How long to wait to file a claim?

[Gypsy]

Thanks, NK! Weeell, it's resolved by Paypal, but the seller is LIVID! She's basically saying I lied to her about waiting until the 22nd to get my refund. Even Paypal said it could take up to 60 days, just like you did. They said that's not good! The seller also said that now she has a bad standing with Paypal and if the ring shows up or already has she lost out through the post office.

How is this possible?? Can't she still file a claim regardless of whether or not she refunds me right away?? Why is she insisting she can't file now??

Mods, is it okay if I post the last email she sent me so we can all make sense of this?? I'll keep her identity out of it. She's not a board member that I know of but she could be a lurker.
Thanks!

 

[elf925]

I know I'm kinda late to this party, but you can file a claim at any time with the PO. I mailed something priority mail with ins. It was supposed to be del on the 3rd. I waited until the 6th, then filed a claim. It had been scanned the day I mailed it, the 1st, then nothing else. Well, magic happened and it was scanned again the 7th and del the 8th. Per PO claim filing rules, a claim can be filed online or at the PO the day after it doesnt arrive by its scheduled day. Glad you got your money back!

 

[Gypsy]

Thanks so much, Elf! They told her it had to be 30 days before she can file. She used first class mail with tracking. Estimated delivery was 11/26. Like you said I agree if she filed before it wouldn't matter. She keeps insisting that the post office won't work with her if they knew I got my refund and that she would not refund before the 22nd which is when the post office said she can file a claim. Between all of us, she probably just doesn't trust that I would resend her the money if the ring should miraculously get here.

 

[JoycelovesJems]

I know I'm kinda late to this party, but you can file a claim at any time with the PO. I mailed something priority mail with ins. It was supposed to be del on the 3rd. I waited until the 6th, then filed a claim. It had been scanned the day I mailed it, the 1st, then nothing else. Well, magic happened and it was scanned again the 7th and del the 8th. Per PO claim filing rules, a claim can be filed online or at the PO the day after it doesnt arrive by its scheduled day. Glad you got your money back!

I am in the same bind as a seller right now. I shipped a ring first class USPS with delivery confirmation and insurance. It was mailed on the 11th and was supposed to arrive by the 13th. I called the postal service and they told me that I can't do anything until it goes 5 days past the scheduled delivery.
I never heard/read about jewelry not being covered. Now I am VERY worried that I will be out the ring AND the money when I have to refund the buyer if the ring doesn't show up. I'm very worried about this!!!

 

[kirstinkolstad]

Keep in mind Joyce that this time of year is crazy at the post office. I mail homemade cookies every year and last year they said it would take about 3-4 days to mail a box and it ended up taking 9. Plus with all the crazy weather going on that could also slow down delivery depending on where its going. Hope this makes you feel better, nothing is worse than wondering where a package is or if its lost.

 

[imdreaming]

Thanks so much, Elf! They told her it had to be 30 days before she can file. She used first class mail with tracking. Estimated delivery was 11/26. Like you said I agree if she filed before it wouldn't matter. She keeps insisting that the post office won't work with her if they knew I got my refund and that she would not refund before the 22nd which is when the post office said she can file a claim. Between all of us, she probably just doesn't trust that I would resend her the money if the ring should miraculously get here.

From what I have been told, you have to wait 30 days to file if the the package does not show up. In my case, the package showed up very late, and had been broken into and the contents (gorgeous rings *boo hoo, sniff sniff*) were gone. My claim is in process. I have refunded my buyer's money and am working the claim. The claims office contacted my buyer first and she took the damaged package to her local post office. They inspected it and made comments or whatever on the claim. Next I received a letter from the post office and I have to provide evidence of value. I'm hoping I can come up with something sufficient. My buyer and I did not go through paypal. It was a DB transaction and we communicated by e-mail, then she paid by personal check.

Hey Joyce- I have been given no indication that jewelry is not covered. I took a photo of the rings that were stolen in to my local post office and showed them to my Post Master. She told me how to get the claim started but didn't give me any indication that I would be ineligible. I have not been notified by the claims department that I am ineligible either.

 

[JoycelovesJems]

Thanks MissKK and Jenny. A co-worker told me that she ships to Utah from PA all the time and that even when it's not a holiday it takes a while.
So as long as the buyer is being patient, I will try to not stress too much!
I usually package my rings in bubble envelopes. This time I put it in a large box hoping that would help in it not being identified as something small and sparkly to a wannabe thief.
I also figured it'd be more secure. I hope I was right.

