could this ebay buyer be scamming me UPDATE PICS ADDED

[Akkis99]

so i sold guilty gear X and he recieves it today and says the game wasnt in the envelope and that the post office wrote on the enevelope the enenvelope was empty when they received it. He said he would send me pictures. Could this be true though or could he be lying. Im a little skeptical. Also he has 40 flawless feed. This is what i dont understand if he said the post office wrote they received an empty envelope, then i dont understand that means i mailed an empty enevlope which i did not. I dont get it. Here is the copy of the email he sent me.


received your package yesterday, the only thing is that it was empty. Due to how you packed it (sealing the envelope with scotch tape instead of
normal heavy duty packing tape) the tape came undone and the game fell out at some point during the shipping process. If you want pictures for proof I can take them, there is a stamp right on the envelope saying it arrived at my post office opened and empty. Since it is your fault due to how you packaged the item, I would like either an identical replacement item, for you to call the post office to see what, if anything, they can do to find the game, or a full refund of my money. Please let me know which of these options you are going to pursue as soon as you can so I know whether to start looking for a new copy on eBay or not. Thanks



Thats his email to me and here are the pics

http://img78.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img78&image=dscf00011su.jpg
http://img78.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img78&image=dscf00049zf.jpg

[onetrackmind]

i'd wait to see if he produces the pictures, then make the judgement.

[Mr Unoriginal]

If you really did seal it with scotch tape, it wouldn't be very surprising that the game fell out. If he produces pictures I would say he is not scamming you.

[mbstuff]

Did you really seal the envelop with scotch tape, as the buyer claimed? Seems to me like he's saying his post office received it empty, not that it was empty when your post office sent it out. I can see how scotch tape can become undone in transit and have the game fall out.

[maxflight]

I don't believe he's trying to scam you, scotch tape is very weak. the guys at the PO chuck mail around all the time.

but do wait for the pictures. at least guilty gear x isn't too expensive.

[dedgeu2]

Wait for the pics. Specifically the one for the post office "stamp" about being empty. Take that pic to your local post office to make sure it is a legit stamp.

After that, it us up to you. But if the envelop was indeed delivered empty, then it is not the buyer's fault and you might have to bite the bullet on that one.

But wait for the pics. If they are fake and the stamp is fake, then you might get a better idea who you are dealing with.

[Akkis99]

but i also licked the envelope closed since it had that adhesive on it

[mtxbass1]

How exactly does an item fall out of a package when scotch tape is used? Unless you live near the equator this time of year, I highly doubt it is hot enough for the scotch tape to lose it's bond on the envelope itself. Something doesn't just magically fall out of an envelope due to using scotch tape. As long as you have proof of shipment (ie: delivery confirmation), I would tell him that you sent the package and it's the post offices problem that the game was damaged/lost...not yours.

[Mr Unoriginal]

How exactly does an item fall out of a package when scotch tape is used? Unless you live near the equator this time of year, I highly doubt it is hot enough for the scotch tape to lose it's bond on the envelope itself. Something doesn't just magically fall out of an envelope due to using scotch tape. As long as you have proof of shipment (ie: delivery confirmation), I would tell him that you sent the package and it's the post offices problem that the game was damaged/lost...not yours.

There is no way in hell that scotch tape sticks to the cardboard or manilla material of a packing envelope. It would come off in two seconds. Used with the adhesive, then it is a little harder to beleive, but not impossible.

[screwkick]

I just received a game in a US postal mail envelope the other day, and it had a big hole in the top of it.

Luckily the game was still inside, so i guess its possible that he didn't recieve it.

I think its the post office's way of inspecting packages after the 9/11 anthrax/bomb scare situation.

[YoshiFan1]

I would also wait for the pictures like others said. If the store is true and the game really came loose in the mail, I would probably refund them

[integralsmatic]

yeah i just got my Sociologoy Text book from the mail and the packaged was beaten to hell...Did you send bu media or first class?

[Akkis99]

the game sold for 33 bucks so its a bullet to bite but for some reason i have a feeling its a lie. I sent all my games out the same way, and that was about 40 games and all of them got there no prob, how could this one just suddenly get lost. And if it did get lost do i refund all his cash? I do have DC on it.

[Mookyjooky]

Yea, give him a refund....and use "packing tape" next time....

Keyword "packing"....unless your packing "scotch", if you are....proceed.

[Rig]

Ask for the pics. Post them here too.

[icemanjmw13]

What kind of envelope are we talking about, bubble envelope or one of those manilla (i think) envelopes. I doubt someone would be pulling this scam for Guilty Gear X, like someone said not that expensive. Probably better to just bite the bullet on this one. That is assuming he has pictures of course.

[Akkis99]

i believe first class, this is the DC confirmation number. Wouldnt it say something maybe. It says delivered and whatever 9102128882300136861986

[mbstuff]

What I would do is ask the buyer to send the envelope back, then take it to the post office and ask about the stamping. If it's legit, you should refund the money, all of it, including shipping, unless you specifically stated on the auction terms that lost or damaged mail is not your problem.

