sorry, need to vent

so I ebayed a VSL2020 about a month ago after trying it out on my computer. It didn’t happen to play as nicely as I liked and since I already had an Echo Layla it went out the door.

So someone uses the buy it now option and it’s payed for like 3 days after the auction started. I ship it out at UPS a day and a half later, and find out it’s a P.O. Box and UPS doesn’t do P.O. Boxes. Fine, I have them ship it USPS-no problem.

So a couple of weeks go by and the buyer e-mails me asking where the card is… After checking up on it at UPS, turns out USPS sent the stupid thing to Massachussetts. It was supposed to go to California… DOH!

So we decide to wait a few days to see if it arrives, and after multiple e-mails and much somewhat patient waiting, it FINALLY COMES!!! Yeah!

But today the guy opens the package to find, guess what? A couple of transistors have made a run for it and are currently hanging out in the bag rather than on the card… Q#$%@$%^#$%@$%@$%@#$!!!

So as of now, I get to refund his $200 (which I really need) and then fight with the USPS to get MY money back. Problem is they want proof of damage and it’s in California, but they say not to send it back. So that leaves the buyer to go file the claim for me, but he obviously wants his money NOW since he’s a business and a client is waiting on the card installation etc…

so do I send him the money and ask him to file the claim and refund me in a month? do I tell him he has to file the claim and get the money from it? do I bend over and take the $200 in the @%&?

man I’m pissed.

We don’t know what you promised the guy, but it’s my understanding that the general bussiness principle is once it leaves your hands, it’s the buyer’s problem , which is why he/she pays for shipping insurance, and the buyer is responsible for the shipping claim.

The buyer won’t be thrilled, but as long as you can prove to them that you packed properly, shipped promptly with insurance, and all in good faith, then all subsequent issues are not your fault… you fulfilled your obligation.

Caveat emptor as they say (let the buyer beware)

I’m a tad suspicious of anyone receiving at a PO box number. I’m also suspicious of a couple transistors breaking off?? Hello, I’ve been doing electronics professionally for over 20 years… they don’t fall off. Shipping damage usually results in fractures (eg cracked PC board) or crushing. Did they demand an immediate refund? That’s another red flag for me. So be careful, there is such a thing as fraud.

Assuming the buyer asked for shipping insurance, and you correctly purchased it, I would forward all required documents to the person so that they can pursue a claim.

Absolute worst case, if you feel guilted into sending a refund, is that you have the person ship it back at their cost, you inspect it when it arrives, make your own conclusions, and only then issue a refund (for the purchase price only, no refunds on shipping!)

Good luck.

That stinks. Trust Achimedes !
Good luck !

thanks guys, i appreciate your feedback and will follow those instructions.
boy is he gonna’ be pissed… I feel so bad…

I’ve had lots of shipping problems w/ UPS & Fedex. I’ve had less experience with USPS but it’s my understanding that with USPS, it’s the shipee that files the claim not the shipper - is that correct? As long as you took out insurance when you shipped, it’s the buyer’s responsibility now. Have you refunded them already?

Mr Soul

I’m not positive about USPS, but I know for a fact that with UPS, the shipper is the insured. I’ve had at least 4 items arrive damaged. UPS sends someone to pick it up and then sends it back to the shipper to verify that it isn’t in the same shape it was when he/she packaged it. Then they pay the shipper for the damages and the shipper has to send the money to me. They don’t care that I was the one actually paying the money for the shipping. Their contract is with the shipper. A couple of times I just said forget it. The other times I waited for my money.

If I were you I would wait for the insurance to pay and then refund the money. I know that is not what the buyer wants, but it is not your fault that it was damaged in shipping, unless you did a bad job packaging it. This stuff happens all the time and anyone who does ebay had better be prepared for it to happen.

Blessings, Terry

Terry is correct about UPS & Fedex is similar; however I believe that when you insure an item with USPS, the “shippee” files the claim.

