eBay item broke during shipping, I have insurance? Do I have to refund them?

Question

I mailed out an eBay item that sold for (undisclosed amount) and the seller opened a case against me today, stating that the item was shattered. I always get insurance on my items through USPS and I have the receipt/insurance slip I got at the post office when I mailed it out. eBay and the buyer himself appear to be pushing me to give the buyer a full refund from what I'm reading on the "case details" and return the item, which I would rather not do because I can't exactly re-sell a broken item, and I don't know why I should loose money or my item. As I understand it, I'm supposed to mail the insurance slip and the receipt to the buyer. Is this correct, and if not, what should I do?

I responded to the case and asked the buyer for pictures and told him to keep the original box and item for now.

Answer 1

You bought the insurance, you file the claim with USPS. Get the item back from the buyer. Refund the buyer in full, then pursue your insurance claim with USPS. You will need to prove that the item is worth what you are claiming. A copy of the completed auction page should be acceptable.



You can't make the buyer wait for their money until you get reimbursed by USPS. You did not keep your side of the deal with the buyer. You took the buyer's money, but the buyer, through no fault of their own, did not get what they paid for. I'm not saying it's your fault, just that your beef is with USPS, not the buyer.



I would notify eBay that you will issue a full refund upon receipt of the item back from the buyer. Now it's up to the buyer to make sure you get it back. If you put in your listing that buyer pays for returns, you don't have to refund what the buyer has to pay to return it. But if you didn't include that disclaimer, eBay may expect you to refund that as well.

Answer 2

Follow Ebay's guidelines.



Normally, if the buyer is the person who purchased the insurance (as happens with some auctions), you'd send them the slip, and they'd collect the insurance at the post office. The post office gets the item.



However, this is Ebay, and you purchased the insurance. Ebay's current policy is that the buyer returns the item to the seller at the buyer's expense. You issue the buyer a full refund. You then take the item to the post office to collect the insurance, which you purchased to cover yourself. The post office will keep the item. Ebay and the buyer don't care that you have insurance. They just care that you didn't safely deliver the purchase to the buyer.



The people screwed in this scenario are (1) the buyer, since they get nothing, and are the ones out the return shipping they have to pay for your poor packing and shipping, and (2) the post office, since they have to now cough up the funds to cover your poor packing and shipping.



Yes, you have to refund the buyer. They didn't get what they ordered. Legally, until the item is acceptably delivered to them, it's in your possession and your responsibility. If you didn't pack it right, or choose an appropriate shipping service, that's your problem. If you're honorable, you should even refund them their return shipping. If you don't do that, you should expect negative feedback, despite Ebay's policy. Ebay does allow for you to get the item back as a condition of the refund. It's up to you from there if you can resell it or any part of it, or if you purchased insurance on which you can collect, etc.



So....

(1) Hang onto the slip. Potentially contact USPS to see if they'd like the buyer to take the item to their post office rather than ship it back to you. USPS may well say they'll just hang onto the item at the buyer's end, and you can take the insurance slip to your own post office.

(2) Otherwise agree to issue a full refund upon return of the item. If you're honorable, offer to refund the return shipping that Ebay will otherwise force the buyer to pay.

(3) Issue the refund when the item is delivered. Ebay will take it from you if you don't do it voluntarily.

(4) Take the item to the post office for the insurance if USPS said the buyer should simply return it to you. Refund the buyer no matter what. It's your problem if you don't collect the insurance, perhaps because USPS says you didn't pack things right.

Answer 3

You tell the buyer once you get the item back, you will file the insurance claim and refund his money



This is a HUGE scam that some eBay buyers use, they claim an item was broken, demand that you refund them the money and they get it for free



You don't have to resell it, the insurance will pay for it, why buy insurance if you are not going to use it. This is what the buyer is hoping you will do, tell him/her to just keep it, but you can't file a claim without showing the postmaster at the post office where you bought the insurance from



You tell eBay and the buyer that as soon as you receive it back, you will file a claim with the post office and as soon as the insurance pays you, you will refund the money, or you will refund it as soon as you get it back, and you will accept the insurance check



If the buyer is not willing to return it to you, then he is wanting the item for nothing and you are out the original payment, the item and the refund, so it actually will cost you 3 times as much not to get it back



Some buyers are like this, they try to scare the seller into basically giving them free stuff and a refund as well



Don't buy into this, if he refused to return the item, then the sale stands, you tell eBay that you offered to refund the money after you get it back, that will work

Answer 4

Why should your buyer take both the risk, the broken item and lose her money?



I would ask ebay for the proper procedure. You aren't going to get everything you want.

at the least the buyer will get the cost of the item.

Answer 5

is the insurance with Ebay or the postal service?



I would assume you have to pay for the refund, and then try to collect for the damages from Ebay or the postal service.

Answer 6

Customer service is customer service. You mailed it, it broke, the customer did not receive what she paid for. Refund the entire thing and deal with UPS yourself. I mean what would you want if you were the customer?