STOLEN!

[minousbijoux]

Totally flummoxed

Sorry it didn't turn out to be what you wanted, but at least you got the opportunity to decide that!

 

[miraclesrule]

I'd like to see a picture.... I love orangy pink!!

 

[Starzin]

Well well well!!! This is a (semi) great ending to a terrible story, Justginger! I'm so glad the stone actually did arrive- intact, no less - wow! But I'm sorry it wasn't what you wanted after all.

This!

 

[PrecisionGem]

This thread got me wondering what peoples expectations are if a stone gets lost or stolen in the mail. Would you expect the vendor to replace it? And if so, why?

If shipping in the US, and certain other countries it's possible to insure the package, but going from even the US to Canada, insurance is not an option.

 

[GliderPoss]

Glad you got it after all. I'm guessing the postie "suddenly found it again" and redelivered it....

 

[chrono]

This thread got me wondering what peoples expectations are if a stone gets lost or stolen in the mail. Would you expect the vendor to replace it? And if so, why?

If shipping in the US, and certain other countries it's possible to insure the package, but going from even the US to Canada, insurance is not an option.

If lost in the mail system, I do not expect a replacement stone but a refund. In the case of shipping within the US, this is certainly easy enough for the vendor to make a PO claim. For international shipment, usually the vendors I deal with have their own insurance carrier and have refunded my money for stones that never arrived (DHL, Fedex, Thai postal system).

 

[PrecisionGem]

I guess I always thought that a someone could then claim the never got the stone, when in fact they did, then get a refund?

Outside of the US to places that the postal service will not insure, independent insurance can get rather expensive. Are people willing to pay for that? Would you pay $100 to have a $300 stone shipped?

So Chrono, if someone shipped a stone by registered mail, say to the UK, where there is no option for insurance, and the Post office claimed it was delivered, but the customer claimed they never got the package, what should the vendor do?

And then what about the customer who returns a stone to the vendor, and it gets lost in the mail? Should the vendor still refund the customer?

I'm really curious about this whole topic. Luckily I have only had one stone get lost in the mail so far.

 

[minousbijoux]

Gene: Instead of presuming, why don't you tell us your expectations as a vendor.

Edited for better comprehension.

 

[PrecisionGem]

I'm presuming anything, I am just interested in what people expect, or experiences they have had. I try to keep shipping cost low, maybe people would rather pay more for FEDEX. I really don't know. When I buy things over the internet, I always look for the cheapest way to have them shipped to me.

 

[minousbijoux]

Sorry - I clearly should've edited it some more - I meant so that we PSers didn't presume what you were trying to say, I thought it would be good to hear your opinion, didn't mean you.

 

[chrono]

I pondered the same question sometimes: a person claiming the stone never arrived, yet requested a refund. I suppose that's what the tracking is for, to see where it last stopped and whether the reciepient ever signed for the package, using both the tracking feature and signature confirmation. If the PO claimed it was delivered and cannot show that the receipient signed for it, there's your proof that it never arrived. Using the signature confirmation, you can actually see the signature which the receipient can verify if it was forged or if it is genuine.

I agree that independent insurance is expensive which is why Fedex is not a good idea for small businesses. Does DHL insure or will the vendor have to buy a 3rd party insurance too?

For cases where the stone gets lost in the mail on its return trip, my personal belief is that this is now the customer's responsibility. The vendor is not obligated to refund the customer without the stone back in his/her hand. The claim should be between the customer and the P.O.

 

[VRBeauty]

Those of you who have USPS service have the option of directing the post office not to leave parcels on your porch. I did this years ago after a package was stolen from my porch - just went to the main post office for my area and filled out a form. Most padded envelopes fit through the slot of my (rather large) locking mail box, so I do get some immediate gratification! For everything else, I get a notice from the carrier and go pick it up at the post office on Saturday morning or on my way in to work.

 

[PrecisionGem]

These stories of the post office leaving parcels that should be signed for are kind of scary.

IN the US, if I ship a stone that has less than $300 insurance, then there is no signature required, but it's still insured. To add a signature confirmation add's close to $3 to the shipping. I hate to raise the shipping costs for less expensive stones but maybe I need to for protection, and require everything to get a signature. But then it still doesn't protect you if the mail main leaves it in the box with out one.

I had one customer once who claimed they never got the package. To post office will only allow a claim after I think 21 days. I put in the claim after that time, and they post office came back with a signature. After I emailed the signature to the customer, it turns out it was the husband that signed, and never told his wife that there was a package.

 

[chrono]

With the signature confirmation, at least the PO can tell who signed for it (spouse), or if it was never signed (left on the door step) because there has to be a physical signature with the name spelled out as well, which makes it far more traceable.