Mr Soul

at this point I’m offering him a refund for the paid amount plus the shipping upon the arrival of the item to my door. I told him this is what any company would do and that he can’t expect more of me.

he says the box looks fine, that it probably broke being pressed against something on the inside (which is possible due to the box size to contents ratio)

I feel awful about this and I’m sure I’ll end up with some negative feedback…

the outside packaging was fine, I paid ups to bubble wrap it and box it up. a coworker says I can probably get it fixed at work by the electronics department of our company-so hopefully I’m not out $200.

man I feel mean. this whole thing has been a disaster.

Hey I know exactly what you’re going through because Fedex damaged/destroyed 2 DAWs I built for people - one from this group. Unless you feel that you didn’t package the item correctly, I think you were very good to offer the guy a full refund (I probably wouldn’t have done that).

Having said that, I’ve learned that you have to double-box everything that you ship, and it has to be well packaged inside the boxes. And even if you do that, shippers can still harm the contents. It’s a sad affair but that’s the way shipping is in this country.

The guy may still give you + feedback - he should.

Mr Soul

yeah, it was in it’s own box, then packaged in another box. he said the boxes look fine, so I probably packed it poorly. oh well…

Quote (guitars69 @ Jan. 28 2005,16:27)
at this point I'm offering him a refund for the paid amount plus the shipping upon the arrival of the item to my door.

Dude, you're way too kind. (But karma's important too, I guess)

When you get the thing back, have an "electronics" friend have a look at the thing. If it's just light physical damage and the PC board isn't cracked, it's probably repairable. So it may not be a total loss.

Also be sure that you're actually getting your unit back - check the serial number, etc. Again, my suspicious mind brings up the possibility of someone exchanging their problem unit for a good one. I've experienced this a couple times, when I was working for an equipment supplier.

You shouldn’t be out anything. If you paid to have it packed, whoever packed should be responcible. If it was insured then the insurance should pay for it.

Blessings, Terry

"I feel awful about this and I’m sure I’ll end up with some negative feedback…"

Dont sweat the negative feedback. Most ebayers know that problems arise and you’re going to get a black eye eventually no matter how careful you are. If I see someone at ebay with 1 or 2 negative marks, I dont assume it represents a track record.

I’d wait until I got it back and had a look at it. Good call about checking the serial numbers on it.

If I was the recipient of this sound card I would not be happy, but it’s the shippers I would not be happy with.

I would have been on the phone to them in no time and would be taking them to task over it and making sure they made good.

That is assuming I had received paper work and knew they had insured the shipping.

Without knowing every little detail that’s the best I can offer. I would be blaiming them and not you.

Being in the UK I am not very knowledgeable about the services you mention. Would the guy have had to sign for the delivery? If so he should have all the details he needs on the paperwork they left him.

Sorry if I am being naive

Good luck with the whole thing. :)

I probably should mention that the guy is really a company, who has tons of positive feedback and seems very legit. I don’t think he’s trying to screw me, which is why I feel bad.

My supervisor/friend says our electrician department can probably fix it if it’s just a few pieces that fell off.

honestly the contents were a little tight in the small box so the broken pieces seems feasible.
anyways, he’s supposed to mail it out tomorrow so we’ll see how bad it really is…

anyone want a vsl2020… :)

Maybe you can get it repaird and sell it again for a lesser loss.

I’m a currier when I’m not doing music. That senario doesn’t sound possible! Especialy when the outside package isn’t bent, dented or crushed! I deal with UPS, FedEx, USPS all the time. What your describing shouldn’t happen. It’s possible that the card was slightly defective when you originally got it. It sounds like vibration caused the damage, vibration can’t cause what you described. If the package was dropped or thrown to cause that kind of damage, it would have been obviously dented.
Sounds Jive.

yeah, I don’t know. it’ll be here in a few days and I can figure it out. if the electrician here at work can fix it, I’ll sell it for a reduced price, but if not… there goes my birthday money :(