posted on February 23, 2001 06:04:30 PM
So I get an email from one of my buyers stating that a soup bowl that she won off my auction had arrived in "hundreds of pieces" however the 3 mugs were o.k. Now she wants the postal insurance receipt to make a claim. Postmaster says it sounds fishy. Then I check her recent wins and low and behold she won a 16 piece set of dishes (including the one she bought from me) the same day my stuff arrived in "hundreds of pieces". Coincidence? She went on to say that she wondered if she would be able to find a replacement for the bowl at such a cheap price. That email came 2 hours after she had already won the 16 piece set. Question: Do I persue as fraud and let the P.O. deal with it, or do I just send her the insurance receipt and let her deal with it (or get away with it).
posted on February 23, 2001 06:28:05 PM
First of all, don't give her the original receipt. If you must send it to her, send her a copy.
I asked my PO about this process awhile ago, and I was told the insurance process could be started from either end (sender or recipient). Take the receipt to YOUR post office along with the shipping info (her name and address) and ask about starting an insurance claim. Explain that the recipient claims one item in a package arrived broken and ask what the procedure is for that situation.
edited to add...
The guy at my PO said that both parties will have paperwork to fill out. Fill out your part and they'll send her what she needs to complete.
[ edited by joanne on Feb 23, 2001 06:29 PM ]
posted on February 23, 2001 06:31:37 PM
thanks joanne,
I didn't know I could start it from my end. That is what I thought should happen since the insurance was purchased by me. The postmaster did take a copy of the insurance cert for me but said the original had to be sent along with the claim.
posted on February 23, 2001 08:08:49 PM
If the insurance claim is for $50 or less the person who received the damaged goods has to make the claim they will get paid cash on the spot but they will not only need the green insurance slip but also the whole package they recieved not just the one broken peice when the PO pays the whole package belongs to them your buyer will get the cash the po get the whole package and all its contents.
Also send a copy of your Auction or your EOA that has a list of all item that was in the package and what they paid for it.
the buyer will not get away with nothing as they will have there money and no goods.
I have had a few buyer who claimed damage I just make a copy of the receipt for my self and send the orginal to them registered mail so they must sign for it.
If the buyer cant produce the orginal packageing and all its contents damaged and undamaged the PO will not pay the claim.
How ever if the Insurance is over $50 you must get claim papers at the PO fill out your part send it off to your buyer they fill out there half then it get sent in for the insurance claim.
posted on February 23, 2001 08:19:03 PM
Headhunter265, I think you have been given good advice by the previous posters... I just wanted to add that although it may sound fishy, it is perfectly plausible. My best friend ordered a set of dishes on eBay, and the *one* thing that she really wanted was broken into a gazillion peices, and everything else was ok. It's weird, but it did happen!!
Martiniswiller (not my name on eBay)
posted on February 23, 2001 08:26:20 PM
My wife received a box at xmas time from her sister that had four breakable items in it. 3 were fine and 1 was broken.
I had this same situation happend to me. I sent 4 fiesta bowls to a customer and 1 arrived broken. I sent the customer the green slip, they filed a claim and the post office paid for the 1 bowl.
They do want to look at the entire package and all of its contents, but they will divide the claim by as many items as are in the box and pay for the item broken ONLY.
I have had dishes sent to me and some have broken and the Post office paid me just for what was broken, yes, they did keep the broken items, but I was allowed to keep the unbroken items.
I can tell you the Post office does it this way because I have dealt with this situation before.
Unless you have dealt with a similar situation like this before, you should not be on here telling people they will have to give the entire contents to the Post office to make a claim !
posted on February 24, 2001 05:35:58 AM
perhaps, no one is wrong. what I have discovered is the procedures vary depending on postal workers, postal stations, cities, states, and countries. I have been told conflicting information nearly every time I file a claim.
pcalton
Perry Calton [email protected]
http://www.pcalton.com
posted on February 24, 2001 07:17:20 AM
THANKS EVERYONE. I did email the buyer with the info about providing the P.O. the "hundreds" of broken pieces and original packaging. Also congratulated her on finding a replacement set "so fast". LOL I'm still waiting to hear from her. Stay tuned.
