Shipping Policy

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

For those of you who ship products, how would you deal with this situation?

A customer places an order for a $75 item pays a shipping fee for you to send as a gift. You process the order and ship the item. You email the customer with the tracking number. The customer contacts you 2 weeks later asking if you can track the package. The carrier indicates it was delivered to the Front Porch. The customer confirms the package never arrived and you believe them. We all know you did your part and are in no way obligated to replace the item, but what do you do? Do you offer them a discount on a replacement item or do you charge them the full price again or tell them to invest in a security camera to catch the package thief?


So far, in over 10 years of shipping items, I have never received an inquiry on a truly lost item. I have had 2 items delivered to the wrong mailbox and then showed up at the correct address a few days later. A few weeks ago, one of my long-term customers "Mary" ordered a gift and it was a surprise for a friend of hers. When Mary asked "Sue" if she received her gift, Sue responded that she had not received it. Thankfully it turned out to be miscommunication. Sue did receive the gift, but thought it had been sent by someone else and had been looking for a package with the Mary's return address on it.

[Ross Moshinsky]

I would call them up and see if I get the "scammer" vibe. If they sound like a decent, reasonable human being, you're likely best off charging the least amount possible to appease the customer and put this behind you.

I'm pretty sure you'd lose a CC dispute if your customer put the charge in contention. You'd be left trying to get your money from UPS/USPS/FedEX which may or may not work out for you.

[Dee Gallo]

I have had that request and I usually ask for a note from the giver to include in the box - I think that your tracking number and confirmation is sufficient proof you did your part. I normally send an email to the recipient telling them a package is on its way, on the ETA given me by the PO. That way, they know it's coming, usually after it arrives.

[Scott Marquez]

I had one last year that was delivered but was stolen from the customer's mailbox, I told the customer to purchase another one off my website and I would refund him half the amount of the product, it was a $40.00 item.
A few Months ago I had another product that got lost somewhere between me and the customer, after waiting a month I asked the customer to file a claim with USPS, since it was only covered for $50.00 that's all I charged the customer I ate the other $90.00 on that one.
I know that I had completed my part in the transaction, and I made sure the customer also understood that. Since my business is built in word of mouth, I wrote it off " in my mind" as advertising.
You will have to decide how much you want to bend.
Scott

[Bruce Clumpner]

I recently started insuring the packages with the PO and asking for a delivery signature. Haven't had to file a claim yet but it helps with your of mind for larger items (over $100)

[Kev Williams]

I look at it as equal risk: whoever is closest to the package when the tracking paper-trail ends, loses...

A few years ago, before 'automatic' delivery confirmation from the USPS, I decided that I didn't need to spend the 45 cents on a particular customer's shipping, since he'd faithfully paid me for the previous 3 orders or so. Problem was, unbeknownst to me at the time, this particular customer was a thief and a liar, and the $400 in parts I sent without DelCon, he claimed he never got, and refused to pay me for them. Yet shortly thereafter, I found out he was selling the parts he claimed he didn't receive!

That pretty much ruined the trust issue for me, and I've never sent an un-tracked package since.

Therefore--

If I can prove thru tracking that the package was addressed correctly and delivered, then their beef is with the shipping company or their thieving neighbors.

If I CAN'T prove the package at least made it to their general region, then I'll replace the item(s) no questions asked.

[Keith Winter]

Replace the item free of charge.

Although rare, this happens from time to time. Regardless of if the customer really got it or not, you are the merchant and have to make it right. It's the cost of doing business. Keep in mind ultimately you will be responsible if he charges it back on his card anyway + the chargeback fees + you loose the customer, his friends, and everyone he tells the story to.

[Matt McCoy]

How was it shipped?

Was it through an e-commerce site?

Was the delivery address confirmed?

How was the item paid for?

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

This was purely a hypothetical question.

The reason I asked the question was prompted by Mary's lost package - which turned out to be the customer had not read the package or note and assumed the gift was from someone else. Over the holidays, I saw a number of news articles and videos about packages being stolen, so I thought this would be a good question to pose.

As for myself, if Mary's package had disappeared while tracking said it was delivered, I would have replaced it without charge. She's been a long-term customer and brought me many new customers. For any other customers, if tracking indicated it was delivered and they had made attempts to contact the shipper about the issue, I might suggest something to the effect that even though I fulfilled my part of the deal, I would send them a replacement if they paid for shipping. That would be more than fair.

[Chuck Phillips]

This happens sometimes. Re-ship the order free of charge. Might want to require a signature at delivery.

