Lost packages??? (eBay related)

[maxlords]

So I sold a bunch of my rare stuff before X-Mas to generate some quick cash. I sold a bunch of stuff like Castlevania X SNES, Pirates Gold, and a lot of other stuff including a TV tuner. Almost everyone paid me at the same time and I got everyone's packages out to them..double checked the labels, made sure everything was going to the right place, etc etc.

Well, the lady that bought my TV tuner paid me the next day, and I sent it out to her confirmed paypal address on the 16th of December. Well, while everyone else got their packages (and including trades, I probably sent over 30 in under 3 weeks!) she claims never to have received hers! She emailed me today saying that it STILL hasn't showed up, and that she thinks it was lost in the mail.

Now I've sent a LOT of packages all over the world and I've NEVER had a single package EVER get lost in the mail. I had one take 2.5 weeks via priority once, but that's it. I think that it was just severely delayed due to the Xmas rush or something. But I don't understand why it would take so long, even accounting for shipping from Canada. I sent it air, so it should have been about 2 weeks but now it's been 3 weeks and 5 days. Can anyone shed some light on this or is she trying to scam me?

Thanks!

[hurstman]

hmm...well next time use delivery confermation,that way there is no doubt if she is lying.

[Quazick]

This is why I put in my descriptions that I am not responsible for the package after it leaves my arms.

[sniperCCJVQ]

Maxlord, i recently experienced almost the same situation. I recently concluded a trade with Ianoid (who living in Seattle, i'm near Montreal), i decided to ship ground, normally it's always take inside a 2 or 3 weeks limit to came in. I begun to be very anxious because Ianoid haven't still received the box after that "limit".

With the holiday Canada Post suggest on there web site to ship before november 29 MAX to arrived just before christmas, exactly what i did but you know what ? The box arrived 1 month and a week later @_@

Argh! talk about SLOW shipping.

[maxlords]

@hurstman: There is no Delivery Confirmation in Canada. You can pay $5-10 more for trackable shipping, but that's $5-10 more and most people don't want ot pay it.

@Quazick: I think I may start doing that just in case, but I hate to have to put a bunch of conditions in my auctions...makes em look bad. Plus, this is the first time this has ever happened.

@sniper: Hmmmm..that's encouraging. Maybe it's just taking a REEEEEEEEALLLLLY long time for no reason. This was airmail if I remember correctly, but it could just be taking it's sweet time for no reason but to be irritating I suppose. We'll see what happens after another week goes by I guess. There's nothing I can do from my end really, as she didn't ask me about tracking at all, so I have no way to track the package.

[congobongo]

If the package finally turns up my guess is that it was opened by US customs. When there is a delay between Canada-US it's usually due to this. I grew up on the border. I know what customs people are like: SLOW. I could think of a few more choice words but that's another story. Almost every package I get from the US has been opened by customs. They all have that nice yellow tape on them. Sorry I'm rambling... Point is, it could be caught in customs. Beg the buyer to wait for 1-2 more weeks.

[Chunky]

as someone who for work shipps about 10-30 packages a day either USPS or UPS, on average, USPS looses one a month, damages 2, where as UPS looses one every 3 months but damges about 2 a month.

one thing i always keep here in the us are receipts, for priority mail and letting them put the postage on it, they should generate a receipt with the destination zip code, thats my shipping evidence.

[maxlords]

Well, in Canada they don't put that on the receipt unfortunately. As for losing packages, they very rarely lose airmail stuff....damage it maybe, but not lose it. My guess is what congo said, it probably got caught up in customs. I'm sure my customer will wait cause they have no choice really.

Congo, why do all your packages get opened? Only about 1 in 10-15 of mine every get opened. Are you getting a higher percentage than that?

[CrazyImpmon]

As long as it was stated you're not responsible for lost shipping, you should be allright. There's a risk of neg feedback though.

I have never had anything from Canada delayed by customs but that's maybe 10 or 15 total packages from Canada. The only slow shipping I had was from "telstoys" He claimed he sent the item a few days after recieving the payment but when I finally got the item *3* months later, it was post marked just a week before I got it. >:( I couldn't leave a single feedback as the seller was suspended. (he didn't have one neg FB when I bid >:( )

[Magus]

your getting scammed.

[Raedon]

This is why I ship fedex ground.. it's only $6-$9 and you get free tracking and free insurance up to 100.00.

As for not receiving the package if it is USPS that you used and the package was bigger then the mailbox she will need to go pick it up at her USPS office. I doubt it was just lost, and if it was it wasn't your fault, you can't control the situation once it's out of your hands.

you are not liable.

