OUCH!

[systemagic]

A lady in Switzerland bought 3 nouveau fantasy mirrors from me for a total cost of about $90 USD. I packaged them up and sent them off immediately. She requested that I put $30 on the customs form so that she wouldn't have to pay too much duty. Unfortunately, out of consideration for her, I complied. The delivery is supposed to take 4 to 6 weeks but the package hasn't arrived even though it has been almost 8 weeks. A trace indicates that it was processed at a post office in Richmond - and that's it. With $30 on the customs form the insurance would be inadequate to replace the items. I asked the buyer how she'd like to proceed and recommended that she wait based on a few uncommonly late package deliveries I've experienced to the US.

She left me 3 negative feedbacks.

There no longer seems to be a mechanism to respond to these so, to any new prospective buyers, it looks like I simply never sent the merchandise.

I don't know if I expect a response from anyone here but probably just needed to lament.

Bloodied but not bowed,
Marty

[llee2]

Marty,

CP will reimburse you the postage costs on top of the value of goods if the claim goes through (ie. the parcel was not received within the 60 days). Now the cost of insurance for $30 is the same I believe for $100 (double check that though). So if the items are in fact lost, then the only record of how much insurance you bought is on your copy of the receipt from the post office. $30 of insurance would be the same cost as $100. Wasn't I in line behind you at the post office, when the clerk accidently put $30 when you told her $100? Then she wrote $100 over the $30 when you corrected her? CP won't second guess it when you have a receipt or invoice showing the value of the mirrors (which I'm assuming is valued at $100).

[llee2]

Sorry, just saw your other post stating that actual cost was $60. Replace $100's in post above with $60.

Lincoln

[systemagic]

I heard from the buyer this morning. She writes that of course she'll remove the negs if the package arrives. Now I just have to hope for the best. When I did my trace I asked for email notification of when the package arrives.

She also wrote that she was dissapointed that I shipped via surface and thought that the postage she had paid was sufficient. She apparently has occasion to buy furniture from China and doesn't think the potentail damages are worth it. She may have a point. My only other neg came from a man in Germany whose package appeared to have rattled all the way over there on the ship (His e-mail system subsequently failed to recieve my offers of full repayment). Also a lady in Austria recently metioned that her package was torn (Contents OK). I think that I'll henceforth only offer airmail to Europe as the risk of damage seems rather high. I'm wondering whether the mirror package wasn't crushed or ripped open. The individually packaged mirrors inside would probably still be OK but they weren't individually addressed.

She also writes that she doesn't want any replacement mirrors but will accept the $30 insurance fee. So, if worst-comes-to-worst I get to keep anything over $30 CAD in the insurance settlement in exchange for my 3 ugly new negs.

[llee2]

I didn't realize you shipped it via CP surface parcel. I've had things take 3 months to get to southeast Asia - air only now for overseas stuff. Funny how CP always understates the actual timeframe for delivery standards on their website. Hope they understand what a P.I.T.A. it is to have their website contradict what you are telling your buyers. If your mirrors don't show up eventually, maybe they'll show up on CP eBay auctions. Wouldn't that just make your day?

[zarzuella]

She also writes that she doesn't want any replacement mirrors but will accept the $30 insurance fee. So, if worst-comes-to-worst I get to keep anything over $30 CAD in the insurance settlement in exchange for my 3 ugly new negs

Did I understand that correctly? Your buyer paid you US$90, and you will refund her US$30 if the insurance claim is met and keep the difference?

[shoplineca]

Sounds like she got the mirrors and wants the insurance money as well.

Malcolm

[auctiondropnship]

This is why I now encourage all international shipments to be sent through USPS it arrives in 4 to 10 days . Cost half of Canada Post prices . The item is trackable

Marty come by the office , our truck goes down every Friday to America . We have some accounts who drop off packages for international shipments . We charge a $1.00 per package fee Above the USPS charge.

[systemagic]

Malcolm,

She hasn't yet received the items. When I performed the on-line trace on her package Canada Post has a button you can push to be notified via e-mail when the package arrives. The e-mail hasn't arrived.

Todd,

I've been wanting to visit your operation. I believe that we may have some Indonesian carving business that we could do together. I'm also curious about your cardboard source and I may have a use for the inexpensive envelopes that you mentioned in another post recently. I know where your warehouse complex is but I don't know which one is yours. If you have a convenient time that I could drop by perhaps you could let me know via systemagic@heaven-now.net.

Best wishes,
Marty

[systemagic]

I DID IT!

I reasoned with the buyer that, in the transaction between the two of us, only one had been wronged by the other (me via the 3 negs) given that the package loss was beyond either of our control.

SHE OPTED FOR MUTUAL FEEDBACK REMOVAL without my having to resort to force. She willingly gave up her 3 positive feedbacks to remove the negs that she had given me.

[In the book "Power vs Force" force has a rank of less than 200 while reason has a rank of 400 in a logarithmic progression (400 is 10 to the four hundreth power).]

"One basic principle has the power to resolve the problems of the social marketplace: Support the solution instead of attacking the supposed causes."
- from Power in the Marketplace
Power vs Force
David Hawkins M.D., P.H.D.

[systemagic]

Now that I've filed a claim with the post office the woman in Switzerland has informed me that the package has arrived safely.

Marty

[www_pixelbarrel_com]

yeah, that happened to me. I filed a claim for a package that hadn't arrived in Spain. The day I filed it, I emailed my buyer and told him that the claim had been filed and Canada Post would contact me in two weeks with the result of the trace. (It was a small packet International worth $80...so there was no way to trace it...but he might not know that.)

The next day, I get an email from him saying he got the package that same day. Strange coincidence, eh?

CM

[systemagic]

zarzuella,

In the heat of several fires I was stomping on all last week I overlooked your post #24.

The buyer paid me $90 USD but wrote that she'd accept $30 USD.

1) My cost for the 3 mirrors was very close to $30 USD ($36 I think). The insurance coverage for the merchandise, in accordance with CP policy, wouldn't likely have been anywhere near $90 USD.
2) The buyer offered this not yet knowing CP policy, or my costs, but offerred her acceptance of $30, I believe, to assuage her guilt for her bad behaviour. She's clearly wealthy having previously bought furs from the US and furniture from the orient. Having little to lose I had written to her that, with regards to this transaction she has been impatient, quick-tempered, and completely dishonest with regards to responsibility. In light of the truth her counter-arguements just faltered in the face of several well-reasoned requests for MFB. I believe that I would have kept this ($6) payoff had she not removed her negs but I'll never know for sure. When I filed the claim with CP, after her neg removal, I know that I was going to seek the maximum recompense possible and forward it to her in full.

I called CP today and cancelled the claim.