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[OM] Re: Ethical Q re shipping E*bay item Int'l

Subject: [OM] Re: Ethical Q re shipping E*bay item Int'l
From: "Piers Hemy" <piers@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 16:35:13 -0000
Skip

1       3 weeks is not outlandish, it may well still be "en route".  I did
have an inbound parcel from N. America take 7 weeks, because its transit
took it via Zambia (in fact, it might have been from you!).

2       Insured would not have got it there any quicker, nor would it have
located it any quicker.  I sent a package to France (outskirts of Paris)
early this year, using an insured, signed-for service.  The French Postal
Service have not yet been able to provide the signature, still less tell me
where the package is.  Fortunately the recipient has told me.

3       I would never offer an uninsured delivery option - I quote a price
for a premium signed-for airmail postal service, with the option to choose
UPS (which makes the postal option look good value).  If your buyer want is
cheaper, he can always ask, and take the consequences of his choice.
Sending out uninsured is like shipping before the check clears - you place
yourself at the mercy of an unscrupulous recipient who denies recieving the
goodies.

4       I fear that you are right, that you will have to do a refund, unless
you have proof of shipment to the correct address.  What would you do/expect
as the buyer in such circumstances?

Sorry to hear such bad news.

--
Piers 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Skip Williams
Sent: 14 December 2004 16:16
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [OM] Ethical Q re shipping E*bay item Int'l


I sold an OM4t via E*ay to a guy in France who paid very quickly via PayPal.
I quoted him $18.00 shipping, which is the uninsured price, but I neglected
to clearly point out that that price was uninsured (my fault).  Typically I
offer buyers a choice of insurance or not, with declared value matching the
insured value, or it's their risk.  (Please, no comments on the philosphy of
value declaration, that's not my question.)

It took me a couple of weeks to send the package because of various other
issues, none of which were his fault.  It was mailed on November 23rd via
Air Mail Parcel Post, quoted as 4-10 days delivery to W.Europe.

As of today December 14th, it still hasn't gotten there, 13 business days
and 21 calandar days since shipping.  He's threatening poor feedback and
"warning Ebay" about me!

I've told him that I really don't have any solution right now.  USPS states
that an "International Inquiry" can be started on insured packages after 21
days (no definition of "days"), but there isn't any defined route for
uninsured package inquries.   I've offered to start the trace.

I feel that we are both at the mercy of the shipper and the holiday traffic,
and that we'll both have to wait.  I'm not inclined to refund anything to
the buyer until the Post Office tells me that the package is lost, but I
don't have any idea of how long to wait.  If the package disappears, I fear
I will have to give him his money back, and eat the whole amount.

The moral to myself?  Be more careful of defining shipping options,
insurance, etc. up-front, or insist on using EMS in the auction conditions.

Any advice?

Skip

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