Missing upper receiver via USPS

[Wisco]

USPS postmaster reiterated to me they will leave packages wherever they darn well want to. The postal inspector disagrees and my complaint with USPS is with the inspector now. I don't really care what happens with that, it's immaterial to my missing upper. I do care that the carrier is reprimanded and reminded that the next time he enters my property with the exception of the mailbox or front porch, I'll be asking the sheriff to press charges for criminal trespass. A car in the driveway is no different from a closed garage or house door - it's not his to open.

A police report means nothing to PayPal, so that was a moot point to report something stolen that was either stolen by a USPS carrier or delivered elsewhere and ultimately stolen.

As a second avenue, I filed a PayPal dispute in addition to the credit card dispute. PayPal sided with the seller. Tracking information showing delivered absolves seller of all liability. Delivered is delivered. USPS tracking info is irrefutable. Also, as soon as the seller uploaded tracking info, PayPal sided with him. As soon as I submitted my details, they automatically (as in I got the resolution email immediately) sided with the seller and didn't look at my details. Tracking = case closed.

USAA said they'll process the chargeback. The rep said it's possible, although unlikely, they'll side with PayPal. I informed the rep that if they side with PayPal there's no reason for me to continue banking with someone who doesn't back THEIR loyal customer, but instead sides with a faceless escrow business. Credit score is good enough to get any card anywhere - don't need to support a bank that doesn't support me.

So, a chargeback will or won't solve this. I'll be out money or not. Irritating, but lesson learned - never PayPal, ever again. I will also never ship anything over $100 without signature confirmation to protect myself.

 

[George Dickel]

USPS postmaster reiterated to me they will leave packages wherever they darn well want to. The postal inspector disagrees and my complaint with USPS is with the inspector now. I don't really care what happens with that, it's immaterial to my missing upper. I do care that the carrier is reprimanded and reminded that the next time he enters my property with the exception of the mailbox or front porch, I'll be asking the sheriff to press charges for criminal trespass. A car in the driveway is no different from a closed garage or house door - it's not his to open.

A police report means nothing to PayPal, so that was a moot point to report something stolen that was either stolen by a USPS carrier or delivered elsewhere and ultimately stolen.

As a second avenue, I filed a PayPal dispute in addition to the credit card dispute. PayPal sided with the seller. Tracking information showing delivered absolves seller of all liability. Delivered is delivered. USPS tracking info is irrefutable. Also, as soon as the seller uploaded tracking info, PayPal sided with him. As soon as I submitted my details, they automatically (as in I got the resolution email immediately) sided with the seller and didn't look at my details. Tracking = case closed.

USAA said they'll process the chargeback. The rep said it's possible, although unlikely, they'll side with PayPal. I informed the rep that if they side with PayPal there's no reason for me to continue banking with someone who doesn't back THEIR loyal customer, but instead sides with a faceless escrow business. Credit score is good enough to get any card anywhere - don't need to support a bank that doesn't support me.

So, a chargeback will or won't solve this. I'll be out money or not. Irritating, but lesson learned - never PayPal, ever again. I will also never ship anything over $100 without signature confirmation to protect myself.

I dropped PayPal a few years back and will never use them again. I have sold a few firearms through on-line services and I always pay for insurance on the gun and don't ask the buyer to pay for it, just the shipping charges. That protects me in an instance like yours and puts the monkey on the back of the shipper because someone is supposed to sign for an insured item. I hope your credit card bank sides with you, screw PayPal.

 

[PaFrank]

1. I would recommend that you make a personal appearance at the GMF (General Mail Facility) that services your local PO, and ask top speak to the Postal Inspectors and file a formal complaint with them. Most of em, just LOVE this kinda stuff..

2. PC's, and video surveillance cameras and recorders are relatively cheap. Install one and "set em up".

3. Chase now has a thing called ChasePay or quickpay or something like that.. designed to compete with Paypal and they don't care how you spend your money. But none of the "gotchas" or so called "protections" that PayPal has so far as I know. Its only a payment vehicle.

4. The "BIG" banks credit cards, Chase, Citi, Amex, and Cap1 I believe have something called "purchase protection" not sure how it works, never used it, but worth looking onto if USAA doesn't cover you.

 

[LawHoc]

If you routinely have important and/or valuable items delivered by USPS, and experience losses, would use of a PO Box be a solution?

 

[redneck2]

It's very difficult to get a PO box if you have a physical delivery address

Couple of options would be deliver to a local business. Our Ace Hardware mails and receives UPS and FedEx

You could also use one of the FedEx or UPS stores

 

[dogtown tom]

It's very difficult to get a PO box if you have a physical delivery address...

USPS will rent a P.O. Box to anyone.

 

[buck460XVR]

If you routinely have important and/or valuable items delivered by USPS, and experience losses, would use of a PO Box be a solution?

Signature required would be simpler. Even if they miss you at home, they generally give you the option to come down to the Post Office and get it.

 

[CapnMac]

It's very difficult to get a PO box if you have a physical delivery address

It is only difficult if you intend to have a permenent change of address modification from your physical address to the designated PO box.