[Akkis99]

i was thinking of asking for the enevlope and taking it to my post office and asking them whats up.

[maxflight]

the game sold for 33 bucks so its a bullet to bite but for some reason i have a feeling its a lie. I sent all my games out the same way, and that was about 40 games and all of them got there no prob, how could this one just suddenly get lost. And if it did get lost do i refund all his cash? I do have DC on it.

things happen. mail gets lost every now and then. it's a rare instance, but it happens. now let's see some pics :)

[wubb]

As has been said already scotch tape is not very good for sealing brown paper envelopes or boxes. Still you'd think if it had an adhesive strip, that would hold. Do yourself a favor and buy a roll of packing tape for future mailings.

Print out his picture and go down to your post office to see if they can tell you anything about it? Like maybe when/where it was stamped that the game fell out. I doubt they keep any records of this kind of thing, though. But they should at least be able to tell you if it is a legit USPS marking.

Anyway assuming his story checks out, I'd definitely give him a full refund.

[magictoilet]

ask for the pics too

[Chris in Cali]

Isn't that what the option of insurance is for? If you really sent the game, and it got lost in the mail, it's not your fault.

[roguejedi5]

just wait and see on this evelope pic. All my packages from the post office get beaten up pretty good. Just last month one of my letters I sent came back in 5 seperate pieces! :shock:

[wubb]

Asking him to send the envelope back to you isn't a bad idea, but if I were the buyer I would insist you refund my shipping cost to mail the envelope back to you on top of the full bid + shipping I already paid to you. And I'd probably want a partial refund up front.

You have to be careful here, assuming he's being truthful you screwed up. Think of it from his side of the deal.

No directed at the OP - Stating in your auction that you aren't responsible for lost or damaged packages isn't going to prevent a PayPal or CC chargeback. (And is a really crappy policy anyway.)

[Akkis99]

i understand... ill refund but im a little skeptical.... im gonna wait on pics

[mbstuff]

No directed at the OP - Stating in your auction that you aren't responsible for lost or damaged packages isn't going to prevent a PayPal or CC chargeback. (And is a really crappy policy anyway.)

I agree, but at least if you put the language there, you have a leg to stand on when you get your dispute mediated by ebay/paypal. It is a crappy policy, though, and if I see it in an auction, I don't bid. I wouldn't ever use it in my own auctions; I think it's pretty well understood that when you sell something (by auction/private sale or if you are a retailer), it needs to arrive at the buyer's location in the condition to which the buyer agreed.

[tickdude]

i understand... ill refund but im a little skeptical.... im gonna wait on pics

Good strategy...

[Ecofreak]

When I ship games, I use the boxes the USPS provides for priority mail - those heavy duty cardboard ones. They are the perfect size for games of all current generation. Best of all - they're FREE!!!

Check your USPS to see if they have some next time you go. Jack a whole bunch and save for later use. :D

[magikman]

I send everything out in bubble-padded mailers that have their own adhesive, plus I put scoth tape "just in case" over the seal. I get pretty miffed when I see some of the packing jobs people do when they send stuff to me. Think about it this way... if you were buying/trading a game intended for your personal collection, wouldn't you want it shipped in at least a somewhat protective container? And they don't cost much... 50-60 cents at most.

[video_gamer324]

I was about to say that the buyer absolutely deserves a full refund, but after reading the details on filing an insurance claim from usps.com and reading that the seller here used the scotch tape as a secondary means of sealing the package (the lickable adhesive being the primary means), I'm beginning to think the buyer is entitled to squat. I checked usps.com's information on insurance claims, and there is nothing there saying that there are certain packaging requirements in order to be able to file a claim. The seller here sent the game in a properly sealed envelope, and the buyer didn't purchase insurance. Neither party is really at fault, so if I were the seller, I would offer to split the loss right down the middle. Next time, though, package all of your games securely so freak accidents like this one don't happen again.

[mbstuff]

Neither party is really at fault, so if I were the seller, I would offer to split the loss right down the middle. Next time, though, package all of your games securely so freak accidents like this one don't happen again.

Neither party is at fault, but it's still the seller's responsibility to cover accidents like this, because that's just the normal way business transactions work. Buyer expects to receive the item for which he paid. I would expect the same from online retailers, sellers on classified ads, ebayers, and yes, CAG traders.

[crowbb]

If you get the pics, please post them. I work in a post office so I know well what the stamp looks like.

so i sold guilty gear X and he recieves it today and says the game wasnt in the envelope and that the post office wrote on the enevelope the enenvelope was empty when they received it. He said he would send me pictures. Could this be true though or could he be lying. Im a little skeptical. Also he has 40 flawless feed. This is what i dont understand if he said the post office wrote they received an empty envelope, then i dont understand that means i mailed an empty enevlope which i did not. I dont get it. Here is the copy of the email he sent me.


received your package yesterday, the only thing is that it was empty. Due to how you packed it (sealing the envelope with scotch tape instead of
normal heavy duty packing tape) the tape came undone and the game fell out at some point during the shipping process. If you want pictures for proof I can take them, there is a stamp right on the envelope saying it arrived at my post office opened and empty. Since it is your fault due to how you packaged the item, I would like either an identical replacement item, for you to call the post office to see what, if anything, they can do to find the game, or a full refund of my money. Please let me know which of these options you are going to pursue as soon as you can so I know whether to start looking for a new copy on eBay or not. Thanks



Thats his email to me

[Akkis99]

crowbb so there are stamps for case like this? What is your take on this situation

[Akkis99]

uyp

[crowbb]

Well there is a stamp for damaged/open etc. mail. Ours has 4 things on it and you check off whichever apply. Two of them are received in damaged condition and received without contents, both of which could apply here. The stamp should also be in red ink. I've never seen a postal stamp in any other color ink.