[Clark Pace]

Most of the time i will just ship a new one for free unless. However i recently had a customer overseas get a package that they decided they did not want. They wanted a refund ncluding the import taxes. I refunded the item but not the import taxes. Very very rare

[Bert Kemp]

DON'T USE PAYPAL!!
I shipped an item (not laser related) The guy paid me with paypal his wife didn't recognize the charge and called the CC company and said it was an unauthorized charge. They filed a claim with paypal which gave back the $265 the guy paid me. Now paypal wants me to pay them back that money. they have locked my account so I can't use paypal to buy anything or send my kids money , I can't use the account at all.
I've proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he got the item, he even told paypal he has it and is happy with it but paypal holds me responsible and now has a collection agency calling me trying to get the money.This whole thing shipping and paying with Paypal has been a nightmare. Paypal protects nobody but themselves not sellers not buyers.

[Kev Williams]

Bert- It's not paypal who's at fault, its your deadbeat's CC company, who took the money from Paypal, which is why Paypal wants it from YOU. Contact the deadbeat's CC company and file a complaint...

This is almost identical to my first story:
A biz associate of mine shipped $800 worth of stuff to a guy who'd bought and paid for a couple of $15 items previously, no problem. The difference with the $800 order was he used his girlfriends credit card. She complained to her CC company that she didn't order it, so they did a chargeback against the charge, which Paypal had to refund, and Paypal made my guy pay back the $800... It took him 8 months thru arbitration, but in the end he got his $800 AND some of his product back to boot. It turned out this guy and his girlfriend had been doing this scam for awhile. My guy going after them is the reason they got caught. Most people just blame Paypal, don't follow thru and take the loss. Actually, Paypal should help you with this (but don't quote me on that!)

[Bert Kemp]

Paypal is not doing anything but saying I owe them the money they gave this guys credit card company.Paypal is telling me to tell him to send the money to me again then they will take it when he does. He's saying that I'm gonna get paid twice if he does that. But thats not true as paypal has locked my account I can't do anything.



Bert- It's not paypal who's at fault, its your deadbeat's CC company, who took the money from Paypal, which is why Paypal wants it from YOU. Contact the deadbeat's CC company and file a complaint...

This is almost identical to my first story:
A biz associate of mine shipped $800 worth of stuff to a guy who'd bought and paid for a couple of $15 items previously, no problem. The difference with the $800 order was he used his girlfriends credit card. She complained to her CC company that she didn't order it, so they did a chargeback against the charge, which Paypal had to refund, and Paypal made my guy pay back the $800... It took him 8 months thru arbitration, but in the end he got his $800 AND some of his product back to boot. It turned out this guy and his girlfriend had been doing this scam for awhile. My guy going after them is the reason they got caught. Most people just blame Paypal, don't follow thru and take the loss. Actually, Paypal should help you with this (but don't quote me on that!)

[Bill Cunningham]

99% of my business now comes via the web. When I send the customer a quote I always include the full shipping charge with insurance equal to the replacement cost + taxes (the government doesn't care if gets lost, only that 'you' sold it and they want their money too) minus shipping because the post office refunds that as well as the insurance claim. I don't know if there is an equivalent in the U.S. but in Canada, most of my sales are paid by e-transfer. The customer initiates the payment at their online banking to my e-mail address. Interac then send me a notice with a link, the link takes me to my own online banking site, and asks for a security answer to a pre-arranged question with the customer. Once the answer is submitted correctly, the funds are deposited in my account. It's the same as a cash transaction, and there is no way the customer can cancel it. If a refund is needed, it's arranged the same way you would refund a cash sale if need be. All takes place with the same online security that your bank uses. All shipments are followed up with a emailed tracking link, and I get a automatic notification when the customer receives it. I've had a couple of cases where there was a mysterious disappearance, I reshipped the item, and received a full refund including taxes and shipping from the post office.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Paypal is not doing anything but saying I owe them the money they gave this guys credit card company.Paypal is telling me to tell him to send the money to me again then they will take it when he does. He's saying that I'm gonna get paid twice if he does that. But thats not true as paypal has locked my account I can't do anything.

Your buyer got his money back, so he's the one ripping you off. He hasn't paid for anything.

[Bert Kemp]

Thats right he hasn't paid for anything. I sold him an $800 dollar item for 265 bucks and I guess that wasn't good enough.



Your buyer got his money back, so he's the one ripping you off. He hasn't paid for anything.