shipped an item with a signature required upon delivery & customer never received item.

[fun4_69]

I shipped a $60.00 item to a customer with a signature required upon delivery. customer never received the item, I had to issue a refund and the customer. And I filed a missing mail thru my post office and they said that the last known location was my customers home town. but yet they don't know where the item is. I didn't have insurance on it. Do I just totally lose out on the $60.00 dollars?

[kensgiftshop]

If it wasn't insured, yes.

[pargran3]

Well, you might get it back. What did the tracking say?

Why did you require signature confirmation on a 60 dollar item, or was that a typo?

[fun4_69]

the tracking said that the last location of the item was in the buyers home town. but no one has signed for the item.  i'm not sure why i added the "signature required" on a 60.00 dollar item. i usually only do that on items of 100.00 or more. and i do that so i'm not out when they say they never received it. but it appears this time i may be. go figure...

[fun4_69]

thank you for your input. i appreciate you taking the time.  happy holidays to you as well.  stay safe.

[714ricki]

Without a confirmed delivery scan, then yes you would be out the $60. Hopefully the USPS locates the parcel for you. 

[69heathery]

If shipped via USPS Priority Mail, it comes with up to $100 insurance.  You may be able to open a claim.

[fun4_69]

thanks for taking your time and offering your input.  it was an 167 year old photo give or take a year or two. and i shipped it via media mail. with just the signature required upon delivery.  the usps picked it up from my house out of my mailbox and that's when it disappeared. i guess the driver didn't scan it as she pulled it into her mail truck. it goes for over a week showing i only have made the label. showed no movement. i filled out a missing mail form and then the next day the tracking number shows the item has gone past tennessee and it's last location was atlanta georgia. then another day or two go bye and the tracking number says the last location is now the buyers home town. i went to ask my post office where the heck the item is and has anyone signed for it. the postal worker said it's in the buyers home town but no one has signed for it. she then tells me i have to call the post office in tennessee and settle it with them. bunch of bull poo if you ask me.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@fun4_69 wrote: ....  i'm not sure why i added the "signature required" on a 60.00 dollar item. i usually only do that on items of 100.00 or more. and i do that so i'm not out when they say they never received it. but it appears this time i may be. go figure...

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How would Signature Confirmation protect you any more than regular tracking does?  If the transaction is under $750, then regular tracking is all you need for protection against a fake "Item not received" claim and Signature Confirmation has no additional advantage. In this case, since the item has not received a delivery scan, there is no protection at all against a "not received" claim.

As noted in other posts, without insurance you do lose out on the $60 (plus postage).

Perhaps the buyer DID sign for the package, and the delivery scan was not done.   Or maybe the package was mislaid at his PO and delivery was never even attempted. But most likely the buyer was not home when delivery was attempted, and he has not gone to the PO to pick up the item. It's also possible that the package has significant Postage Due, since a photo isn't eligible for shipping via Media Mail; the pickup notice would have mentioned this and it might be a reason why the buyer has decided not to pick it up.  You might gain some insight into these possibilities if you do as suggested and call that local PO.

[pargran3]

Well, with the additional information you have given, I have no clue what might happen to your package. You misused media mail. If that was caught and is part of the problem it might end up in never never land.

As has been pointed out, requiring signature confirmation really does nothing for you except increasing your cost of shipping and annoys the heck out of a buyer.

[ms.rodriguez*]

This is mainly your fault for misuse of media mail.  Media mail is very, very slow.   I would not be surprised if the item is just laying there for another scan.  Definitely call that post office and explain and give them the tracking #.   You will most likely have to pay a postage due.  Ask them the amount of the postage due. Email the buyer, explain to them that they have to pick it up at the post office. Explain the postage due and you will have to REFUND that amount of the postage due back to the buyer.     Your other option is to RECALL the package and it will come back to you but you will have to pay the postage owed to pick it up. Of course, you will need to give the buyer the full refund.

Do not use media mail unless it qualifies for media mail.   To do so otherwise, is theft.