 

[AdaBeta27]

I am in the same bind as a seller right now. I shipped a ring first class USPS with delivery confirmation and insurance. It was mailed on the 11th and was supposed to arrive by the 13th. I called the postal service and they told me that I can't do anything until it goes 5 days past the scheduled delivery.
I never heard/read about jewelry not being covered. Now I am VERY worried that I will be out the ring AND the money when I have to refund the buyer if the ring doesn't show up. I'm very worried about this!!!

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/examples.htm gives jewelry 1st class w/ insurance as an example. So, it must be covered now. http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/503.htm#wp1063624 is the manual.

But I seem to recall a discussion on Pricescope about 1.5 years ago that Express Mail and Registered Mail were the options that should be used for jewelry because of something about insurance. I think maybe there was a really low limit in insured jewelry that USPS did away with. Or perhaps jewelry wasn't covered if shipped Priority, 1st class, or Parcel. I looked on USPS and I don't see any $500 value limit or anything anymore for insurance.

 

[AdaBeta27]

Thanks so much, Elf! They told her it had to be 30 days before she can file. She used first class mail with tracking. Estimated delivery was 11/26. Like you said I agree if she filed before it wouldn't matter. She keeps insisting that the post office won't work with her if they knew I got my refund and that she would not refund before the 22nd which is when the post office said she can file a claim. Between all of us, she probably just doesn't trust that I would resend her the money if the ring should miraculously get here.

The post office won't care whether you got a PayPal refund or not. The claim is between the USPS and the shipper. The insurance protects the shipper, not you, and any missing package claim is initiated by seller (person who mailed the package). But that seller needs your cooperation in the claim, because you'll have to say/prove that the package was never delivered.

Your seller sounds like a shifty one. Either that, or not very bright. If the ring has either insurance or tracking on it, then you have to sign for it. If it has both, then you sign for it twice. I think she was just stalling you to run out the clock on that PayPal refund because she knows, as all of us sellers do, that you'd get an automatic refund after a certain date when the package showed as not-delivered. If she stalled you past the PayPal critical deadlines, you'd have no recourse except a chargeback through your credit card.

 

[AdaBeta27]

I shipped 2 items each worth about $1300 each a couple of weeks ago, in 2 boxes, to 2 different addresses. The USPS "misrouted" one. They actually entered a tracking note for that, saying "misdelivered" and "misrouted" in the online tracking. And "We are trying to get it rerouted." I freaked out. Misrouted?? Where?? Just wth did you do with it, USPS? And where it is now???!

That was bad enough, but the P.O. people won't tell you if there's anymore information or details in their system. If you ask at the counter, they tell you to go online. If you try online, all it does it take you back to the typical tracking screen that you saw to begin with, the one with with the cryptic "misrouted" statement. So, then I phoned the customer service number, and what did I get? Yup you guessed it: GPS-Computer-Voice telling me that it was misdelivered, misrouted, and USPS is trying to resolve the problem.

The buyer tried tracing it from her end, and got the exact same stonewalling.

So, for an extra 3-4 days past the expected delivery date, she and I sat there wondering where her box is. On day 5, it showed up, undamaged. The only thing I can figure is, since I mailed two boxes at the same time, my local PO somehow sent both of them to NC, then USPS had to send the "misrouted" one back to Chicago. The timing was about right for that, if that's indeed what happened, lol.

 

[Dana ♥]

I am in the same bind as a seller right now. I shipped a ring first class USPS with delivery confirmation and insurance. It was mailed on the 11th and was supposed to arrive by the 13th. I called the postal service and they told me that I can't do anything until it goes 5 days past the scheduled delivery.
I never heard/read about jewelry not being covered. Now I am VERY worried that I will be out the ring AND the money when I have to refund the buyer if the ring doesn't show up. I'm very worried about this!!!

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/examples.htm gives jewelry 1st class w/ insurance as an example. So, it must be covered now. http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/503.htm#wp1063624 is the manual.

But I seem to recall a discussion on Pricescope about 1.5 years ago that Express Mail and Registered Mail were the options that should be used for jewelry because of something about insurance. I think maybe there was a really low limit in insured jewelry that USPS did away with. Or perhaps jewelry wasn't covered if shipped Priority, 1st class, or Parcel. I looked on USPS and I don't see any $500 value limit or anything anymore for insurance.

the $500 insurance limit is for printing postage online through paypal.

 

[Gypsy]

Thanks so much, Elf! They told her it had to be 30 days before she can file. She used first class mail with tracking. Estimated delivery was 11/26. Like you said I agree if she filed before it wouldn't matter. She keeps insisting that the post office won't work with her if they knew I got my refund and that she would not refund before the 22nd which is when the post office said she can file a claim. Between all of us, she probably just doesn't trust that I would resend her the money if the ring should miraculously get here.

