My auctions went sour no thanks to a burglar

[LuisRM]

I hope this is in the right area for this. I wanted some perspective on a situation I had to deal with. Here is the short version.

I listed three video games in early December (Twilight Princess, KOTOR and Brian Age). All sold and I paid for postage online. I left them in my USPS bin at work. 3 weeks later, I get emails from two auction winners that said they didn't receive the package. Then I hear from the third. I check the tracking and it says "Item not received for scanning." I come to find out that someone did a smash and grab on the USPS truck and took my mail. I promptly reimbursed all the bidders, then after talking with USPS and the police, I end up getting the inspector on the case telling me that "yes, your packages were stolen and that you should be reimbursed the $60 since we have proof your packages were stolen". I call the Post Office where the driver works at and the manager ducks and dodges me for a month. I finally call back the inspector and he tells me to get a hold of Consumer Affairs at the USPS main office. I talk with a lady there who does some research and actually calls me back when she said she would. Problem is, due to the fact that the packages weren't insured, she can't reimburse me for anything. Apparently, "the inspector gave me misinformation." So after three months of calls and dealing with this I'm out technically my listing, shipping and paypal fees. In reality, I'm out all that plus my 3 games.

So, I guess the whole point of this is, am I wrong for thinking that even though they had proof my packages were stolen they should reimburse me? I can't do anything now except post here and get this off my chest I guess.

Thoughts, reassurance, sarcasm?

[sailorchrono]

That really stinks :( But I believe the worker at the post office is correct, they aren't liable since you didn't purchase insurance on your packages. Basically, I think the moral of this is to either force your buyers to buy insurance for their packages from now on :/

[Sinnbox]

how do buyers react to purchasing insurance? I have contemplated doing that.

[coolsteel]

how do buyers react to purchasing insurance? I have contemplated doing that.

I offer it optionally and honestly only about 1 in 10 takes advantage of it. On items I know will go for more then 50 I just stick it in the shipping cost and buy it whether they want it or not.



As for the OP, that is really messed up, I mean they know it was stolen and won't do anything to help you

[yukafls]

Damn that sucks, but is also kinda funny in a way.

[wubb]

Damn that sucks. But yeah I wouldn't expect them to reimburse if you didn't have insurance. Although it's really crappy of that inspector to say they would. You could try calling him back and bitch to see if he'll make some sort of special exception for you.

I offer it optionally and honestly only about 1 in 10 takes advantage of it. On items I know will go for more then 50 I just stick it in the shipping cost and buy it whether they want it or not.


I do the exact same thing. Although I'd say maybe 1 in 30 purchase insurance for me. I just don't think it's worth $1.60 insurance for something valued at $20.

[GuilewasNK]

What I have done is whenever I sell something on CAG over $40 I get insurance for my own peace of mind. I haven't had anyone request it, but I don't mind doing a extra $1.60 or whatever.

[phear3d]

Problem is, due to the fact that the packages weren't insured, she can't reimburse me for anything. Apparently, "the inspector gave me misinformation." So after three months of calls and dealing with this I'm out technically my listing, shipping and paypal fees. In reality, I'm out all that plus my 3 games.
so they're basically saying that if you dont insure your mail, then tough luck? i should be very lucky if my mail doesn't get stolen then? and whos fault it was that the mail was stolen in the first place!! and the fact that the inspector gave you false hope, he should be fired. and since they have proof that it was stolen, i say dont give up. if usps isnt cheap, i personally wouldnt mail my packages through them. next time save yourself the trouble and spend $2 extra and go UPS. at least you have a detailed tracking number for all your packages.

[LuisRM]

Thanks gang, I thought I was in the right. And I will offer shipping insurance from now on, and for $50 or more, I'll just pay for it myself. It was just a fluke sort of event. What gets me the most is that I could have dropped them off in a secure bin and they may not have been on the truck then, or may have been picked up by another driver. The worst part is that they said mine was the only packages stolen.

Thanks again for the advice/support everyone!

[YoshiFan1]

I think insurance should be for if they damage the item or lose the item, but if it was clearly stolen I think they should be responsbile even if you didn't get insurance.

[abstrct]

Everytime that I send sometime out I get the additional insurance just to be safe. Yeah it cost me more ( I usually dont charge the people that I'm selling to unless they ask for it ) but at least im safe that I have everything covered. Believe me I have had my share of people trying to scam me on eBay with that same stuff saying that they didn't get anything.

Tracking number, delivery confirm, and insurance Bammmm. I dont think do....

By the way sorry to hear about your lose.

[LuisRM]

Everytime that I send sometime out I get the additional insurance just to be safe. Yeah it cost me more ( I usually dont charge the people that I'm selling to unless they ask for it ) but at least im safe that I have everything covered. Believe me I have had my share of people trying to scam me on eBay with that same stuff saying that they didn't get anything.

Tracking number, delivery confirm, and insurance Bammmm. I dont think do....

By the way sorry to hear about your lose.

Thanks, I do remember one time I had optional insurance on some Heroclix action figures, guy didn't take it, but I ended up adding it anyway. He got it and a bunch of the figs were destroyed in the mail. We both got reimbursed, but if I didn't have that insurance I would have been screwed. Oh, and USPS kept the figs, so he had to buy the whole set again.

I think part of the problem is that the USPS didn't have any suspects, so no one to pin the crime on and get the money back from. But yeah, they acknowledge that it was stolen but won't reimburse me. I guess. :roll:

[phear3d]

Everytime that I send sometime out I get the additional insurance just to be safe. Yeah it cost me more ( I usually dont charge the people that I'm selling to unless they ask for it ) but at least im safe that I have everything covered. Believe me I have had my share of people trying to scam me on eBay with that same stuff saying that they didn't get anything.
even if they offered or you bought the insurance, sometimes they'll give you hell. ive heard some stories from other cags around the holidays.

[Sinnbox]

I saw some guy at the postoffice this holiday and the PO guy was basicly comming up with excuses out his butt on why they couldnt reimbures him.

[Mr_hockey66]

that sounds about right but still sucks.

Same thing happens all the time at my work. I work for an aprtment complex. Stuff happens. People get flooded and say well it wasn't my fault aren't you going to pay for my stuff. We gots to say nope you should have renters insurance. People don't think that if its not their fault that the apartments should pay. Really do you know who much that would cost the apartments if they had to pay for 4 apartments worth of stuff. Sucks but that what insurance is for. In case shit!

[tangytangerine]

Sorry to hear about the loss.

As for refunding, I can understand them not refunding the amount of the items(even it was on their watch when they were stolen). But the least they could do is refund the amount of postage for everything. I mean, it's not like they made it to their destinations.