If mail is addressed to your physical address, USPS will make a delivery attempt.

Which means it's down to what you give as your mailing address.

 

[CapnMac]

Signature required would be simpler.

Well, in this case, the seller made all the choices, the buyer's preferneces were not considered--which is where all the problems started.

This is why I'm always willing to pay all shipping & handling expenses--means I get to pick what services are used and under what conditions.

And 'signature required" is not a universal panacea, over the years, I've taken delivery from all the services (including people like DHL, Flying Tiger, Central Freight, and the like), and all of them have, at one time or another, ignored the signature required part entirely (was a very bad day when the six crates of computerized climate control equipment were not delivered to the job site, but clean across town, to an abondoned loading dock, and just left there--thanks not so much Green - Blue).

 

[CoalTrain49]

Ya gotta wonder who they hire!!

I know who they hire. They have contract carriers who can't speak english.... at least not enough that I can understand them. We have one guy who delivers packages, not our normal carrier, that rolls up, drops his window down about half way, and drops the package in my driveway. I caught him doing that one time and I came unglued. He drove off and I realized the package was for my neighbor. He came back about 5 minutes later and told me he had given me the wrong package so I gave it back. I also told him my address was on my house and also on a sign in my driveway about 100' from my house. Doesn't look like the guy can read an address either.

Hope you get your money back. Ask your neighbors if they have your stuff.

 

[Elkins45]

It's very difficult to get a PO box if you have a physical delivery address

Couple of options would be deliver to a local business. Our Ace Hardware mails and receives UPS and FedEx

You could also use one of the FedEx or UPS stores

I've had the same PO Box address since 1992. In that time I've had five different physical addresses. All USPS wants from me is a check every January.

I should add that I also have a mailbox at the end of my driveway.

 

[redneck2]

Couple Times I've tried to get a PO box along with my home mail. Both times I was told I could have one or the other, not both. Dunno.

 

[mole]

Can't help or advise, but since others are sharing experiences....

Once had Fedex 2 day delivery for three cell phones take 28 days. They just kept sending the package back and forth between two hubs.

Once had USPS claim my package was delivered with tracking showing that it was "delivered" in a town 700 miles away. The seller took responsibility of the situation and sent another.

When I went to put up a new mailbox at my current address the local postmaster refused to tell me how and where to set it up. Obviously he didn't know the regulations and didn't know how to look it up. He drew a stupid little sketch of a mail box and a road, but flat out refused to give measurements such as height and distance from the road. The mail carrier complained that the mail box was in the wrong place after I put it up. I told him to take it up with the postmaster. My mail will arrive anywhere from 10am to 5pm.

When I lived out in the country the nearby PO was a real gem. If they received a package (fedex or ups hand off) after sorting for the day was complete and the carriers had already left, one of the office workers would run it out. Awesome when you're waiting on car parts.

 

[HexHead]

The only reason I used PayPal is because my credit card offers some buyer protection and the seller refused to take any of the other several payment methods I offered.

Between this and his refusal to insure the item, you were foolish to complete the deal with him. I guess you never heard the creed of buying over the internet, "Buy the seller, not the item".

 

[Wisco]

Between this and his refusal to insure the item, you were foolish to complete the deal with him. I guess you never heard the creed of buying over the internet, "Buy the seller, not the item".

It's a little early in the morning for me to fully appreciate being called foolish, but maybe as the day goes on it will grow on me and I'll realize how helpful your comment is toward fixing the situation.

The fool in this whole thing is USPS and their botched delivery. Insurance wouldn't even fix this because USPS says they delivered it.

 

[Cannibul]

Couple Times I've tried to get a PO box along with my home mail. Both times I was told I could have one or the other, not both. Dunno.

Technically this is correct. You're only supposed to have one place where you receive mail. In practice it's not followed much. Especially if you have a PO box in a different ZIP than your street address.

Also you can get a PO Box online at USPS.com

 

[GBExpat]

It's a little early in the morning for me to fully appreciate being called a fool ...

He did not call you a fool, he said that you behaved foolishly.

 

[340PD]

I had this happen once with USPS. They said it was delivered at mailbox. I got nothing. I called the local PO and they coulc identify that the package was delivered one block from be to the same house numbers. Apparently when the mailman registers the delivery a gps code is kept and this identified where my package was. Unfortunately the person who got the package denied he received it. PayPal immediately reversed my purchase which was a set of CT lasergrips (which we never identified the actual item to PayPal). The PO got mail fraud involved but they had no proof the homeowner actually took the package. The seller had $100 insurance on the $150 purchase so he finally got his $100 from the PO four months later.

 

[Wisco]

He did not call you a fool, he said that you behaved foolishly.

Thanks for the lesson in accuracy. I'll edit my post!

 

[CoalTrain49]

Only an idiot would ship a $600 item without Signature on Delivery or insurance.

That's a little harsh.

I ship firearms however the buyer wants it shipped. I recommend they buy insurance but some don't want it. That's fine because I have the payment before I ship and I'm not refunding based on someone's claim they never got their stuff or it was damaged. Everything I ship gets a tracking number. The last time I paid for insurance, being the nice guy I am, the buyer emailed and was pissed that the item was damaged and blamed me for it. I told him it was insured and he needed to deal with the USPS, that I had no control over that. Last time I paid for insurance.

