Who pays for lost package?

[AlohaStyle]

I have been lucky enough to not have any problems so far, but I just wanted to get some opinions from you guys. What happens if you sell some cigars and the box gets lost in transit? Do you resend or refund the money, make the receiver responsible or work out a compromise?

I have had many ebay transactions and a couple packages get lost, but I clearly stated the buyer needs to pay the extra $1 or $2 for insurance which some people did not take. Everything I have sold or bought regarding cigars have not had insurance. From what I've seen so far on the boards, it seems like the seller does the honorable thing and makes it right, but what have some of your experiences been?

 

[smokem94]

If it's just cigars, I would make it right.

 

[terrantheman]

Rule #1: Never buy cigars on ebay and please don't trade those damn things to anybody on any board cuz if they end up NOT being what YOU thought they were and the party you traded or gifted them to may not be to happy and you could lose some credibility.

with that said...

Rule #2: Because you shouldn't buy on ebay you probably shouldn't sell there are plenty of brothers here that will purchase at msrp or even sometimes you just must price it right...

But with that said sometime you are left with no choice and maybe you must sell cuz you got ripped or something and you would take a huge loss otherwise. I would just follow the rules and if they didn't buy the insurance and you clearly stated this in your selling rules then they are SOL. As far as your end goes if you didn't pay for a DC# well then that is on your consience. You should do your due diligence and have it out with the PO about the matter but in the end if they didn't pay for the insurance then oh well. I'm hoping that it is NOT some HTF limited type of stuff?

 

[Mitch]

I think it depends mostly on who you were shipping to. I've only had one go missing that didn't show up within a week. That one was to a stand up brother and I reshipped without a second thought. But, I also, know some people have been kicked off boards for running a scam where they tell people they didn't get a shipment so they get double shipments. So, with new people I don't know, I always offer up signature required so it's up to them. If you have had a problem, I'd start by PMing some people who have done bussiness with that person to see if a pattern exists, if not, make it right.

 

[ctaylor]

I would assume responsibility until they received the package. If I told them to pay for insurance and they didn't, I would prob resend sticks anything else I would prob meet them somewhere in the middle.

 

[lafayettelauren]

I have bought a lot of stuff on ebay and have sold hundreds of items. Any good seller should take the responsibility for the lost package. I always insure anything over $100 that way if something does happen the post office or ups covers it. Out of the hundreds of packages I've sent out I have not had any lost. Had a couple damaged and I just reimbursed the money myself. There is the possibility of someone trying to scam you though so I ask for a picture if the package gets damaged.

 

[tandblov]

Tradition is that the seller is always responsible.

I almost always pay the extra couple of bucks for insurance if I am selling something. I eat that cost cause it is my responsibility that the cigars they purchase get there.

And if someone sends something I bought "first class", it actually pisses me off a little. If something was to happen, who is to say they won't play the "blame the USPS" game?

The buyers responsibility is to get payment to me in the way I request. It is mine to see that their cigars get there. If I sell something that gets lost that can't be replaced, I would return their money.

 

[dpricenator]

it's only a coule of bucks for insurance. buy it and use it if it gets lost.

 

[njstone]

Well, the seller is always responsible for getting the item to the buyer, period. The buyer is making a contract to purchase an ITEM, not the promise of shipping an item. This is not a matter of tradition, it's a matter of law.

On eBay, the buyer will always get refunded if the item never makes it to them (and they paid with ******, which is owned by eBay). Most credit card companies will also refund you if you purchase something which you never received, since that's basically a form of fraud on the part of the seller.

In short: it's always, always, always the seller's responsibility. if you are the seller and are worried about this, get insurance for your shipment.

 

[AlohaStyle]

Rule #1: Never buy cigars on ebay and please don't trade those damn things to anybody on any board cuz if they end up NOT being what YOU thought they were and the party you traded or gifted them to may not be to happy and you could lose some credibility.

with that said...

Rule #2: Because you shouldn't buy on ebay you probably shouldn't sell there are plenty of brothers here that will purchase at msrp or even sometimes you just must price it right...

I should clarify... I've never bought or sold cigars on ebay, I meant I've sold other things non-cigar related.

And if someone sends something I bought "first class", it actually pisses me off a little. If something was to happen, who is to say they won't play the "blame the USPS" game?

Hey bro, why does it piss you off if someone uses 1st class? I can see it if you pay for Priority and they send 1st class, but why else? The reason I ask is that the postal worker just yesterday told me to use 1st class when I'm sending a typical 5er box/weight to save a few bucks. She said there is no difference in transit time typically and you can use DC. Just curious...

On eBay, the buyer will always get refunded if the item never makes it to them

You are mostly correct, but the couple times my packages have gone missing when selling on ebay, the DC# showed the package was delivered but it actually was delivered to the wrong place but it doesn't show that online. Per ebay rules, as long as I can give that DC# to ebay to prove I shipped it and it was delivered in a timely manner, that buyers' claim would get denied. Luckily my two packages found the rightful home both times packages went missing so it didn't matter. But I definitely understand your point.

All very good responses and is what I figured, but I just wanted to hear the vets speak...

 

[tandblov]

Hey bro, why does it piss you off if someone uses 1st class? I can see it if you pay for Priority and they send 1st class, but why else? The reason I ask is that the postal worker just yesterday told me to use 1st class when I'm sending a typical 5er box/weight to save a few bucks. She said there is no difference in transit time typically and you can use DC. Just curious...

Three reasons:

One: I have lost things in first class mail. They have NEVER lost anything I have sent Priority.

Two: When it comes down to it, I don't believe anything a postal worker tells me about shipping time. I can tell you from experience that it takes 3 days for me to get a package anywhere in the lower 48 using priority. It can take a week or longer going first class. It may not seem like much, unless you are the one that is looking forward to the cigars (as I have been), or like another poster has mentioned, temperature during transit. The quicker the better, even if it is only a day. The couple of bucks difference doesn't mean much.

Three: For those of us who have sold or traded cigars for a while, it has always been convention to use priority. I see no reason to change what works when I am responsible for getting cigars to someone that took the time to send me payment for. I always worry that they will arrive in the condition promised, and priority mail as always done good by me.

It's just my preference and experience.

 

[cvm4]

If you sell cigars on any board and they don't make it to their final destination, then that could be a problem. You must make it right. It's not the receiver's fault that the box didn't show up. Either refund the money or send more cigars.

 

[Hardcore]

If I send sticks to someone & something happens I feel that it is my responsibility to make it right.