eBay Help Needed Please!

[toystoryduo]

I have a question for the eBayers out there:

We sent out an item earlier this week and the customer e-mailed me and claims the item is broken. Because the item is somewhat fragile, I required shipping insurance. My question is: what do I do now? Do I file a claim with the USPS or does the customer? Do I refund the money and then the USPS reimburses me? Do I need the customer to ship the broken item back to me? Any help on this is much appreciated!

 

[pediatric-rnp]

Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you need to have the original purchase receipt for the item in order to be able to collect on the insurance. I haven't sold on ebay for a few yrs, but this is what the USPS clerk told me once when I inquired. So, the insurance is rather worthless, as most people don't still have the receipts for the things they find around their house to put on ebay.

I would request either a photo of the broken item, or ask that they ship it back to you, before re-imbursing them. If it is indeed broken, I would just refund them their $$ and shipping fees, but I would want to see proof first that it was indeed broken. This happened to me once, and when I replied very nicely by email that I would be happy to refund the $$ once I had proof of breakage, I never heard back from them! There are some very nice and honest people on ebay, but there are also a lot of people who aren't!

 

[Colinsmom]

Here is more info:

http://www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/welcome.htm

Sounds like you need proof of what the buyer paid for the item, not proof of what you originally paid. It sounds to me like the seller (you) probably has to make the claim, but I personally wouldn't send the buyer a refund until you receive it from the post office, just because I've also had people claim things were broken but never provide proof to me. Kinda gives the buyer an incentive to get you what you need to file the claim, ya know?

 

[eeyoresmountainpals]

I sell on ebay and have gone through this same thing within the past six months. USPS requires a really long form be filled out (they're not about to make it easy!) and there is a place on there for both parties to fill out. If I remember correctly I initiated the form and then mailed it to the buyer, she filled out her part and then took it and the damaged item to her post office. They then paid her. I think that the actual form can be initiated by either party.

I did not have a receipt for the item that I had sold on ebay but I printed out a copy of the final auction page showing the price paid and USPS accepted that for the value. If it's under a certain amount the post office can pay it through their own office but if it's over a certain amount (and I'm sorry I don't remember what that amount is) then it has to be sent for approval.

I would say that the first thing you need to do is call your local post office to see what they say about who has to initiate the form. I've heard several different stories about who has to start it and I think it comes down to your local post office and whether they want to have to mess with it!!

Good luck!!