Scotch tape is never a good idea to use for sealing something going through the mail, since we DO beat the hell out of stuff. Especially if it's parcel post or media mail. But if you also sealed the envelope's regular seal I don't really see how it is your fault. After working for the PO for a while I realized never ever send anything media mail or PP if you can help it. If you could only see how we treat anything below first class! Priority mail and first class mail are separated from the rest and put in their own containers and get damaged a lot less often. Media mail and PP are lumped together, thrown in sacks, and tossed around in containers, on trucks etc. The mail handlers who load the containers routinely put light stuff on the bottom then pile up 5-10 bags full of parcels on top of them.

But anyway it's up to you whether to reimburse him or not. It sounds like it was postal error not yours unless you only put scotch tape on the package. I would call the office it was delivered to and see if they found the game loose in the mail. At my office when we find stuff loose in the mail and cannot figure out what package it went to we keep it in case someone calls. You can ask to talk to a supervisor or the accountables clerk and see if they can do anything to help you. If it is a small office you might be able to get to talk to the Postmaster himself. If you can, do. For something valued under 50 bucks he can outright give you your money back if he authorizes it. I'm on my 5th Postmaster since I have been working as a clerk and most of them will pay out to avoid pissing off customers unless the customer is obviously at fault.

[ex0]

It does sound like you did a fine job with sealing the envelope, but regardless of whether or not it was your fault, he WILL leave you a negative. If you don't want a negative I would either send another or refund him, because even though this sounds like he is lying, you will be the one to suffer.

[zionoverfire]

You used scotch tape I wouldn't be to surprised if it fell out.

I'd refund his money, use packing tape next time and get shipping insurance.

[Akkis99]

UP!!!!!!!!

[darkcrawlspace]

Those pics look pretty legit to me.

[Akkis99]

upo

[soxfan4525]

Those pics look pretty legit to me.

same here

[thagoat]

well, did the buyer purchase shipping insurance on his item? if not then he is out of luck. you did your part, but the usps didnt do theirs. since the buyer didn't purchase any insurance, thats his problem then. in the end its up to you though

[Dunvane]

That's exactly what I was about to say... Shipping Insurance.

There's a reason it's offered, and if he didn't buy it, sucks for him. I'd be pissed if that happened to me too, but I mean it's not your fault if he didn't buy it. Suck it up, take the negative feedback hit and explain in your reply under it the post office messed it up and you have pics to prove it, and move on.

[Steggy]

hahahah! thats awesome! you just pwned yourself!

[auralia]

the question is did you offer him shipping insurance and if you did did he refuse it... because if You offered and He refused, it's his problem, but if you didn't offer insurance it becomes your problem.

cuz if he declined insurance he takes the chances associated w/ that but if you didn't offer it you take the chances associated w/ it.

[Akkis99]

the offer was always there when you pay with paypal so i dunno. I basically dont know though what i should do now

[twiztidjester]

The ink is black crowbb said it should be red.

[AlanSaysYo]

Refunding the money even though it's not your fault is the right thing to do here, if only to keep your eBay feedback from suffering a hit.

But I'm really surprised at the number of people in this thread who think the Scotch tape should have been enough. Maybe it's just because I've mailed a lot of things out from eBay auctions and whatnot, but I would never use Scotch tape to seal a large envelope like that. The adhesive dries out pretty quickly, and the tape just pops right off, without any envelope debris even on it. And you never know just how old those envelopes are that you're getting from Staples or Office Max. They may have been on the shelf for quite some time, and their primary adhesive jsut gets weak after awhile.

I'm not surpised at all that the envelope came open, and I wouldn't be surprised if the opening of the envelope still has the clear tape hanging off it (you might ask to see that side of the envelope if you didn't already).

As if enough people haven't said it already, always use packaging tape, and always wrap it around the envelope flap two or three times.

[Akkis99]

i wanna know if that thing is real.....im a little skeptical

[judyjudyjudy]

You might want to go to the local post office with the pictures and see what they think. Also, the pictures might be convincing enough to the folks at Paypal if he files a chargeback.

[GizmoGC]

Its funny. If a Buyer gets something and denys the insurance, and the package is lost, they EXPECT something back. Howis THAT fair? We should have to pay out of ARE pocket to cover them? Such BS

[peteyrose]

Who in their right mind would use Scotch tape on a package? :? It's just horrible packaging.

