Author Topic: Screwed by the USPS.  (Read 1189 times)

PilotHawK

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Screwed by the USPS.
« on: October 17, 2007, 09:08:05 PM »
OK, so I sell an item on ebay. Get paid quickly via paypal, and ship the item the next day via USPS priority mail with delivery confirmation. The buyer did not wish to buy insurance.

The tracking # the post office gave me is only valid IF and when the post office delivers the item. So here it is 3 weeks later and the item has still not been delivered. I talk with the guys at the post office to find out what I can do.

#1 Wait another week and see if it shows up. If it doesn't show up then I can file paperwork for them to "look for the item in their non-deliverable mail facility (well Its been that week so now I get to file that paperwork on behalf of the buyer).

#2 if the item isn't found within a reasonable amount of time (he never told me what reasonable was) I could file for a refund of the cost of DELIVERY CONFIRMATION.....but hey thats free with priority shipping when you buy shipping through paypal...so you don't get anything back.

So here is the real dilemma. Who is responsible for the lost part besides the USPS. Do I give the guy his money back, and eat the cost? Should I tell him he should have bought insurance and let him eat the cost?

The main reason this sucks so bad and the reason I don't have a leg to stand on is becasue the USPS doesn't always scan a delivery confirmation item until it is delivered. So the tracking number I have is useless because all it says is the the package has been electronically processed for shipping. It doesn't show that I dropped it off for shipping, just that I purchased postage and printed a label. So the USPS lost my package somewhere between here and timbuktu and has no idea where it is. Nor can they show that I even dropped the package off with them for delivery.

I wonder how many people who have purchased delivery confirmation have been taken to the cleaners this way by the USPS. I know that no matter what happens I'll be out a hundred bucks and there is nothing I can do about it.

I am thinking that in the future I'll be shipping with UPS where a tracking # actually means something.

The USPS another great government run program that screws people on a daily basis!


I'm open to your thoughts or suggestions on how to handle this.

nuke em

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Screwed by the USPS.
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2007, 11:00:46 PM »
That sucks. I normally ship everything with FexEx ground, mainly because its cheaper than USPS or UPS 99% of the time. I would give the guy his money back and hope he is honest enough to send it back if it shows up, but thats just me. You do not have to and he will probably leave bad feedback if you don't.

I know that its not much of an answer.

I had an item broken in shipping to Canada through USPS. The guy left me bad feedback(my only one) after 2 weeks. I had insurance and it took 5 weeks to get the money refunded because it was international. I kept the refund and told the SOB I was going to after he left me bad feedback. :twisted:

Gary

PilotHawK

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Screwed by the USPS.
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2007, 04:34:16 PM »
I have reported a lost/stolen claim for the item. It just pisses me off because it states in my auction listings it is not my responsibility once it leaves my hands. 2 things that will happen in the future. Insurance will be required, and I'll send UPS if possible. I wish there was a Fed-ex place closer to me. I guess I could try a place like mailboxes, etc.

Might  be an option.

As of right now I'm out a near new pullstarter, and a hundred bucks.

This puts me in a situation just like my avatar! I'm screwed......