Do you refund, if items don't arrive?

[shari_nat]

I've recently had problems with items I've sent as lettermail not being delivered, even after 4 weeks. No Insurance as it was lettermail. How would you deal with this as far as refunds and buyers filing with ebay/paypal?

Also, if a package is insured and goes missing indefinately, do you refund the buyer and try to collect from the Post Office or does the buyer go directly to the Post Office.

Sorry if these questions are kind of basic. I haven't been selling that long and have only recently run into these problems.

Thanks for your help!

Shari

[alero0]

If your buyers used paypal there's not much you can do if they claim they never received their item because you can't provide Paypal with a tracking number. Paypal will refund their money. If they pay using a money order, well it's your call. You have to decide if they're telling thr truth or not. If you don't refund their money you can surely expect a neg.
As for collecting for insured packages, it's up to you the shipper to file the claim.

[cartoonsinabox]

As a seller you should always send all your packages with insurance. This is a protection for the seller and buyer. And yes we refund or replace item if lost or damaged in transportation. Its a basic to selling.
Good Luck.

[tobyshitzu]

I refund fully or offer to send replacement if I can (done one of each from over 800 items sent) and ask buyer to write return to sender on it if it ever shows up (didn't get anything returned 😉 ). Never had a claim filed against me with paypal (that policy applies without paypal payment too, the item I replaced was paid with bidpay).

I don't worry about insurance as at that loss rate its only a few cents per item sent cost, far cheaper just to pay out of pocket then many times that amount for insurance/upgraded shipping.

[shari_nat]

Thanks everyone! I really would love to send all my packages with insurance but it just isn't practical. I sell kids clothes and I would never have any buyers if I charged over $4.00 to ship an undershirt, $2.75 is bad enough, lol.

tobyshitzu, I have done what you have done too. Still haven't had a claim filed against me but I feel one coming. She keeps asking me for a postal reciept and I keep offering a refund and a promise to contact her if the item gets returned to sender. Can she file against me if I refund her through paypal, even if she doesn't want the money?

Thanks,
Shari

[vesivus]

As a seller you should always send all your packages with insurance. This is a protection for the seller and buyer. And yes we refund or replace item if lost or damaged in transportation. Its a basic to selling.
Good Luck.

That's a bit of a generalization. I can see how YOU feel this way if your average ticket price is a few hundred dollars, but for consistently selling $1-$5 items, I'm definitely NOT insuring every items. It's then a cost of business if you need to refund for any one reason, as tobyshitzu mentioned.

Also, many of Canada Post's services do not ship with insurance/tracking unless you spend a lot more to upgrade the service. I've personally contacted a few third-party insurance companies, but most will not insure AFTER Canada Posts free insurance... they insure at $0, so you're paying for more insurance you don't need just so you can insure the packages without insurance -- and it doubles the amount of paperwork you need to keep to track all of the parcels for insurance purposes (not a small soft cost when shipping 100s of parcels a week).

Even with tracking, buyers can claim their money back through PayPal -- its really arbitrary on PayPal's part to decide who's telling the truth. And, if the buyer uses credit cards, they can frankly lie to the credit card company (who doesn't monitor ebay sales), and the Credit Card company will reverse the money to PayPal, who then reverses it to the seller. There's many ways to attempt fraud, unfortunately. We've been the victim of this once in our 3+ years of business.

In the end, make your own decision based on YOUR business, and don't let people tell you generalizations about what the 'basics of business' are.

Well, that's my 2 cents anyways. Heh heh.

John

[tobyshitzu]

If you are willing to refund it really doesn't matter what happen. If she makes a complaint after you've refunded with paypal you have the transaction # to respond with that proves refund sent. If she files item not received all you have to do is refund within 10 days and its pretty much the same effect.

Some on the .com board some are rabidly enthusiastic about using DSI insurance. Personally I don't get it, one poster there really stands out. On one thread they rave that their volume gets a great insurance deal about 40 cents per item. On another they mention they've only had 3 of 20,000 items go missing. Spending $8K to have 3 low price items covered doesn't sound like a great deal to me 🙂 If the payout was enough to be a great deal they'd just raise the premiums anyway.

[the_hybrid_theory]

Now that Canada Post & Paypal have that new shipping option. The good thing now is if your customer pays using Paypal & you use Paypal to print your own prepaid shipping labels small packet items will now be issued a tracking #!! I've used it & it's easy.

[jenzaka]

The number on the small packet label is for insurance claims NOT tracking. There is no tracking for small packet. I have used the shipping option a few times for items within Canada and it works great but if you sell in US dollars you have to remember to convert the insurance value to Canadian funds before you purchase the label.

[stittsville11]

I believe there is no small packet shipping within Canada using Canada Post. If you have the magical Venture One card, everything within Canada gets a tracking number.

[phoebescollectables]

vesivus

I've personally contacted a few third-party insurance companies, but most will not insure AFTER Canada Posts free insurance... they insure at $0, so you're paying for more insurance you don't need just so you can insure the packages without insurance -- and it doubles the amount of paperwork you need to keep to track all of the parcels for insurance purposes (not a small soft cost when shipping 100s of parcels a week).

I also use DSI. Originally they insured only beyond Canada Post's standard coverage of $100. I felt this could be a problem because to collect from Canada Post I have to show proof of cost or value. I find DSI very accomaodating and they are willing to do it either way. I usually add $1 per $100 of insurance to all my shipments (even lettermail).

For items under $30 I don't report them to DSI, I use a combination of self insurance and Canada Post. I find Canada Post usually doesn't look for proof of value on smaller amounts.

For amounts over $30 I use DSI. I sell items anywhere from $5 to $1,000. I don't mind dipping into my self-insurance fund for $20, but I don't sell enough items a year to be able to cover off an $800 loss. If I were to consistently sell 20-30 items a week I would increase the $30 to around $50.

Michael