[whoknows]

It does seem really fishy. If I was in your place I would tell them sorry, out of luck. You could have bought the insurance. Its a risk that they must be willing to take.

.....Then again, you did use scotch tape, so it could be your fault as well.

I would just take the negative feedback. Thats the worst they can do to you.

[alongx]

It does seem really fishy. If I was in your place I would tell them sorry, out of luck. You could have bought the insurance. Its a risk that they must be willing to take.

.....Then again, you did use scotch tape, so it could be your fault as well.

I would just take the negative feedback. Thats the worst they can do to you.

I'd place that more on you than on USPS since they got the envelop to him, it was just shoddy packing that caused the game to come loose. If I was in your place, I'd refund it or call the post office and see what they can do for you.
I'm surprised they didn't seal it again at the PO, though; any time I brought in stuff, even if I had it taped 100 times over with masking tape, the postal workers always make sure to go over the envelope's seal with USPS logo masking tape.

Its funny. If a Buyer gets something and denys the insurance, and the package is lost, they EXPECT something back. Howis THAT fair? We should have to pay out of ARE pocket to cover them? Such BS

When the buyer pays you S&H, they expect it to at least be packaged properly. This wasn't a problem with USPS. The package wasn't lost, it was the item in the package, due to insufficient packaging.

[crowbb]

Even though the ink is black it looks legit to me. I guess some offices have different ink. The font is exactly the same as our stamp.

[jngx80]

There seems to be a name/signature (Fred) on the stamp. Just go to the post office and see if you can get that verified. I'm assuming that the stamp would have been stamped on by your post office-but I'm not sure how they operate.

Scotch tape works to a degree. If you tape it on the sides of the flap and have it fold to the front it should keep the flap down. If you just tape it on top of the flap/bottom side of the envelope (like how people usually tape things) then the tap would fall off easily especially with a game inside a big envelope.

[gdw3877]

Isn't that what the option of insurance is for? If you really sent the game, and it got lost in the mail, it's not your fault.


Chris is right. Stop worrying about it. It's the post office's fault and not yours. THAT IS WHAT INSURANCE IS FOR. He opted not to buy the insurance, well, tough titties for him. Tell him that.

[gdw3877]

HA HA! I said tough titties. What the hell are tough titties? Is that a NY saying or do people use it elsewhere?

[eskimo]

OP, is this your auction?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=62053&item=8163220 639

If so, you did not offer insurance in the auction listing. If you had offered insurance, it would be listed under the heading marked "Shipping, payment details and return policy". The next time you list an item, you might want to provide optional insurance.

[beerguy961]

The ink is black crowbb said it should be red.

Looking at the destination address, it was sent to a college, most likely a dorm room. I know around here, the students do the work in there, so they could have used the wrong color ink on the stamp.

Anyways, I would think with 40 feedback and the pictures, you should probably give a refund on the condition that you did not actually offer insurance in the auction listing (as eskimo indicated). However, if you did offer insurance, I'd either say TS or refund him half or something.

And in the future, STRONG TAPE! Go crazy with it...

[wubb]

If I were this buyer I would begin the charge back process if you didn't refund my money (100%) by the end of the week.

Since the PO probably scanned the package as delivered (even though it was empty) you may actually be able to win a PayPal dispute. But I think the 'right' thing to do here is pretty clear.

[BLarR]

Just refund the guy, he has proof and you admit to not sealing it the correct way in the first place.

[help1]

I think you sorta have to refund him, unless you can find a cheap copy of the game for him.

[NegativeZero]

fyi the PO shouldnt allow you to ship something sealed with scotch tape besides letters.

[ArthurDigbySellers]

fyi the PO shouldnt allow you to ship something sealed with scotch tape besides letters.

Will everyone get off the scotch tape issue? The envelope was sealed with the adhesive that it comes with. As far as I'm concerned, that was all the OP had to do. He actually went a step further in sealing it with scotch tape on top of the adhesive and like he said, 40-odd other games shipped just fine.

I highly doubt that the adhesive wore off and then the scotch tape peeled off as well. It's more likely that some assbag USPS employee saw that it was media mail, saw that the packaging was the right size for a game or DVD, and popped it open himself.

In the end, I still think the OP has to refund the money, but stop bashing his use of scotch tape, he was actually trying to make the package more secure.

[icemanjmw13]

I highly doubt that the adhesive wore off and then the scotch tape peeled off as well. It's more likely that some assbag USPS employee saw that it was media mail, saw that the packaging was the right size for a game or DVD, and popped it open himself.


I can tell you there is a 99.9% chance that did not happen. I've had many friends who worked at the post office. It's a good enough job, pays well enough, has benefits, and is sometimes hard to get in. No way anyone would risk their job for a DVD or game.

Also about getting off the scotch tape issue. The scotch tape is an issue because as he stated he put two packages together using it.

[magikman]

At 5 ounces, how much did you really save using Media Mail versus First Class? I generally don't use Media Mail until it crosses over the 1 lb mark and First Class is no longer an option. Anyway, I agree with most of the others that a refund should be issued.

