Bad ebay selling experience (due to USPS?)

[gailrmv]

Just wanted to share my ebay selling experience and see if anyone has any suggestions.

I sold an empty setting that was WG with 10 channel set RBs, .25 ct total. I sold it for only $160, less than it was worth new, but I had no use for it anymore. Packed it up well, in hard container with bubble wrap, insured and mailed it, thought the deal was done. They buyer emailed me that it arrived out of round with several stones missing. They said the packaging looked OK. Because I had stated I would accept returns for any reason, I said I''d accept it back. They mailed it back. It was GROSSLY out of round with many stones out (a few they had taped to the package, the rest I think must have fallen out on the return trip. Am missing only one now. I have no reason to think that the buyer would have intentionally harmed the ring b/c I had specified they could return it for any reason. I have to think that the problem was during mailing. I had insured the ring (shipping insurance), and figured I''d just file a claim. BUT, it turns out you have to have the original packaging to file a claim. Of course the people had long since thrown it out. I have no reason to suspect the buyer of tampering with it, but no proof that the USPS harmed it either.
I''m just ill now that I am out the $$ and have a wrecked setting. I''ve thought of using the little diamonds for something else... thought of getting the little diamonds bead set in a 4 mm plat band, but turns out bead setting is very expensive and labor intensive! Maybe channel set earrings are another idea...

Just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience? Any advice if I have any recourse with the USPS? Or any ideas what to do with the mangled setting or the diamonds?

Thanks!

 

[widget]

Wow, Gailrmv...what a terrible story! And how weird!

It seems to me that if the outside packaging was okay, then someone must have gotten inside and mangled the ring...

Just curious...does the USPS ever open packages to examine contents? I''ve never heard of such a thing.

I''m so sorry...

widget

 

[MissAva]

Date: 11/27/2005 9:34:06 PM
Author: widget
Wow, Gailrmv...what a terrible story! And how weird!

It seems to me that if the outside packaging was okay, then someone must have gotten inside and mangled the ring...

Just curious...does the USPS ever open packages to examine contents? I''ve never heard of such a thing.

I''m so sorry...

widget

Sometimes I have had things examined when I am mailing things to my friends serving out of the country. I guess cookies and fudge can look weird, but I have always thought it was just for things going to the armed forces. I would call and ask them what do to.

 

[CoutureFemme]

I''m so sorry to hear about your awful experience, gailrmv! Thanks for starting this imformative thread!

 

[MiniMouse]

gailrmv, your experience is terrible. I''m really sorry. I too think it''s unlikely the recipient damaged the ring because you had an extremely reasonable return policy. I was going to say perhaps something heavy was dropped on it by the USPS guys and that knocked the ring out of shape and threw the stones out, but that seems impossible too, since you mention it was packaged in a hard container and bubblewrapped. The hard container would surely have suffered some damage if it took a knock. Like you, I''m totally baffled

. It''s forever going to be one of life''s mysteries. It seems so unfair that you are out of pocket over it though. Maybe you could use the diamonds for earrings, although if you''ve only got 9, then one is going to be left over or you''ll need another one (should be fairly inexpensive). Have you thoroughly checked every single part of the wrapping for the AWOL diamond, it may have gut stuck to the sticky sealing tape or something. Maybe ask your local jeweler if they can make up a reasonably priced pair for you using your diamonds - it''s worth enquiring. I''m so sorry, I hate to see this kind of post

. I really feel for you.

 

[Lorelei]

So sorry Gail to hear of this. Maybe you could try USPS and stress that you sent the ring using registered insured mail and the ring was badly damaged, you have no control over whether the recipient threw out the original packing or not. I don''t know if maybe the recipient might be willing to help you out on this by supporting you in saying that the ring was received in damaged condition. I don''t know if this is any help but I think if it was me I would give it a try, especially as you aren''t the one at fault. If you did use registered mail I am surprised that this happened as someone is accountable for the package every step of the way and it has to be signed for, by all accounts they are usually very careful with these packages. I hope you get this resolved somehow.

 

[devientdrow]

I''m so sorry to hear about your bad expeirence! I completly agree that the customer had no reason to harm the setting. Not only was your return policy excellent but common sense will tell you whomever ordered this from you obviously wanted to wear it! Pulling the diamonds out would really not help them in any way! They''d eithier have to try and resell them or go spend money having them set into something else. That being said I hate sending things through the mail. When I worked retail we used to get things all the time messed up. I have no doubt that somene could of opened the box and vandalized the ring. Could the stones and setting be fixed at all?

