Shipping Damage

equinecpa · #1 02/03/12, 02:29 PM

How would you handle this:

I sold an acrylic item for a fish tank and shipped it priority post. The buyer told me he'd bought one similar but the seller never shipped it. The day I shipped mine out, I received an email asking if I'd shipped it yet because the other seller had finally shipped out his first purchase. I had already sent it so there was not much I could do. He said he'd figure out what to do with the extra item.

Today, I received an email saying the purchaser had received the item, but the item is cracked and leaks and that there is a part missing (he says there is broken acrylic in the box). There was no shipping insurance purchased. He made payment via paypal.

I've asked for pictures of the item as well as pictures of the box -he didn't say the box looked damaged. He of course wants a refund and says he'll return the item to me.

So what should I do? Do I trust the buyer didn't inflict the damage himself to get out of the purchase and refund the money? The item cost $125 and shipping cost $15.00. If I refund his purchase, should I refund just the cost of item, or shipping one way, or both ways?

4boyds · #2 02/03/12, 06:09 PM

The amount of the refund is something you'll have to work out with the seller. Normally in that situation I refund the purchase price plus the shipping they paid. The buyer pays return shipping, and I won't issue a refund until I receive the item back. Most of the time they decide it isn't worth the hassle, but at $125 it's a significant amount that they'll probably fight for.

If you feel like the situation is shady at all, try to negotiate your way out of it. You could also refuse to refund, but if you're selling through eBay or somewhere with a feedback or buyer protection program, it's probably better to take the financial hit.

I just went through a similar situation with an item supposedly being lost in the mail. I tried to skimp and save myself the cost of a tracking number and ended up losing about $25. No idea if it was really lost or not, but I consider it a $25 lesson that I'll remember next time. I hate to say it, but that may be what you'll have to do in your case.

happychick · #3 02/03/12, 07:33 PM

I just hate it when that happens with eBay. Do NOT refund his shipping cost, that is his responsibility. My refund policy on eBay is 'buyer pays return shipping in the case of a return & full refund.' I also don't refund unless I recieve the item back in the same condition I shipped it in. However, the one big exception is 'damage in shipment', which I do everything I can to to avoid...

I just won a PayPal case where I had a buyer buy zunes from me for 'parts only, sold as-is'. He wanted a 50% refund upon recieving them because they did not have the parts he wanted. I said absolutly not and he opened a PayPal case on me, which (a whole month later) I have won...Don't know if a PayPal case would help anything in your situation or not though.

Hope this helped.

equinecpa · #4 02/03/12, 08:13 PM

Thanks for your input Happychick!

I know how disappointed I would be if I received a damaged item so I do plan on refunding him upon its return to me. I won't pay for his shipping like you said.

And next time I ship something semi-fragile I will build in an insurance fee -it just drives me crazy because shipping is expensive as it is without adding insurance for the safe delivery of something that you've already paid to be delivered. LOL.

blufford · #5 02/04/12, 06:26 AM

Check the buyers previous purchase through his feedback page and see if the item that he bought is just similar and not the same as the one as you sent. I wouldn't send him a refund until I had my product back and was sure that it was the one I sent.

I sell live plants and we use pieces of rolled insulation (r-13) for fragil shipments.

Ken Scharabok · #6 02/04/12, 06:00 PM

I would want photographs just to be sure.

I typically leave feedback within three days of shipment. Thus, he might have a wonderful feedback score, but it may not be accurate.

I know some folks wait a month or so before leaving feedback. You have, I believe, 60 days in which to do so.

acde · #7 02/04/12, 06:10 PM

Handle it the way you would want someone to handle it if you were the buyer and you should have no problems.

Ken Scharabok · #8 02/04/12, 06:17 PM

UPS includes free shipping insurance for up to $100 in base fee. However, their standard is a package has to be capable of being dead dropped from 6'.

4boyds · #9 02/04/12, 07:57 PM

I sometimes suspect UPS, and all other shippers, of dropping all their packages from 6'.

A note on the PayPal disputes, should things come to that. Don't expect to win just because you're right. I've had a couple disputes go against me that should have been blatantly in my favor. As far as I can tell PayPal waits 30 days then flips a coin.

Hope things are easily resolved!

equinecpa · #10 02/04/12, 08:30 PM

Thanks for all the input -I do plan on refunding his money once it is safely returned (or should I say just once it is returned). It wasn't an ebay transaction. I've learned a packing lesson -extra packing to be sure usps doesn't break it. This is my second strike with USPS -they once lost 2 out of 3 hard drives once on a priority post shipment. For a long time I didn't use them for anything I really wanted delivered. It's just hard in this economy when everyone is trying to get a good deal, not to use the cheapest carrier for the shipment. I was "this" close to shipping it Fedex but opted not to because I would have had to take the package to town and the buyer was in a hurry.

This isn't an ebay transaction...just an item sold on a reefkeeping forum..no shipping policies, refund policies or anything like that stated.

DanielY · #11 02/04/12, 08:47 PM

I can tell you how this all goes according to the "Officials" I have been around this bush in just about every way you can imagine.
The customer paid you for the item, they also paid you to ship it. Because of this it is you that are responsible to render services paid for. It is also you that chose UPS, USPS or whoever, basically look at them as a sub contractor that you chose as the avenue to render services you where paid for. Regardless of how you went about selecting what service to ship the item by it is still looked at as your choice. You can put a shipping option on yoru shopping cart. This is just seen as you consulting your customer. Btu the final decision is still considered yours by "The Man"
As for insurance purchased from the shipping service of your choice. this is a transaction between you and the service provider. If there is a claim it is between you, the customer who purchased the insurance and the provider. your customer never enters that picture.
Now if you require your customer to return the item for a refund. they are the person selecting the service they want in order to fullfill that requirement. this does not involve you in any way. It is there cost in order to meet the requirements for a refund.
You can come up with any number of fancy twists and turns in order to cause your customer to think anything you want. They may very well buy it, but if push comes to shove it is going to come down according to the above lines in the sand. I would require a photo of the damage to the box. if there is not any I would challenge that the item was damaged due to shipping. I am pretty sure that would hold up. If plastic is broken cardboard would be dented at the very least. Still there is nothing you can do if you did not purchase insurance if they have a claim. You purchased the shipping providers service.

willow_girl · #12 02/04/12, 09:13 PM

That's a toughie. I self-insure up to $50; anything above that, I build the cost of insurance into the shipping price.

I once had some china figurines reported broken. There were 3 in the box and one was damaged. I told the buyer to just keep them, and gave her a full refund including the shipping cost. She left me good feedback. I figured preserving feedback rating was worth more than the cost of the refund. Easy to say when it's a $15 item; a little tougher when it's $125.

Bandit · #13 02/04/12, 09:48 PM

As far as I can tell PayPal waits 30 days then flips a coin.
With Tails on Both Sides , Heads Seller Wins , Tails Buyer Wins

ChristieAcres · #14 02/04/12, 11:21 PM

You can't go back and change how it went, and the best advice was already given. Nope, wouldn't refund shipping, or refund for item, until it is returned. In the future, I would not ship without insuring (contingent upon value).