posted on August 18, 2003 05:16:12 AM new
After reading posts on insurance on items, I am seriously considering adding insurance from the USPS to my items...Have never had a buyer opt for insurance so far, so have had no problems with it YET...I know eventually the odds will catch up and someone will not receive their item...My question is this...If the item does not arrive to the buyer in a reasonable time, who is responsible for making the move to claim the insurance from the USPS, the seller or the buyer?...Thanks in advance for your help you all, you regulars have helped out me out alot, love reading the stuff in here...
posted on August 18, 2003 05:36:23 AM new
if item is lost or damaged,seller initiates the filing of insurance claim-fill out the form,signed and attach the insurance slip,invoice showing the value of the item and forward them to the buyer.
tell the buyer to leave everything as is,dont throw anything away or remove anything.
buyer takes the package and the paperworks to post office,the postal clerk will examine the package .if the amount is under 50 and is approved,buyer will get the proceeds right there.
if over 50 ,it will be turned over to the claims personel .
you can get a form and read the details.
if item is lost,there is a waiting period of 30 days.
usps is becoming more stringent on claims,they are more likely to nickpick on your packaging if the amount is large.
invoice has to bear your company heading,ebay invoice may not be acceptable for large amount
-sig file -------They may have ginsu knife,but we have DING KING!!!!
posted on August 18, 2003 10:03:47 AM new
stopwhining is correct. The shipper initiates the claim. 30 days from the date of shipping must have elapsed. The post office will deny the claim frequently for trivial matters (forgot to cross a T or dot an I). 90 days to receive reimbursement is probably average wait. They will attempt to settle at your cost and often will challenge the invoice (the more proffesional looking a document the better). I have fought with them a number of times, always have prevailed. The window clerk is powerless it's handles elsewhere in terms of decisions.
posted on August 18, 2003 10:46:12 AM new
I've always made the claim, and stopwhining is right, if the item is damaged, they will want to see the box. I once shipped a heavy electronic item that was destroyed - it was packed well too, so they did honor the claim. However, FYI on an item that is damaged, they will NOT reimburse for shipping costs. This hurt, because I think it cost me about $20 to ship this item. They only paid the actual invoice amount of the item. If the item is lost, they will reimburse shipping charges.
Another thing to consider - use electronic delivery confirmation. This is definitely useful for the under $50 items, that don't require a signature. Filing insurance forms is a hassle, and if an item is insured and it shows it is delivered, they will not let you file a claim. It is then the bidder's problem - either they are trying to cheat the USPS, or their item got stolen. It is then between them and their delivery person, you are out of the loop. This happened to me once, someone said an insured item did not arrive. I told her that the item was shipped with delivery confirmation, I gave her the number, and said the USPS will not honor an insurance claim of a missing item that shows delivered. I never heard back, so I believe it was a scam...
posted on August 18, 2003 11:21:53 AM new
I've had a few cases where the buyer said the item never got there but when I checked the DC info on the web and it has always said item reached destination. I give them the info and let them hassle it on their end. ( I tell them to use the toll free USPS phone system to save a trip to post office ).
None of these case have ever answered back about the "lost" item.
About half the time when this has happened I get the feeling that the buyer is trying to scam me for a few bucks.
-------------- sig file ----------- He who angers you controls you
posted on August 18, 2003 12:13:23 PM new
one common excuse USPS uses to deny claims is that the outside box is not damaged.
