My Buyer received a broken item! HELP!

[stev.tucke]

I received a message from a buyer who got my package delivered yesterday and it was broken in multiple parts. I was sent pictures. All I seem to get out of Ebay AI Help is to start a return. I am not a big fan of returning a large porcelain platter in 5 pieces. Who is going to pay the $31 return shipping? And are not my shipments insured? This was damage done during shipping? I have no idea what to do?

[tobaccocardyahoo · Accepted solution]

Your shipments are not insured against damage unless your carrier's shipment charges include some level of insurance.

USPS, FEDEX and UPS generally have a $100 coverage unless you have paid for more.

Ebay International shipping will cover more.

You need to contact your carrier. They will require either the packaging or pictures and will tell you which.

You will not be paid anything if you packaging is deemed inadequate.

No reason to contact Ebay.

[12345jamesstamps]

Insurance is for lost items usually.

Buyer sent photos...which buyer did not have to do...I would refund the buyer immediately on "Goodwill".

And I wouldn't want a broken item returned...that makes no sense.

It is basically considered a lost. 

Shipper will basically say you didn't package it good enough....but I am sure you did.

[lakefor94]

Sorry to hear this happened.  If you are convinced of breakage, just refund and let them keep it. 

If it was the "Fitz and Floyd Jolly Ole St. Nick 19x13 Christmas Platter",  those $50 breakables are risky business with $30 shipping.

You can try to get the buyer to take it to the carrier and plead your case for insurance purposes. Good luck with that scenario.

In the future, a couple of inches of 1" bubble wrap and a custom box with an inch of cardboard sleeving all around, might make it.....

UPS might have shipped it for ~$20, though same risk of breakage unless packed to the max.

[kensgiftshop]

Ask the buyer for a few pictures of the item and package, then refund the buyer.
Have the buyer hang on to the item and package so it can be inspected.
You file a claim with the carrier.

[fern*wood]

Refund your buyer since they sent you photos, use the photos to submit your claim on-line (if USPS), kindly ask the buyer to hang on to the item/packaging  for USPS to see, wait for letter telling you to have item surrendered to post office for inspection, wait for buyer to ignore or say they threw everything out, wait some more for denial of claim letter. 

[reo_pro]

I recently had a similar situation with USPS with a broken plate.  I filed a claim on line and gave them pictures the buyer sent me.  I refunded the buyer and USPS sent me a check for the item.  It's fairly simple.

I purchase my labels thru Ebay shipping and automatically get $100 insurance.

Hope this helps.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @stev.tucke 

You got some good replies with regard to refunding opposed to having the item returned.  Now, just curious if the pics the Buyer supplied were sufficient enough for you to determine that the broken plate they showed you was actually yours?  If you feel you packed the plate very securely it is possible they broke their own plate and yours will wind up being a Free replacement. 

[aproudparent2010]

Just refund the buyer, no return needed

[simba6]

Just issue a full refund.  No point throwing away any more money to ship it back as YOU would be paying it.   Priority mail along with FEDEX and UPS include some insurance.  All other postal services you have to pay extra for insurance.  However, they often say if it broke it was due to poor packing and won't pay anyway.  

[weenuffie]

This happened to me as well.  A package was delivered by USPS to the buyer, and the contents were broken so I refunded buyer, who sent me pictures of the broken items.

Unfortunately, I found out from USPS that unless both the packaging and broken items are taken to USPS for inspection, they won't issue a refund.  So even if the recipient keeps the packaging, that means the burden goes to the buyer to take it to the post office for inspection and how many buyers do you think would be willing to go through that hassle?  My guess would be not many.

So, just wondering if eBay needs to step in to find a way to protect the seller somehow because we have no way to get the actual packaging from the buyer and pictures of the packaging and broken items isn't good enough.   

Just my 2 cents.