Question....USPS won''t pay up on the insurance because you don''t have the original packaging? Would they of payed in a situation where the box got lost in the mail? Just curious.

 

[RockDoc]

If you''re mailing jewelry via USPS, you need to tell the person you''re sending it to that they need to preserve as best as possible the original packing, for this very reason.

There is an additional issue as well.

Because of the anthrax situations, the USPS sometimes scans the package using a radioactive scanning method.

Subjecting some items with gemstones ( diamonds and colored stones) can be affected by this process. The problem here is establishing the "before" and "after" evidence.

If the package is missing or lost USPS is pretty good about paying insurance claims, but when a package is damaged, all of them ( USPS, FEDEX & UPS) are very troublesome to put in a claim with. If they really do damage, and you can''t get a settlement, you can bring a legal matter a lot easier against Fedex and UPS, but suing the USPS, is very complicated.

A couple of years ago, I sent a microscope out to be fixed. It just needed an alignment of the zoom mechanism. I marked the box, FRAGILE with FLUORESENT colored label, and insured it for the amount that a new scope would cost ( about $6000.00). I took it to the post office, and saw the clerk throw the box into the corner. As a result of this, several parts inside the mechanism were broken, and a simple aligment, that should have cost $ 50-75 turned into a $ 500.00 repair bill.
The shop even returned it in the original box, but but a new shipping label over the old one. Even though I had the receipt of it being insured, USPS wouldn''t pay the damage claim of $500.00 when I had $ 6000.00 of coverage that I bought through them when I shipped it. So even though they charged me an "arm and a leg" to ship and insure it, getting a damage claim paid with them is virutally impossible. Even spoke with the postmaster who was inssensitive, rude, and obnoxious about it. Hence - I avoid the USPS at all costs. What makes it even more outrageous, is that I WITNESSED THEM DAMAGE IT!


Those of us who ship items that are professionals, use other insurance sources that do pay for damage claims with a lot less trouble.

NO wonder the USPS loses money. UPS and FEDEX do it so much better ( as far as damage is concerned ) but even they STINK at paying damage claims.

Rockdoc

 

[pearcrazy]

Wow, Gailrmv, what a story! I read it twice and I'm not so sure that your buyers aren't to blame. Perhaps they received the ring and tried to set the stone themselves or tried to remove a stone that the jeweler set and damaged the ring, dropped it down the garbage disposal, stepped on it etc Who knows? At that point they wouldn't want it anymore because they'd damaged it. Since you had an unconditional return policy they decided that they'd just get their money back since it was now ruined. Did they ring come back with the hard inner packaging that you shipped it in intact? If it did, then I would have a hard time figuring out how the postal service damaged the setting. If someone in the post office had opened the package why wouldn't they have just taken the ring? Why would they damage it and then re-seal it? It doesn't make sense for it to arrive with the outer packaging undamaged but the contents ruined. Perhaps with fragile glass items but doubtful for metal and diamonds. Would you really have accepted the ring for an unconditional return if they'd admitted that they had damaged it?

I had a similar experience with 4 exercise DVD's I sold on Ebay several months ago. I checked them throughly to make sure they were OK- they were in perfect condition and were packaged in the original cases they came in and shipped in a small box. The buyer contacted me wanting a refund claiming that two of the DVD's arrived badly scratched and useless. I very hesitantly gave her her money back and she shipped the DVD's back in the original box I'd shipped them to her in. It was undamaged as were the jewel cases. When I opened the case the damaged DVD's had smudges and scratches all over them evenly spaced like dog claw marks on one of them. My theory is that her dog stepped on them when she left them out ruined them. Now they are useless to me and I can't sell them to anyone else.

I guess when it comes to Ebay let the buyer AND the seller beware!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

This story does sound fishy. I agree that it could be the buyers tried to remove the stones but messed up and decided to return the ring. A few years back my mom sent me all her jewelry. Everything arrived fine, but one of the rings clearly had the center stone removed (by my mom, I''m guessing) and the ring is BADLY mis shappen. You could even describe it as "grossly out of round" such as your ring is. (it literally looks mangled.)

 

[DiamondExpert]

It''s very important to REGISTER and INSURE the shipment with USPS. This will require each postal official who handles the package to sign for and be personally responsible for it each step of the way...which means the package is kept under constant lock and key, and is not "thrown" into the mainstream mail along the way.

I think this is the safest way to send items of up to $25,000 in value...SLOW, but safe!