[Javery]

I'd give him a refund and note in the feedback what happened

[Jobbercho]

Why do you have to OFFER insurance in the listing. Sure it puts it out there that you offer it, but there's a reason this is on the listing:

Shipping, payment details and return policy
Services available
Check item description and payment instructions or contact seller for details.
Will ship to United States.



and a reason for the Ask the Seller a question link. I do believe the seller in this case is somewhat responsible for the shoddy packing job, but the buyer is also partially responsible for not asking if it could be insured. Refund half the cost and hope (ha) for neutral feedback

[urzishra14]

he doesn't sound like he wants to scam you and it may have happened to him in the past.. just refund the money..

[AngellicLulu]

I highly doubt that the adhesive wore off and then the scotch tape peeled off as well. It's more likely that some assbag USPS employee saw that it was media mail, saw that the packaging was the right size for a game or DVD, and popped it open himself.



Also about getting off the scotch tape issue. The scotch tape is an issue because as he stated he put two packages together using it.
I remember another thread about two packages being put together... this was not it. This is a normal media mail envelope with adhesive AND scotch tape (look at the pic to see the picture) I really don't think it would come open without some help, but I don't really think it's the buyers fault, nor is it the sellers fault. You should try to come to some sort of agreement with the buyer, explain that you used the adhesive and scotch tape so it was not the packaging error. If you offered insurance then it's more of their fault for not considering packages could be damaged in shipment. IF you can't reach an agreement, suck it up and refund the money.

[Quillion]

I think we should all look at this from the Buyer's point of view.

You go online, order an item, pay in a timely manner and get an empty envelope. Is that fair? Do you really want to saddle him with the cost of this?

You didn't properly seal the envelope, you shipped without insurance. You could have chosen UPS, paid for insurance, shipped FedEx, any of those, and then passed the cost on to him. You didn't. Take the hit. Give him a refund, it's the cost of doing business. He did everything he was supposed to do. The shipping is firmly on your side. You did after all, charge shipping and handling.

If I were the buyer, I would probably already be starting a chargeback, you didn't fulfill your end of the bargain, to have that game delivered to his dorm.

If this were EB shipping to you and you got an empty package and they said "Tough cookies, we shipped it!" How would you respond?

[gaelan]

Well depending on your certainty of this statement:

i believe first class, this is the DC confirmation number. Wouldnt it say something maybe. It says delivered and whatever 9102128882300136861986

FYI, found this out the other day from local PO...due to media mail option being used for "non media" items, the PO reserves the right to open your package and inspect for "media" items. I think shrike mentioned that games aren't really "media" unless they are educational or instructional...THIS IS NOT CONFIRMED.

Mayyyyybe someone opened your media mail, said hmmm this game is not considered "media" anymore, so it is not legit, or someone opened you package and said, "hey look a free game that was improperly packaged (still haven't confirmed this either) *stamps package to cover own ass*.

I'd go to the PO with the problem and see what they say.

[bradr]

Well depending on your certainty of this statement:

i believe first class, this is the DC confirmation number. Wouldnt it say something maybe. It says delivered and whatever 9102128882300136861986

FYI, found this out the other day from local PO...due to media mail option being used for "non media" items, the PO reserves the right to open your package and inspect for "media" items. I think shrike mentioned that games aren't really "media" unless they are educational or instructional...THIS IS NOT CONFIRMED.

Mayyyyybe someone opened your media mail, said hmmm this game is not considered "media" anymore, so it is not legit, or someone opened you package and said, "hey look a free game that was improperly packaged (still haven't confirmed this either) *stamps package to cover own ass*.

I'd go to the PO with the problem and see what they say.

I agree. The PO can now open all media mail if they think it's suspect. Always ship your games first class. It probably would have been cheaper for you to have done that way (around $1.90 w/DC). I mailed out something today at the P.O. It was priority mail, the clerk threw the box about 10 feet into the air and arced it into a bin full of boxes that were about 10-15 times the size of my box. Yeah, the PO doesn't take good care of your packages. (None of this was exaggerated).

[wubb]

Disc games should qualify for media mail. A given USPS worker may not allow it, but technically they should qualify. Cartridge games (GBA, NES, etc.) do not qualify.

Discs are computer readable media.

Here's the def. of media mail from USPS.com:

"Media Mail® service is a cost efficient way to mail books, sound recordings, recorded video tapes, printed music, and recorded computer-readable media (such as CDs, DVDs, and diskettes). Media Mail can not contain advertising except for incidental announcements of books. The maximum weight for Media Mail is 70 lbs. "

bradr - At my PO once they ask 'Is this liquid, perishible, or fragile?' and I say 'No' the lady generally semi-slams it down into a bin at her feet. My buddy was with me once and we joked that she should yell out "Not fragile, huh?! Well, we'll just see about that!"

[onetrackmind]

I think you should give the refund, looks legit to me. And think about how pissed you'd be if you were that guy and didnt recieve a refund.

[dedgeu2]

I agree. The pics look legit. By giving him a refund then you do your part even it is costing you a little bit. You will be the honest guy in the end even if some jerk or supernatural phenomena took the game. I doubt the buyer would go through this whole trouble to scam you out of a few buckaroos.

