What am I ethically required to do ???

[ArAich]

I sent out a CGC book via USPS priority mail w/delivery confirmation. The buyer emails me and says that he hasn't recieved it. I check the tracking # on the USPS website only to find that the book has been delivered.

 

Is it now up to the buyer to find out what happened to the book or am I ethically required to take some sort of initiative to help solve this problem??? ....

 

Note: My opinion is that it is now out of my hands and that I have no further obligation..... ...any opinions are greatly appreciated...

[Ian_Levine]

I Is it now up to the buyer to find out what happened to the book or am I ethically required to take some sort of initiative to help solve this problem??? My opinion is that it is now out of my hands and that I have no further obligation..... ...any opinions are greatly appreciated...

 

As the seller, it is entirely YOUR responsibility, both legally and morally, until the buyer has the item in his hands.

[ArAich]

As the seller, it is entirely YOUR responsibility, both legally and morally, until the buyer has the item in his hands.

 

But the book has been delivered....

[Ian_Levine]

But the book has been delivered....

 

If it's supposed to have been delivered, ask UPS for a copy of the signature and show it to the buyer.

[rube11]

Do you have proof of who signed for it and the date? If so pass that along to the buyer.

 

 

[OldGuy]

Have you confirmed that you sent it to the correct address?

[ArAich]

Do you have proof of who signed for it and the date? If so pass that along to the buyer.

 

 

It was sent with delivery confirmation...no signature is required...

[OldSchoolTerry]

If there's signature proof, and you pass that on to the buyer, your work should be done. What else could you be expected to do? You traced it right to the buyer's house, where they or someone else that lives there took possession of it. Or, if the postal service delivered it and just left it at the person's doorstep without getting a signature, and the buyer claims they never received it, wouldn't it be the postal service's problem at that point? Don't beat yourself up too much. I'm sure you're trying to do the right thing.

[Mushroom]

Rick....I believe that you have completed your end of the transaction. If it clearly shows as being delivered then the issue is with UPS and the buyer.

 

I have had this happen to me on one occasion and when the seller gave me the tracking info I followed it up with the delivery person. What actually happened was that the item was placed in my garage (because we were not home) and I hadn't noticed it was there. How could you the seller have helped me with that?

 

 

[Darthdiesel]

I have a feeling that USPS delivered this to a doorstep and someone/ a neighbor absconded with the goods. If the buyer knew he lived in this sort of neighborhood, he should have bought insurance or suggested signature confirmation in order to force delivery to occur at the post office counter instead of it being dropped up unsecured at a stoop.

 

Rick fulfilled his obligation as a seller. Rick has no knowledge what type of ghetto ehole the buyer lives in with thieves and scumbags for neighbors? How should he anticipate this and should he bear the brunt of the cost of insuring and securing signature confirmation for all of his clients? I've gotten stuff from Rick just fine left at my doorstep. But then again, I have neighbors that I would be pround to call my friends.

 

the buyer should file a stolen mail report with his post office and insure that he select his preferenc of no packages delivered or left at his door, as that is the DEFAULT method of USPS delivery for packages with JUST e-confirmation or green label delivery confirmation.

[OldSchoolTerry]

I just read your last post, where you say there was no signature required. What else can you do if USPS say they delivered it? This would definitely seem to be a good lesson to people though. Maybe ship books in a way where a signature is required. That would be a pain to some buyers to be sure, but it would protect you, and put your mind at ease about people not receiving stuff.

[ArAich]

I just looked into the buyers info further and found:

 

[*]The buyer purchased insurance(and I did insure it)

[*]It was delivered to a Bronx NY address on the 2nd floor.

 

So....it seems sorta obvious what may have happened....now I am wondering if USPS will honor the insured amount???...

[deathlok]

Having a signature does no good unless the buyer knows person who signed for it. For example if the USPS came by and wanted me to sign for a package for my neighbor. If I was the type of person for whatever reason did not want my neighbor to have this package, do you think I would sign my own name? Granted, most neighbors might not be this criminal, just showing that signature is not 100%.

[deathlok]

I just looked into the buyers info further and found:

 

[*]The buyer purchased insurance(and I did insure it)

[*]It was delivered to a Bronx NY address on the 2nd floor.

 

So....it seems sorta obvious what may have happened....now I am wondering if USPS will honor the insured amount???...

 

obvious? Did the buyer live on the second floor? If lost, do you think the post office will insure the shipping?

[dadaist]

Note: My opinion is that it is now out of my hands and that I have no further obligation..... ...any opinions are greatly appreciated...

 

Outta sight, outta mind buddy.

 

But seriously Rick, you should probably print out the USPS routing information (I'm guessing your pulling it from there website), and keep it on hand for reference. Contact USPS and have them provide the mailing address with which the item was delivered. The next thing to do is to communicate to the buyer that you have contacted USPS, and that you have proof that the item has been delivered to a specified mailing address.

 

Personally, I think its up to the buyer to make sure he's done everything he can to accept the parcel.

 

As a sidenote: there is a technicality that really bugs the heck out of me. If the buyer opted for insurance, and the package is lost, the seller should make good and file the claim on the buyers behalf. However, if the buyer, in his/her great wisdom, decided to pinch the wallet and refused insurance on the parcel, then the seller assumes no responsibility. This is not written in any policy, or instituted as a law, but rather my own way of dealing with what I call a "tough luck" situation

[OldSchoolTerry]

Is there any kind of method where the package has to be signed by the addressee only? That's more the kind of thing I was thinking of. I know I've had to pick up letters and such from the post office where I've had to show my driver's license and sign for something. I just forget what that service is called....

 

BTW, there are still some nice parts of the Bronx. There are still a few nice neighborhoods left in between all the crackhouses...

[ArAich]

Did the buyer live on the second floor?...Yes

 

If lost, do you think the post office will insure the shipping?...I dunno...

 

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

First off, Delivery Confirmation, and indeed, Postal Insurance, is only as worthwhile as the final carrier that delivers the item. For instance, my current carrier is a diligent guy that will not leave anything at my doorstep, even if it doesn't have Delivery Confirmation or Insurance. If I am not home, and the item doesn't fit into the mailbox, he will leave a slip for me to pick the item up at the local offfice. Simple and appreciated.

 

Most carriers are not so thoughtful. My last carrier left everything by my front door, even Insured items that required a signature. Once I bought a $1800 book from Bob Storms and found it sitting on my front porch on a Monday morning when I returned from a trip. The carrier had dropped it off on Saturday afternoon, without a Signature, and it sat there for a day and a half. When I brought this to the attention of the local office, the supervisor told me that a carrier is permitted to do this in neighborhood's he/she feels are safe enough to do so, at least with Delivery Confirmation items. They should always seek a valid signature for Insured items, for obvious reasons.

 

Anyway, in your case, as long as you confirmed the address with the buyer, and the website verifies that it was Delivered, it is out of your hands. I would recommend scanning the slip and sending it off to the buyer as verification. And if they chose, they can print it out and take it to the local office to try and receive assistance. Some postal supervisors will go out of their way to try and help.

 

 

[OldGuy]

Is there any kind of method where the package has to be signed by the addressee only?

 

Registered mail.

[brian1227]

If a buyer decides that he wants insurance for an item, and the buyer purchases insurance from the USPS, is it not the responsibility of the SELLER to file the claim? And in this case, would the USPS honor the claim since, according to its records, the item has been delivered?

 

Thankfully, I have never had to act on an insurance claim with any delivery service, as a buyer or a seller. But any book I sell in excess of $500 I will only mail with signature confirmation, even if I have to pay for it myself.

 

Good luck and I hope that everything works out to your benefit.