item shipped was in perfect working condition and intact, buyer claims it arrived smashed

[hadrian130]

I recently sold a computer video card. Just prior to placing it in the USPS Medium Flat Rate shipping box, I took care to photograph it for my records after having tested it to certify that it was in perfect working condition. The problem is that the buyer requested a return claiming that it arrived smashed. The buyer did provide photos that show the item damaged as he claimed (bent and missing pieces). But it was intact when it left. The buyer lives in Russia and did not request insurance. But eBay is telling me that I need to resolve this with the carrier.  Where does that leave me? If it was damaged in transit, it may not have been damaged by USPS because after it arrived in Moscow, USPS handed it off to a local carrier.   

[southern*sweet*tea]

For transit damage, the buyer is owed a full refund. You can choose to have them return it, but YOU will pay the return shipping w/tracking (which from Russia will be VERY expensive) or you can refund in full and allow them to keep it. If you had insurance you can file for damages.  Insurance is for YOU, not the buyer. The buyer has Ebay's money back guarantee.

[takikawa4]

@hadrian130

First, your pictures mean nothing since (1) ebay can't determine the item photographed was the item shipped and (2) damage can and does occur during shipping.

Whether or not the buyer requested insurance is also a non-issue as a seller cannot require a buyer to pay for insurance. Nor does it matter who may have damaged the item: USPS or the Russian carrier. What you need to do is send the buyer money to return the item to you and refund upon receipt or just refund in full. Otherwise you're going to get a major strike against your account.

[hadrian130 · Accepted solution]

OK I understand, lesson learned. From now on then, I will always add insurance for my protection. Thank you both for your feedback.  

[plumbingspecials]

Insurance is not for the buyer, no buyer would request insurance.

Insurance is for the seller (shipper) in this exact situation. 

[hadrian130]

Since there was no insurance, I'm guessing then that there's no use even appealing to the post office?  The wait time to speak to an agent is over an hour. 

[hadrian130]

If the post office won't refund my item that I sold for $105 would they at least be able to refund shipping?

[bonjourami]

With no insurance, the p.o. will not refund your $105. And even with insurance, they never refund postage anyway.

[a_c_green]

---

@plumbingspecials wrote:

Insurance is not for the buyer, no buyer would request insurance.

Insurance is for the seller (shipper) in this exact situation. 

---

Doesn't Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping come with some amount of insurance at no extra charge?

[bonjourami]

It usually has $50 insurance, but because this item went to Russia and was then handed off to another carrier there, I dobut that usps would pay.

[sam9876]

Why did you use a medium flat rate box?

[flyerfandan999]

---

@hadrian130 wrote:

If the post office won't refund my item that I sold for $105 would they at least be able to refund shipping?

---

No refund on a damaged item that got to the destination because in the logic of the USPS, they got your item to its destination which is what you paid for, so why would they refund if they did their job?

OTOH, if the package was lost, they would refund the value of the item up to the insurance coverage plus the postage costs, because the item never got to its destination.

If you did not opt to buy third party insurance or opt to buy more than the baseline $50 of insurance that PM gets (assuming international PM also gets the baseline $50), then I'd submit a claim for at least the baseline $50.  I have read where it's best to do an online claim for online postage.

Last bit of advice...I am a fan of the Global Shipping Program (not everyone here is).  From a Seller's presepctive, it very much simplifies international shipping and significantly lowers your risks for INR claims and damage-related SNAD claims.

[thallidguy]

Just so you know, Priority Mail and Priority Mail International both include some insurance coverage as part of the basic cost of postage. So you should be insured at least to some degree. One of the other posters said that the maximum value is $50; it may have changed since the last time I checked but they at least used to assign coverage value based on (I think) weight and declared value of the package.

It may be that they won't pay because the package went to Russia. A lot of funky stuff has happened with shipping to Russia in the last several years. But you do have insurance and I'd say it's at least worth a shot to file a claim. What do you have to lose at this point except the time to fill out the form?

[pjcdn2005]

According to the USPS site Priority International does have insurance so it would be worth your while to file a claim. You may be able to do it online.

https://www.usps.com/international/insurance-extra-services.htm

Priority Mail International® Insurance

Priority Mail International shipments containing merchandise are insured against loss, damage, or missing contents up to $200 at no additional charge. Priority Mail International shipments containing non-negotiable documents are insured against loss, damage, or missing contents up to $100 for document reconstruction at no additional charge.