped it Media Mail with tracking, which is supposed to have $50 insurance, but the USPS where I shipped it from said once a package is opened by a customer, the USPS is no longer liable, insurance only really ever covers if the package is outright lost.

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Media mail doesn't come with insurance and since the post office has the right to open mail and verify whether the contents are actually legit media mail, they could have charged your buyer COD for priority shipping. 

Priority mail supplies are NOT supposed to be used for first class, media mail or parcel post and the USPS website and packaging clearly state that. 

What you did is part of the reason why the rest of us have to pay increased postage charges!