The post office won't care whether you got a PayPal refund or not. The claim is between the USPS and the shipper. The insurance protects the shipper, not you, and any missing package claim is initiated by seller (person who mailed the package). But that seller needs your cooperation in the claim, because you'll have to say/prove that the package was never delivered.

Your seller sounds like a shifty one. Either that, or not very bright. If the ring has either insurance or tracking on it, then you have to sign for it. If it has both, then you sign for it twice. I think she was just stalling you to run out the clock on that PayPal refund because she knows, as all of us sellers do, that you'd get an automatic refund after a certain date when the package showed as not-delivered. If she stalled you past the PayPal critical deadlines, you'd have no recourse except a chargeback through your credit card.

Thanks so much, AdaBeta!! Guess what!! The ring got here!! HOWEVER, I notified Paypal beforehand as to what my options are should it arrive. They said since I got my refund, I can either pay again OR I can return it!! I'm going to return it. I don't want it now.

The seller kept saying she can file a claim with Paypal to get her money back when I receive the ring. Paypal said it doesn't work that way. She can file an APPEAL. Meaning that if I keep it I repay her the money. If I don't want it, I send her back the ring. Thankfully, I took a pic of it not being opened. I'm also going to take a picture at the PO of putting it unopened into the new envelope to remail to her. I'm going to send it Priority with delivery confirmation and insurance. She sent it to me first class with those same things, didn't need a signature. It was just in my mailbox. I'm not doing signature confirmation only because the seller may not be home, she may still be away for the holidays. At least with tracking and insurance it will be fine. I'm also sending it Priority.

I got an immediate refund! I didn't wait because I would've lost out. Well, not entirely. The ring did show up. But come Monday morning I'm sending it back to her.

 

[JoycelovesJems]

I've got good news on my end. My buyer received the ring today and she is delighted and loves it. Just this morning I called the postal service to get them to do a trace. It's all good now. Phew!

 

[Gypsy]

Excellent news, Joyce!

 

[imdreaming]

Congrats to both of you

Keep your fingers crossed for me too!

 

[Gypsy]

I think another issue just arose.

Two out of three people at Paypal said I can most definitely refuse the ring! One said I can't unless it's damaged. I had already brought the package to the post office this morning. They scanned it as "refused". Which is what they told me will be done. It goes back exactly the way it came. I like that better because if Godforbid anything happens the seller gets the insurance money. The third person from Paypal also said that until the package is scanned as "delivered" it still counts as me having the ring. The other two people said once it's at the post office I'm in the clear. Does anyone know who is right? The seller isn't responding back to me at this point. I'm thinking it's because she figures there's no way I could be telling the truth that I was told I can refuse it and she's not even worrying about it. She's probably thinking I have to pay her. Period. Now, I'm hoping I did the right thing.

 

[kirstinkolstad]

I think another issue just arose.

Two out of three people at Paypal said I can most definitely refuse the ring! One said I can't unless it's damaged. I had already brought the package to the post office this morning. They scanned it as "refused". Which is what they told me will be done. It goes back exactly the way it came. I like that better because if Godforbid anything happens the seller gets the insurance money. The third person from Paypal also said that until the package is scanned as "delivered" it still counts as me having the ring. The other two people said once it's at the post office I'm in the clear. Does anyone know who is right? The seller isn't responding back to me at this point. I'm thinking it's because she figures there's no way I could be telling the truth that I was told I can refuse it and she's not even worrying about it. She's probably thinking I have to pay her. Period. Now, I'm hoping I did the right thing.

I'd try not to worry about it and consider it done and over. In the end you know you did the right thing by returning the item. You shouldn't feel bad about anything! What stinks about the situation is that it was neither your fault or the sellers fault, the post office somehow managed to lose track of the item. It just stinks that you and the seller had a dispute over something that was beyond control. If I were you I'd move forward knowing you did the right thing and that neither you or the seller were in the wrong. I do think the seller could have handled herself better and should have taken more time to educate herself on problems that can happen when buying/selling on ebay. This is the main reason I've never tried to sell anything on ebay. Enjoy the holidays and know that you are a good and ethical person!

 

[Gypsy]

Thanks so much for your kind words, MissKK! That's really sweet of you and much appreciated.

I told the seller that when we were still in contact. The fault was the post office. I tried to educate her a bit but she was having none of it. I think after this I may close my Paypal account. Or at the very least remove my bank account. But I have an authorization pending so I need to have that removed first. It was for shirts for my nephews but they aren't going to ship so that's a done deal anyway, lol. I already bought them elsewhere and they're already wrapped and at my sister's house. You enjoy the holidays as well. I'm going to relax and move forward like you suggested. It does no good to stress over it and I returned the item. One thing is for sure, I'm done with my holiday shopping and cards so I can enjoy the holidays and the decorations!