[Mayhem]

Anyone following the Secret Santa saga will know it took Laura's airmail package a month to reach me (normally 4-7 days). I think it got stopped at Customs... that or it accidently got shipped surface instead by mistake...

[Asylum Seeker]

This is why I ship fedex ground.. it's only $6-$9 and you get free tracking and free insurance up to 100.00.

As for not receiving the package if it is USPS that you used and the package was bigger then the mailbox she will need to go pick it up at her USPS office. I doubt it was just lost, and if it was it wasn't your fault, you can't control the situation once it's out of your hands.

you are not liable.

This subject has arisen on the Ebay forums time and time again. The consensus is that you ARE liable - the buyer is responsible for making sure that the goods arrive at their destination and no amount of auction stipulations can avoid this fact.

Saying that I would be extremely aggrieved if I were you as there is no proof on either side - you have no proof that she didn't receive it and equally she has no proof that you actually sent it.

Sad to say these things normally end up in negative feedback etc but you may find that the law is on her side.

[hurstman]

Sorry about that I didnt know they do not offer confermation.I had ordered Decals for my Hurst on ebay from Canada and it took 7 weeks and 2 days(stuck in customs) to get them so I'm thinkin it will turn up eventually.Good Luck on resolving this issue with her.

[maxlords]

@Impmon: I didn't put that I wasn't liable for lost shipping, but I shipped in good faith and have the receipt (even if it doesn't show that I shipped the item to her specifically. I din't see how it's my fault if it is actually lost. I'd say it's the PO's fault. But I really did ship it 3 weeks and 5 days ago :)

@ Raedon: I NEVER use Fed Ex to ship internationally, cause they charge extra import duties for customs brokering going to and from the US and Canada. They usually tack on 6-10 dollars or more. Sucks ass. In US or in Canada, sure, but not over the border.

@Asylum: If the buyer is liable for making the item arrive at it's destination then how does that make me liable? I always send out notifications when I ship and I save those, but that's the only proof I have really. You're right though...technically the law is on her side, since I have her money but she doesn't have my item. We'll just see how it goes I guess. What I want to know is where the damned thing is. Very strange that it would vanish, although I'm sure she's either scamming me or it's stuck in customs and I assume the latter.

[Raedon]

@ Raedon: I NEVER use Fed Ex to ship internationally, cause they charge extra import duties for customs brokering going to and from the US and Canada. They usually tack on 6-10 dollars or more. Sucks ass. In US or in Canada, sure, but not over the border.


Didn't see the international.. Sorry you feel troubled by this but If you sent it off and they don't get it why should you feel bad? It isn't your fault and a Negative feedback isn't going to hurt your future auctions much.. now 10 all saying the same thing..

Wouldn't a Receipt of shipment be proof enough? You guys keep your receipts I'm sure.. Am I wrong in thinking that if a package turns out missing a reciept would be enough proof?

[maxlords]

Yeah...kinda. While the reciept has what I paid for postage and the date on it, it doesn't have who I sent it to or where it went. All it has is that I spent $X on postage on such and such a date. So it's not proof of a specific mailing, only proof that I mailed something on that date.

[stonecutter]

Customs opens a lot of stuff coming into Canada, not sure about the other way. This way our customs gets that nice $5 handling fee. All of mine were getting opened. I now have mine shipped to one of my companys US locations and have it forwarded from their since we have stuff going back and forth.

[Achika]

that or it accidently got shipped surface instead by mistake...

Aie, that happens too. It's happened to me before, but luckily the lady was really nice about it. So check your reciept--if anything looks like it has *really* cheap shipping for over the border--that could be it.

Not saying it was lost, and not saying it was stopped by customs, but sometimes packages get set aside and *found* again a few days later. It's happened before where I sent out many packages (priority) on the same day--to the same address no less--and they've arrived a few days apart.

[salt peanuts]

I have been having a lot of packages being lost by the USPS recently, and it is REALLY ticking me off.....so far I have at least 3 diff. Priority mail items that should have arrived by now but haven't, and I even had a purchase from someone on this board so far not turned up, although it was UPS and they are trying to track it...but there really shouldn't be that much getting lost in the mail, unless it's either because of the holidays and postal workers getting their own free christmas gifts, or someone is just stealing my mail.....it's getting really frustrating to buy/sell off ebay anymore because of this....

[neschampion]

I sent around 200 packages out this holiday season and of those 3 that I know of never hit their destination.

My policy on the whole thing is that it is my responsibility to replace the item if I cannot provide proof that I sent the item or if they requested insurance or tracking and I forgot to use it. On the other hand I will not replace an item or issue a refund if I can provide proof of shipment.