[judge-z]

I sell a lot of games I finish and don't want to keep on ebay, and have bought a fair share of used ones there as well. So far, I have about 250 feedback, 100% positive.

I NEVER EVER will use media mail anymore. Too many packages that I have shipped (three in a row at one point) or received have turned up damaged, mangled, and in one case, a game I ordered came just like this one - contents missing. And I pack things well - bubble wrap and scads of packing tape, every time.

Media Mail just doesn't seem worth the couple of bucks extra shipping it costs - and this is comming from a CAG here - I'd rather know what I buy gets to me intact, and that what I sell gets to the buyer.

I'm guessing this guy is legit. I'd find a way to make him happy.

[crowbb]

Not true that a postal worker can open your mail if they suspect it is not media. The only mail we are ever allowed to open is suspicious mail. Like something we suspect is intent to do harm like terrorism. But even then a regular postal worker cannot open it. It has to go through a long procedure that ultimately results in it being examined by a supervisor or sent to postal inspectors to check it out.

The way the media mail thing really works is at the window only. If we see someone shipping stuff we believe is not really media via media mail we can ask him to open it to show us. If the customer refuses, we can refuse to ship the package. We can NEVER open a package, and if a postal clerk does that he gets in serious trouble. Hell we aren't even supposed to cross off a label on a package on our own if there is something on there like an old address on a reused box. We are supposed to hand the customer a marker and tell him to do it.

[gaelan]

NVM

[gaelan]

Not true that a postal worker can open your mail if they suspect it is not media. The only mail we are ever allowed to open is suspicious mail. Like something we suspect is intent to do harm like terrorism. But even then a regular postal worker cannot open it. It has to go through a long procedure that ultimately results in it being examined by a supervisor or sent to postal inspectors to check it out.

The way the media mail thing really works is at the window only. If we see someone shipping stuff we believe is not really media via media mail we can ask him to open it to show us. If the customer refuses, we can refuse to ship the package. We can NEVER open a package, and if a postal clerk does that he gets in serious trouble. Hell we aren't even supposed to cross off a label on a package on our own if there is something on there like an old address on a reused box. We are supposed to hand the customer a marker and tell him to do it.

I stand corrected.

[bluekeith75]

did he get insurance? if not tell heim that it is out of your hands once item is shipped! i am a power seller on ebay and have had more bullcrap problems in the last week then i have had in the 2 years i have been doing ebay. seems like there is allot of scammers on ebay right now. i for one am giving up ebay once i unload the current stock that i have now.

[crowbb]

As for theft in the system, it does happen but not all that often. Before the mail ever gets to a post office it is handled by a mail handler who makes a lot less than a postal clerk. In the handling process is where most thefts occur, though they do happen at all ends of the chain. Most likely though the package was just thrown around and came open during the shipping process. I have encountered 3 or 4 instances of theft in the 3+ years I have been working in the PO and they have all been jewelry boxes that were torn open at the plant during the handling process, then the empty jewelry box just tossed in the mail.

As to fragile packages, if it is even the slightest bit fragile, have the clerk mark it so, or do it yourself. It does make a difference. When people say PO workers "throw" packages, they are 100% correct. We really do throw them. In my office for example, there are 30 routes and each route has a little hamper/buggy thing for the carrier to store his/her parcels in. They are all lined up in 6 rows with the back row against the wall. The clerk sorting parcels that day will generally stand in a centralized location and throw the parcels into the buggies they belong in. Even if he stands as close as possible to the row of buggies, the back buggies are still a good 10 feet away. Sometimes stuff can be thrown 15-20 feet, even banked off the bank wall to land in the desired buggy. Stuff marked fragile is not thrown, but taken to the carrier's desk and layed there so keep it safe. Which....sometimes is not so effective, because we have a couple of carriers who find this to be highly annoying and will then take the package, carry it over to the buggy and slam it like a basketball player making a dunk.

[GizmoGC]

I think we should all look at this from the Buyer's point of view.

You go online, order an item, pay in a timely manner and get an empty envelope. Is that fair? Do you really want to saddle him with the cost of this?

You didn't properly seal the envelope, you shipped without insurance. You could have chosen UPS, paid for insurance, shipped FedEx, any of those, and then passed the cost on to him. You didn't. Take the hit. Give him a refund, it's the cost of doing business. He did everything he was supposed to do. The shipping is firmly on your side. You did after all, charge shipping and handling.

If I were the buyer, I would probably already be starting a chargeback, you didn't fulfill your end of the bargain, to have that game delivered to his dorm.

If this were EB shipping to you and you got an empty package and they said "Tough cookies, we shipped it!" How would you respond?

Why should the SELLER have to pay for insurance if the buyer says no to it? That's there problem.

[postaboy]

Just refund him the money.

You know what be so fawk up! Just say you refund him the money and he still leave you a negative feedback because he wasn't please of what he got.

[Gojtron]

The dirt marks on the envelope got there somehow, it's evident that there was something in there while it was in transit. He should have paid for insurance.

