First Class Mail Damaged - Refund Fraud?

[audiya_sound]

Here's my situation...

I have an item, it was sold.  Buyer sends shipping cost along with it to me so I can forward that to USPS. That money is now gone as it was never intended for me. In transit the post office damages item.  The buyer of course wants a complete refund.  In my possession is ONLY the amount of the item.  YET, I have to refund the buyer for the damaged item and reimburse the cost of shipping (because USPS doesn't take responsibility). In the end I am paying out of pocket for the buyers shipping cost and now have a loss a product.  I get doubly screwed and USPS gets to damage goods and keep the money. 

Yes, I know insurance would have covered it but that's not the issue here, it's strictly principle.  The seller gets the shaft by this policy.

I asked a USPS customer service representative a hypothetical question:

If I sent out 100 First Class packages and every single one of them were damaged, would USPS be held accountable.  Their response: NO

Insurance or not, this is an absolute shady policy and should be considered fraud.  Isn't it the duty of USPS to safely deliver our packages regardless of us "adding" insurance?  

[donsdetour]

Yep the seller gets the shaft: and you do not yet know what is being sent back to you is the same item you sent, or if it is scavenged for parts etc....Might even be some item sent some were else with your zip on it...

As for damage and the USPS unless it is insured (and most likely would deny saying improperly packed or non proof of value) they are not responsible..

Can not blame them as such damaged items would be sent to say the USPS did the damage.... etc.

Part of the online sales system is you take such risks.

Or the old saying
If you can not afford to lose the item and money paid for it: do not sell it online.

[tdumonde2014]

What "Principle" are you referring to? You were given the option to ship your package with or without insurance and you chose without. The Post Office was not hiding anything, they don't cover damage/loss unless the item was insured. For a dollar or two more you could have covered the package. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

Yes, any carrier, not just USPS,  will deny a damage claim unless there is insurance, and even then they can be denied because of inadequate packaging.

What was the item and how was it packaged for shipment? If it was not able to withstand falling 10-15 feet onto a concrete floor with a 50+ pound box landing on top of it, it wasn't packaged properly.

Transit damage may not be a seller's fault, but it IS their responsibility.

[rebell45]

While everyone says to buy insurance to protect yourself, the seller, there is one catch on eBay. 

In order to get the PO to pay a claim, especially on high priced items, you need the total cooperation of the buyer. While sometimes the PO will accept photos of the damaged packaging as proof, many times they will want the damaged item, packaging and all taken to the local PO for inspection.  If the buyer has opened the package, further damaging it or maybe discarding it, they will not honor the claim.  And, what buyer is going to donate his time and effort when all he has to do is file a claim with eBay.

It is the sellers job to insure that the item packed well enough to survive for whatever the PO throws at it.

[audiya_sound]

The principle here is that I paid for a service and the the box was received crushed.  Anything inside would have been ruined.  I understand insurance, but I don't understand not being held accountable for the service you provide.  It's bogus and shame.  

[vintagepursuitstore]

    I sell educational material and information.  I have a NO RETURN policy because it can be copied.  To get around that, buyers will purposefully remove a page or tear it, etc.  and say it is NOT AS DESCRIBED to get their money back.  Oh, and copy it first so they can have the information they bought.  They they send it back to me at my expense - it's useless because it's been altered and I have to pay for the shipping and refund.  It's a racket.   

       I stopped selling expensive dolls that have original clothing.  Buyers have purchased them, removed a body part  or item of clothing to replace one broken or missing on theirs and claim the one they received was broken or missing a part.  Then I am out the price of the expensive doll and they get one that is now complete, restored and more valuable.  But the customer is always right!  And this is the reality of selling.  No one is on your side - even if you've worked for them for 20 years and brought in a million dollars in sales.  The seller gets thrown under the bus.  Just be aware.  The same dishonest people you see everyday in the world are also in the marketplace.