Priority mail

[hector2380]

 I find there is no support for sellers at all !!!. Very upset. Twice I had items break and I have no way of knowing or making the buyers bring the items to the post office for inspection and so I could not get help from the post office on priority mail. I feel like we are forced into accepting returns through no fault of our own.  I can not make the buyer bring the package to the post office!  I was just told ,in addition to having to pay the buyer back that I have to pay a $20 dispute fee!!! With all the money ebay makes on good sellers they should have our backs. Looking into listing elsewhere.

[slippinjimmy]

Did USPS actually insist on physically inspecting the package?

When/if they did had you already refunded the buyer?

The $20 fee is for a credit card chargeback, did the buyer go straight to that instead of opening a claim on eBay?

[ittybitnot]

@hector2380 

You would be correct.  Buyers are not required to participate in an insurance claim.  If you got a "dispute" fee, it was from a managed payments dispute (buyer went directly to their payment provider).  If it was a 'not as described' reason, there is no requirement that a buyer must return the item. 

[luckythewinner]

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@hector2380 wrote:

 I can not make the buyer bring the package to the post office

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Correct. eBay's money back guarantee does not have any provision that requires a buyer to run errands for the seller. 

[katzrul15]

Yes, it appears USPS is wanting the damaged item and it's box/packing brought to the PO for inspection now.

There was another thread on here today where others posted they use the insurance e-Bay offers and have no issues with it/claims.  Have not used it, so not certain.

Sorry about the chargeback it is frustrating.

[jack-falstaff]

If you were charged $20 in fees, that sounds more like you had eBay dispute the charge for you with the credit card company.  If they lose, the credit card company levies a fine and eBay passes that fine on to you.  So that really isn't them making money off you, but rather making sure they don't lose money on you.

[gail5176]

Wow a $20 charge back fee-that seems crazy

[fashionsandbeauty4u]

From the USPS website:

"Either the person who sent the mailpiece or the person who received it may file a claim for insured mail that is lost, arrived damaged, or was missing contents. The person filing must have the original mailing receipt. Each claim must be filed within a certain time period and include proof of insurance, value, and damage.

The fastest and easiest way to file your claim is online. If you cannot file a claim on USPS.com, you can start a claim process by mail. After you file, keep all your evidence documents until the claim is resolved."

[fashunu4eeuh]

After refunding for the damaged item, which is the seller’s obligation, then a well-worded request to the buyer asking for their kind assistance may (or may not) garner it. But all a seller can do is make the request. 

It is the seller’s responsibility to pack items to withstand rough treatment while in transit. If the package contents arrive damaged, in eBay’s eyes that failure falls on the seller, not the carrier. So a seller should respond first with a refund, then apply for the shipping insurance.

It is unfortunate if a buyer refuses to help, but ultimately it is not their problem. They have already been disappointed by not receiving their item in as-described condition. So then asking for them to be further inconvenienced by taking the damaged goods to the post office is an added imposition. One that sellers shouldn't expect buyers to meet.

If the post office is going to start demanding physical inspection in place of the usual online submission of insurance claims, there will likely be more cases of sellers not being made whole.

[donsdetour]

How do you know it was broke in the first place??

Also the purchaser does not have to go along with claim of such.

This is the why the PO has wanted the item and packaging inspected... They dont have to pay so many claims due to such.

If your items are being broke you need to asses your packing methods.

Always go with return for refund if you think the seller is lying...

Such as broken in transit is a item not as described case: and you the seller are responsible; no mater who you ship with: to get the item there as described... Just saying...

[toysaver]

When you ship anything fragile make sure you are comfortable enough with the packing that if it is dropped down a flight of cement stairs everything will be fine. 

[hector2380]

Yes...the post office asked that the package be brought in for inspection. I was not concerned about this because I felt confident it was packaged properly, but was not sure if the buyer would comply.

About a year ago, I had a similar  problem. The item was reported broken. I immediately refunded the customer and when I tried to file a claim, the post office told me they needed to see the pkge  which the customer threw out so this time I tried to have the customer take photos and bring the item to their post office and I filed a claim. In the interim, she claims to have gone to the post  office  and told me they took her package  and said they would handle it. When I sent her my letter from the usps, she had her credit company step in.  I made 3 long distance calls to her post office to try and verify this information. A postal worker informed me that there were a lot of changes going on there, people changing jobs,etc... and  he could not find the package nor was there any information on this . He vaguely remembered someone coming in with broken glass. That's what upsets me... no proof  and I have lost $40 this time and $20 previously. I am going to try and file an appeal simply because I am angry that there is no support for sellers and wondering why we pay for priority mail and insurance   

[yuzuha]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

If the post office is going to start demanding physical inspection in place of the usual online submission of insurance claims, there will likely be more cases of sellers not being made whole.

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Honestly, I can't really blame them. Out of the thousands of packages I have shipped and received via USPS over the years, I have only had one that was seriously damaged due to something the USPS did (the box obviously got soaking wet at some point in transit, and then they dumped other boxes on top of it so it just sort of collapsed in on itself. Fortunately, nothing inside was damaged because it had been packed well) rather than a case of poor packing on the shipper's part. Yes, USPS-caused damage happens, but in my experience it's very, VERY rare. Nine times out of ten, if something arrives damaged, it's because it was not packed properly.