-sig file -------They may have ginsu knife,but we have DING KING!!!!
posted on August 18, 2003 12:59:05 PM new
this is why I love using UPS as much as possible. insurance claim is paid within 10 days, no arguments. the buyer needs to hold onto the item for five business days in case they want to send a driver to look the item and packaging over. I have had to file 5 claims in 2 years and they have never sent anyone to the home. they also reimburse the shipping charges. if you are shipping to a business address or to a large city, UPS is usually the cheaper way to go. their tracking is 100% better than USPS tracking. they know where the package is at each step, unlike the post office who scans at departure and at delivery time only.
posted on August 18, 2003 02:01:07 PM newthey know where the package is at each step, unlike the post office who scans at departure and at delivery time only
That's what you think. I see you never tried to get them to find one that was going in circles. I had one that made it to the terminal 5 miles away for the 3rd time according to the tracking. I finally got a person at the terminal on the phone and they checked and it was never there. They said that the tracking only shows where they EXPECT it to be, not real scans.
posted on August 18, 2003 04:48:24 PM new
I had one UPS package "lost in space" for 3 weeks...or so I thought. I called the 800 number in the phone book and the lady on the other end was able to tell me exactly where the package was and that attempt had been made twice to deliver and they were waiting on a phone call from the buyer to schedule a delivery time (in New York city). I emailed this info to the buyer and he emailed me the next evening that he had called and they scheduled and delivered that afternoon. In my opinion UPS has it all over the USPS.
And, there is no waiting for 30 days before they will even attempt to find the package.
[ edited by rarriffle on Aug 18, 2003 04:49 PM ]
posted on August 18, 2003 09:57:14 PM new
Anytime the value is over $10.00 & breakable,I automatically charge for insurance. If it is not breakable, I leave the option to the buyer. I do a great job of packing, but you never know what the PO is going to do.
posted on August 19, 2003 02:44:28 AM new
and to make sure the PO can't call it undeliverable...make sure you put the address inside the package. I put the shipping label printed from Vendio checkout inside my packages.
We get our insurance through U-Pic for MUCH less than the USPS. Reports sent for insurance to U-Pic are automatic from our ENVELOPE MANAGER program.
WE NOT ONLY REQUIRE INSURANCE, BUT A SIGNATURE with every item shipped, and we stopped listing such with the insurance separate. We put our insurance in the eBay category of shipping/handling.
WHEN we have a problem, we can easily trace the item through the ENVELOPOE MANAGER program, and not only see when the package arrived, but who signed for it and when.
We have so little breakage, it is basically not an issue, but we have encountered folks from time to time claiming that they never received a package, but with Delivery Confirmation AND a signature, that is all that our credit card processor, PayPal, etc., require.
The only packages we don’t have a signature required on are those which cost less than $2.00 to ship.
posted on August 20, 2003 08:44:02 AM new
stopwhining Thanks and others with added details than you all also. I sumhow got conned into selling ten porcelain dolls. Had one break today. So will start process. I cut and pasted data into word and saved it as useful information.
posted on August 20, 2003 09:30:35 AM new
Either the sender or the receiver can initiate a claim. The 30-day waiting period is only for items that have been lost.
If an item is broken, it should be taken to the post office right away (with the original packaging). The receiver's portion of the form can then be filled out and mailed to the sender to fill out his/her portion (yes, the sender DOES have to sign the document--you can't get away with just sending the insurance slip to your buyer). The claim can be paid either to the sender or the receiver.
posted on August 20, 2003 10:09:40 AM new
will the postal clerk look at the item without the insurance slip??
if the buyer runs to the post office with the package without the insurance form,would the postal clerk sign anything??
thats why i always tell the buyer to wait for me to send him the form and the insurance slip.
-sig file -------They may have ginsu knife,but we have DING KING!!!!
posted on August 20, 2003 10:23:31 AM new
You know what doesnt make sense to me?
If you purchase the service from the USPS of delivery confirmation, and their service is to deliver packages as addressed; why should one pay extra for insurance on lost packages?
And why cant one recover the cost of the 'purchase of service to deliver' when THEY lose or misdirect the item?
You dont purchase insurance when you bring your clothes to the drycleaner or any other service where they have your merchandise. But it could get lost(stolen) or damaged? They cover it as part of the terms of their service and all you need is your ticket that your deposited it there.
Only the government could get away with this......
