GliderCENTRAL

Shipping Questions

Posted By: GliderNursery

Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 05:48 PM

For all of you vendors out there, I have a question. Luckily this hasn't happened to me (yet), but I have been discussing this with a couple of people.

When you ship your order out, and you have receipt proof that it was picked up by the post office, and it doesn't reach the destination, what do you do?

A inquiry can be made to the post office, but no guarantees that you would get a response. And with insured orders, you have to wait 30 days to file a claim.

At this point, it is out of our control. Once the post office picks it up, I feel that the vendor has proof that they fulfilled their obligation to ship the order. But what about the customer?

I know the solution to this is to always insure your orders. As a customer you should ask the vendor to insure the package, just realize that it will cost you a few dollars more based on the value of your order.

Any thoughts?
Posted By: Dancing

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 06:14 PM

With priority mail, ask for tracking (doesn't cost extra if you purchase the postage online). It automatically comes with $100 insurance at no extra cost. For larger orders, insurance isn't much more based on the value of the order.
Posted By: lilangels

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 07:33 PM

I just mailed packages out with priority mail and asked for tracking and they told me it would be $1.35 extra. It does put everyone in a bad spot when the post office looses your packages and they can really drag their feet on paying the insurance on the package.
Posted By: Dancing

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 07:41 PM

the tracking is free ONLY if you go through USPS.com and buy the postage online. If you go to the post office, you have to pay for it.
Posted By: Dallie

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 09:56 PM

You only get "free" insurance up to $100 with Express Mail. It is an extra cost incurred with any other form of shipment.

Tracking with Delivery Confirmation is "free" for all shipments when label printed at home/office or an additional fee when purchasing from post office.

Delivery confirmation when printed at home for first class mail is also not always available for complete tracking.

Regarding original post, I think as vendors we have fulfilled our responsibility when the package shows being accepted by the Post Office - but as Shelly asked . . . What are your thoughts when a package is shipped, accepted at post office, not insured per customer and package never arrives . . . What/if any is the vendor's responsibility to our customer? What would you do?
Posted By: Dancing

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 10:26 PM

Wow, that has changed then since I've mailed anything. Sorry if I gave bad info. It USED to be insured automatically with the priority.
Posted By: IslandGliders

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 10:30 PM

This is a hard one... always sad when this happens.

It happened to me once, and the vendor very graciously re-made all the items and sent another box. I did NOT expect this kind of service but it was wonderful to receive, and I am a loyal customer to her to this day.

I agree with you guys, that the vendor, once dropping the box at the post office, has done his or her part and then it ends there. But for the record, it is excellent customer service to replace the items and, at least for me, it really made me respect said vendor and go back to her many, many times for more items.

So, up to you.

I think it is worth the dollar-plus-change to insure a box, though I am guilty of rarely buying insurance. The only thing I have insured in the past year was a box of live ducklings that came through the mail. Precious cargo!
Posted By: DuaeCat

Re: Shipping Questions - 12/31/12 11:08 PM

As a rule, even if you have the receipt, without tracking and delivery confirmation, claims automatically go in favor of the buyer, not the vendor.

So tracking and DC is for vendor safety. Your customer says they never got it? Boom, instant refund.
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: Shipping Questions - 01/01/13 01:05 AM

That would be a refund for the shipping. The shipping charge isn't usually the majority of the cost involved.

While I agree with you 100% Hannah about the vendor re-making the item, and I realize that you said you wouldn't expect it, but take me for example, a single Glide-arium™ order could be upwards around $200. That would be pretty difficult for me to re-make at my own expense, know what I mean? But then I think of how my customer would feel to have put out that money and get nothing in return.

This has made me seriously think about requiring insurance on all of my orders because of the dollar value. I would be devastated if a Glide-arium™ order got lost in the mail!
Posted By: lilangels

Re: Shipping Questions - 01/01/13 01:19 AM

With something that valuable you really should require insurance for your own protection and theirs. I would think most costomers would happily pay a few extra dollars to insure they get their package.
Posted By: becpop

Re: Shipping Questions - 01/01/13 02:33 AM

To file a claim you do not have to wait 30 days. It's 3 days for express, 1 week for priority, and 2 weeks for first class.

Insurance on a package is not that much about $2.90 for $200 dollars of insurance. That will cover lost items or if items are damaged during the shipping.

As far as lost items I'd file a claim or even call. They keep packages that are have the labels fall off for about a year before they get rid of them. (I know all this stuff cause my parents work at USPS)

If it can't be found by USPS and you didn't insure it, maybe ask the buyer to pay 50% of the item and the vendor covers the other 50%?
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: Shipping Questions - 01/01/13 04:04 AM

Originally Posted By: lilangels
With something that valuable you really should require insurance for your own protection and theirs. I would think most costomers would happily pay a few extra dollars to insure they get their package.

See, that's what my question is truly about. If the vendor ships the product, I can't see that the are responsible for anything that USPS, Fed-Ex, or UPS does as they can't control that. As long as they have proof that they actually picked up the item, how can the vendor be held responsible?

Now, please don't misunderstand me. This has not happened to any of my orders (and I hope I didn't just jinx myself!) and I'm not saying what I would or would not do in this situation. I'm just wondering what other vendors opinions are.
Posted By: lilangels

Re: Shipping Questions - 01/01/13 05:31 AM

I would think legally as long as the vendor has proof they delivered the item to the post office they could not be held responsible for the loss of the item, however I know as a vendor I would feel horrible if a buyer paid for something and never got it. I would probably need to replace it just to make myself feel better smile Your question has made me put a lot of thought into the subject and I think from now on I'll spend the bit more to insure and track the package.
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: Shipping Questions - 01/01/13 06:38 PM

Connie, the buyer typically pays for shipping as its technically for their protection, not ours. wink
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