posted on March 13, 2002 10:05:46 PM new
I shipped a set of bowls Priority Mail and insured. One of the set was broken and when my buyer tried to claim damages the postal
clerk said they would not pay the amount claimed on the insurance since only one item was broken, and the insured amount was for three bowls. They wanted a sales slip proving the cost of the broken bowl, plus the insurance receipt. I sent these to the buyer, listing each bowl and its value in a sales receipt. Although the postal clerk did accept this and paid the insurance, he told my buyer that if she ever claimed a broken item again she had better have an "eBay receipt" or they would arrest her for fraud. I never heard of an eBay receipt. eBay states it is not an auctioneer and all transactions are between seller and buyer. Who do these postal workers think they are to be so mean to someone who is legally claiming damages for an item, and has the insurance receipt and a sales receipt both?
homestead7, not my eBay user name
posted on March 13, 2002 11:30:20 PM new
I have asked my post office in the past about this.
I was told if you ship something and only one item in the package is broken that is all you get paid for. You do not get the whole value unless all pieces are UNUSABLE or the package is total lost. If lost you also can collect the postage amount.
They also told me I would need a print of the ebay screen showing how mauch it sold for. You are not able to claim any more then the final sale price. I have had winners want to insure for retail price, the po says NO. It is not a replacement value you are paid. Only the value of the broken item.
posted on March 14, 2002 12:34:20 PM new
I just had a tricky situation with USPS insurance. I thought I wouldn't get paid or they would pay a reduced amount.
I bought an item from a liquidator. The item arrived and it wasn't the item I ordered, but it was a more expensive item - but one I didn't need.
They wouldn't send the item I ordered until I returned the wrong item. They also couldn't find the wrong item listed in their inventory to tell me the value for shipping insurance.
I found the item priced at another internet vendor- it's value was $60. The item I ordered was $45. I insured the package for $60. I even asked the Post Office if I should insure for $45 or $60 - they said $60 as that is the value of the item.
Well the package was lost. I could not supply an invoice for $60 from the vendor because the lost item was not what I ordered and was not even in their inventory. I even told the Post Office that I stood to actually make $15 on the transaction. I did provide a print-out from another online vendor to show that the item's value was at least $60.
The Post Office paid the $60. They said that I paid insurance for the value of the actual item, not the transaction value of the other item ($45). I paid for the insurance, I showed the value of the item, and it was not signed for and the vendor said that they never received it.
I received a $60 check in the mail 2 weeks later. Couldn't believe it.