[slidecage]

yeap you should ALWAYS Put insurance on packages. I just sold a Gamecube game though ebay and got a email from the person 2 weeks after i sent it.

Email went something like we got the game a few days back and my son open the package and notice the game had a big crack in it and wanted their money back. Well in my ad it says all sales are final and no refunds but i do have insurace on my packages so I told them I will be more then happy to go down to my post office and have them look into how it got broke in shipment. 5 days went by and got another email

Sorry for wasting your time... my son admitted that he got mad at the game and stomped on it breaking it there is no need to go to the post office. Again sorry..

[Akkis99]

lol.....scammers

[AngellicLulu]

The dirt marks on the envelope got there somehow, it's evident that there was something in there while it was in transit. He should have paid for insurance.
Wow, nice observation. I didn't notice that. Hmph, looks like maybe someone didn't take care of the package. Might need to look into that OP!

[wubb]

You have refunded his money already, right?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004XQMV.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[Drico]

I wouldn't refund his money. That's what the optional insurance is for. If he didn't pay for insurance, why should you take the loss? Now, if you didn't give the option of getting it insured, then you should refund it.

[mmercer131]

EXACT same thing happened to me. So he COULD be telling the truth.

[Scorch]

I'd take it to the local post office and ask if they thought it was legit (why has no one suggested this idea?). It LOOKS legit, but the guys at the office might know details to look for to see if it's fake or not.

[My Name Is BoB]

I wouldn't refund his money. That's what the optional insurance is for. If he didn't pay for insurance, why should you take the loss? Now, if you didn't give the option of getting it insured, then you should refund it.

Why should he have sent anything out at all? He didn't pay for insurance, so he doesn't deserve his product.

[Unassuming Local Guy]

I shall echo the other Scotch tape comments.

Scotch tape is shit. Take a piece and run your thumb on the adhesive. Now look at the tape. That's right, there's no adhesive left.

Now take clear packing tape and do the same thing.

Refund his money.

[the_deej]

refund the poor chaps moola

[judyjudyjudy]

I'd take it to the local post office and ask if they thought it was legit (why has no one suggested this idea?).

:P

Wait for the pics. Specifically the one for the post office "stamp" about being empty. Take that pic to your local post office to make sure it is a legit stamp.

Print out his picture and go down to your post office to see if they can tell you anything about it? Like maybe when/where it was stamped that the game fell out. I doubt they keep any records of this kind of thing, though. But they should at least be able to tell you if it is a legit USPS marking.

You might want to go to the local post office with the pictures and see what they think.
There seems to be a name/signature (Fred) on the stamp. Just go to the post office and see if you can get that verified. I'm assuming that the stamp would have been stamped on by your post office-but I'm not sure how they operate.

[SOSTrooper]

If its under $20, I would really refund his money. Poor packaging does not translate to the buyer's fault for not buying insurance. I always pack my stuff neat and clean... sealing any gap w/ packing tape. It takes a few seconds to do it, and saves you hassles like this. Sorry to hear about your auction gone haywire.

[lupe121283]

If its under $20, I would really refund his money. Poor packaging does not translate to the buyer's fault for not buying insurance. I always pack my stuff neat and clean... sealing any gap w/ packing tape. It takes a few seconds to do it, and saves you hassles like this. Sorry to hear about your auction gone haywire.
why would the price really matter when it comes down to this. My opinion is to give the refund to the person.

[SOSTrooper]

If its under $20, I would really refund his money. Poor packaging does not translate to the buyer's fault for not buying insurance. I always pack my stuff neat and clean... sealing any gap w/ packing tape. It takes a few seconds to do it, and saves you hassles like this. Sorry to hear about your auction gone haywire.
why would the price really matter when it comes down to this. My opinion is to give the refund to the person.

I suppose it'll be easier for the seller to refund $15 as oppose to $55.

[manofpeace20]

I had over 300 ebay transactions combined as a buyer and a seller, and here is my take:

1) You shipped it, and you used adhesive. People bringing up the scotch tape thing are fighting a moot point. The adhesive should NOT come loose.

2) Get the seller to ship you that envelope back and get it checked out. If this is legit, I would throw a fit at the post office. I know they have a customer service area and you may be able to recoup the money, and an outside shot of retrieving your game.

3) If this does pan out, refund his money ASAP

4) If he turns out to be dishonest, slam him with bad feedback.

5) I always gave benefit of the doubt, until I sold Rainbow Six 3 on XBOX with the headset. They said I wasn't clear and they expected the Rainbow Six headset so they wanted their money back. Sure enough, I get the thing back and the game is scratched to hell and the headset is missing the styrofoam piece. From that point on, I became far more skeptical of scam artists.

[Akkis99]

if you look at the picture the "stamp" is actually a sticker....did anyone else notice that. its a sticker not a stamp so im getting a little suspicious

[judyjudyjudy]

if you look at the picture the "stamp" is actually a sticker....did anyone else notice that. its a sticker not a stamp so im getting a little suspicious

Are you sure? The ink seems to smear where the scotch tape on the label is, I think.