 

[gailrmv]

Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for your comments, sympathy, and sharing your stories. I agree with the person who said when selling on ebay, let the buyer and the seller beware! I have not sold anything since this incident because it turned me off so much to the process. You all have suggested explanations and suggestions that I never would have thought of, and I really appreciate it.

Yep, I think there is a decent chance that the seller tampered with the item. I guess I should have specified that items could be returned only in their original condition - but still, would be hard to hold them accountable for the post office''s alleged damage.

I realize now also that simply insuring it and getting a tracking number was not enough, and that I needed to register it too. I didn''t know that at the time. It seemed to take the item an abnormally long time - like 2 weeks - to arrive at the buyer which maybe supports the theory that the post office had to open it, etc.

I thought I packaged the ring up pretty well, but I also suppose I could have made sure it was in packaging like a tank.

My best guess is that something fell on it or it was thrown just enough for the inner ring box (which was hinged) to go sideways and knock the ring out of round and loosen the stones. When the pressure was off it, the inner box might go back to looking OK. ALTHOUGH, you''d think the outer packaging would be damaged as well, but I only have the buyer''s word that it was not. And who knows if they looked closely or what.

The other theory is that they did something to the ring, such as try to set or unset stones....

I am pretty sure it could be fixed, but not sure it would be worth the effort given the fact that I don''t need the setting for anything, I was not 100% satisfied with its workmanship to begin with, and it not a real high price item. We paid about $200 wholesale for it and I did wear it a couple years. And then I''d still be in the position of trying to sell it.... I think instead I will use the little diamonds for earrings or flush set into a band ring.

Still, I am upset about what happened!!

 

[picky]

I''m positive it was the people who recieved the ring. They immediately insinuated you sent it to them in that condition by saying that the USPS box looked okay. There''s just no way that kind of damage could be done without any damage to the box. Impossible. The whole story is fishy. Someone on the receiving end tried to remove the diamonds, realized it was more trouble than it was worth, and wanted their money back. Or some situation similar to that.

 

[door knob solitaire]

Gail,

What was the time frame of the complaint? When I send something I generally know what day it will be delivered. Did they contact you immediatley upon receipt? Or was it a few days later...

This may sound really out there...is there any way THAT IS NOT YOUR RING? Could it be they too had the same ring and went on ebay to find a replacement..and they did? Do you clearly recognize it as your original?

The postal system usually will mark a package torn, broken, contents spilled....The only thing I can come up with is maybe there was a loose hanging piece of tape that got caught in a coveyor belt and a corner opened...the contents got smashed and then put back into the box? Wouldn''t the recepient have enough sense not to open it if it were damaged with out a postal employee there?

I have sent several insured valuable things off...and even though I prefer not to open them in the public eye at the post office...I always do...as I will have a postal employee witness the contents as they are opened for the first time. (I always use my post office box...) They can do nothing...but at least they are a witness to the case should their be a need. Going home and then filing I don''t think your are entitled to insurance reimbursment.

I am just rambling...but share in your frustration. If your buyers are guilty...that deceit will not go by unpunished. That is terrible.

 

[gailrmv]

Yes! It was a few days later. And, this is fishy too, they said they only wanted a partial refund (I think like 90% of the purchase price)... Like maybe they were feeling guilty?
OH I AM SO MAD! I hope karma gets them. Not much I can do about it...
I have definitely learned some lessons about doing business through the mail... if I''m ever brave enough to try it again...

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 12/1/2005 12:23:07 PM
Author: RockDoc

There is an additional issue as well.

Because of the anthrax situations, the USPS sometimes scans the package using a radioactive scanning method.

Subjecting some items with gemstones ( diamonds and colored stones) can be affected by this process. The problem here is establishing the ''before'' and ''after'' evidence.

This happened to me. I sent a bracelet with intricate enameling. The enamel melted away. Could be an explaination.

I would point to the timeline. When did you send it out? When did they receive it? How long after did they claim the setting had been damaged? If much time lapsed, then it sounds like they inadvertently caused the damage via messing with the setting.

 

[RockDoc]

If you''re selling your stone to a private person, you should have it gemprinted. There are many dealers and centers espeically in the urban city type locations.


Suppose someone swicthed the stone? Masny internet companies gemprint the stones they send out so they can be assured that it is the same one if it is returned.

Also it is prudent not to grant a refund until the item is checked out by a pro, for damage etc. like wise for before you ship it out.

Rockdoc