[maxflight]

looks like a stamp to me.

[lupe121283]

looks like a stamp since part of the stamp got sweared where the scotch tape is around the boarder of the paper on the front. Look at it at the right side part of the stamp.

[Quillion]

I think we should all look at this from the Buyer's point of view.

You go online, order an item, pay in a timely manner and get an empty envelope. Is that fair? Do you really want to saddle him with the cost of this?

You didn't properly seal the envelope, you shipped without insurance. You could have chosen UPS, paid for insurance, shipped FedEx, any of those, and then passed the cost on to him. You didn't. Take the hit. Give him a refund, it's the cost of doing business. He did everything he was supposed to do. The shipping is firmly on your side. You did after all, charge shipping and handling.

If I were the buyer, I would probably already be starting a chargeback, you didn't fulfill your end of the bargain, to have that game delivered to his dorm.

If this were EB shipping to you and you got an empty package and they said "Tough cookies, we shipped it!" How would you respond?

Why should the SELLER have to pay for insurance if the buyer says no to it? That's there problem.

If you read my post, I said, buy the insurance and pass the cost on to the buyer.

When it comes down to it, shipping is the seller's responsibility. He entered into a legal agreement to deliver those goods to the buyer. You can't blame the buyer if the USPS messed up. Cost of doing business.

if you look at the picture the "stamp" is actually a sticker....did anyone else notice that. its a sticker not a stamp so im getting a little suspicious

It sounds like you're actually trying to get out of paying. Just take the hit. You'll get good feedback and can move on to profitable sales. Consider this a life lesson.

[Watchman]

I just received a game in a US postal mail envelope the other day, and it had a big hole in the top of it.

Luckily the game was still inside, so i guess its possible that he didn't recieve it.

I think its the post office's way of inspecting packages after the 9/11 anthrax/bomb scare situation.

No, nowadays they use "sniffing machines". Yes, it actually runs the packages through and analyzes for trace odors/particles to look for substances. They even had to recall some of them due to faulty sniffing. It's not a foolproof method, but it is something... 8-[

[Grave_Addiction]

If a person really wants insurance, they will ask for it.

But if I were you, I would make him ship the envelope back to you and get the post office to check it to make sure all is legit. If it is, I would immediately refund the guy's money.

Like someone else said, he paid you money for a game, and it's your responsibility to get that game to him. Obviously, the way you did it didn't work, so now you have to fix the situation.

[rebenns]

I always offer insurance, and put in the disclaimer that I am not responsible for uninsured items. While it doesn't make you completely immune, it does move things closer in your favor.

[joeposh]

i wanna know if that thing is real.....im a little skeptical

It is, I got an opened up envelope in the mail a few months back. It was empty and had that same stamp on the front. Unless he works at the Post Office and is pulling a fast one (not likely) it seems legit to me.

[video_gamer324]

When it comes down to it, shipping is the seller's responsibility. He entered into a legal agreement to deliver those goods to the buyer.

Like someone else said, he paid you money for a game, and it's your responsibility to get that game to him.

I hate to sound so blunt, but that theory is bogus. The buyer pays the seller for the item and the post office for delivery of that item, so it is the USPS's responsibility to get that game to him, not the seller's. Insurance is the buyer's responsibility since he's the one more concerned about getting his item in good shape. With that being said, I don't see why it's entirely up to the seller to check with the post office to find out what went wrong - I know if I were the buyer, I'd sure as heck try to figure out myself what happened. I'd do everything I could to save myself from being out $50.

This is more of a lesson for the buyer than the seller. The seller should maybe try using different packaging next time, but the buyer should learn to insure anything of value he has shipped to him in the future to prevent any further chances of loss.

[icemanjmw13]

This is more of a lesson for the buyer than the seller. The seller should maybe try using different packaging next time, but the buyer should learn to insure anything of value he has shipped to him in the future to prevent any further chances of loss.

I'm sorry but I don't think that's sound advice. Insuring everything doesn't cost much but it starts to make great deals into merely good deals. Plus since 99% of the time I send or receive through Ebay everything is fine, it just seems like waste.

[magilacudy]

I'm sorry but I don't think that's sound advice. Insuring everything doesn't cost much but it starts to make great deals into merely good deals. Plus since 99% of the time I send or receive through Ebay everything is fine, it just seems like waste.

What about the other 1% of the time something does go wrong? Like what happened in the OP's case. That is what insurance is for isn't it?

[wubb]

if you look at the picture the "stamp" is actually a sticker....did anyone else notice that. its a sticker not a stamp so im getting a little suspicious

You're still trying to find an excuse not to refund this guy his money? :roll:

If you aren't going to refund his money under any circumstances you might as well tell him that now so he can go ahead and start the chargeback process on you. Why drag things out?

You used poor packaging. Whether or not the adhesive should have held, it didn't. The USPS didn't rip the package open, the adhesive flap came apart. IMO, you have no excuse not to refund this buyer. I hope he wins a chargeback on you if you refuse to do it.

[Quillion]

What happened with this? Did we come to a resolution?

[Akkis99]

its done. im refunding him his cash