I had one guy who purchased a $700 rifle that didn't want insurance. I guess that's his call. I wouldn't call him an idiot, just a guy who likes to gamble. The casinos are full of them.

I've made a bet a few times in my life. Some paid off, some didn't.

 

[dogtown tom]

Technically this is correct. You're only supposed to have one place where you receive mail. In practice it's not followed much. Especially if you have a PO box in a different ZIP than your street address.

Also you can get a PO Box online at USPS.com

Care to provide a citation from USPS?

 

[dogtown tom]

That's a little harsh.

It's meant to be.
Many sellers believe that insurance protects the buyer. In fact it protects the seller.
I receive guns every day, and am amazed at the sheer stupidity of some sellers. I've received a mint condition Luger with the bbl sticking out the side of the flat rate box because the seller didn't bother taping the single sheet of bubble wrap that he reused. Buyers deserve to get the gun or product that they paid for.

It is not exactly a secret that USPS "Delivery Confirmation" is the least reliable of all. Signature Confirmation only cost a couple of $$$ more and Adult Signature is even better.

I ship firearms however the buyer wants it shipped. I recommend they buy insurance but some don't want it.

That explains a lot. If the item arrives damaged is it the buyers responsibility? No, it isn't.

That's fine because I have the payment before I ship and I'm not refunding based on someone's claim they never got their stuff or it was damaged.

Yeah, you got your money, now it's their problem. I'm sure you'll have much success selling anything with that attitude.

Everything I ship gets a tracking number. The last time I paid for insurance, being the nice guy I am, the buyer emailed and was pissed that the item was damaged and blamed me for it. I told him it was insured and he needed to deal with the USPS, that I had no control over that. Last time I paid for insurance.

Nice guy?
While every carrier allows either sender or recipient to file an insurance claim, have you ever bought something that arrived damaged? I'll bet you would jump online immediately to complain. Again, insurance protects YOU from a claim of "not as described". EBAY and others require the seller to deliver the item AS DESCRIBED in the listing.
The number one cause of damaged shipments is improper packaging......and every carrier can deny a claim because of the sellers lack of care in preparing that shipment.

I had one guy who purchased a $700 rifle that didn't want insurance. I guess that's his call. I wouldn't call him an idiot.....

I wouldn't call him an idiot either. Insurance protects YOU, not him.

 

[CoalTrain49]

That explains a lot. If the item arrives damaged is it the buyers responsibility? No, it isn't.

Then whose responsibility is it? You seem to be saying it's the seller's responsibility. One of the largest dealers in the country doesn't provide shipping insurance. They offer it but the buyer has the option to purchase the insurance if they want it. They clearly state that they are not responsible for lost or damaged items. Ultimately the shipper is responsible if the item is lost or stolen. How can a seller have any control over that?

Why do you charge the buyer for shipping and insurance if you believe it's the seller's responsibility?

Yeah, you got your money, now it's their problem. I'm sure you'll have much success selling anything with that attitude.

This is the shipping policy of the largest online dealer in the US.

Shipping insurance is offered at a rate of $1 per $100 of the ordered item(s) value and is optional. xxxxxx.com is not responsible for uninsured items lost or damaged in transit.

Successful? Of course they are. That's because they don't burden themselves with unneeded overhead. They give the buyer the option and expect that they will read the shipping policy. If you call them to place an order they will explain it to you.

Why do you charge your customers for insurance if you believe that is the responsibility of the seller?

Nice guy?
While every carrier allows either sender or recipient to file an insurance claim, have you ever bought something that arrived damaged? I'll bet you would jump online immediately to complain. Again, insurance protects YOU from a claim of "not as described". EBAY and others require the seller to deliver the item AS DESCRIBED in the listing.
The number one cause of damaged shipments is improper packaging......and every carrier can deny a claim because of the sellers lack of care in preparing that shipment.

Yes and no. I understand that a seller can't be held responsible for lost or damaged, therefor I purchase insurance when I buy and advice everyone to do the same when they buy something from me. You can't buy firearms on Ebay so what does their policy have to do with shipping firearms? Regarding "as described", the buyer always has the option to return the item I sold for a refund. Never had anything returned. Generally the carrier isn't going to deny a claim that has been insured. That's what insurance is all about, to cover loss or damage in any event.

I wouldn't call him an idiot either. Insurance protects YOU, not him.

The purchaser always pays for at least some of the insurance, usually all of it, one way or another. It's either built into the price on a free shipping deal, it's built into the price of the shipping, or it's a cut out as an option for the buyer.

I guess I'm the second person in this thread that you've called an idiot. I thought people from Texas had better manners than that. At least they did when I lived there.

 

[hdwhit]

Coaltrain49, Texans are as capable of bring rude as anyone else. Don't tell them, but there is no such thing as "Texas Exceptionalism".

 

[MEHavey]

If one doesn't think Texas exceptional, one should read THIS.
It is as politically incorrect as it is historically accurate, with
facts that are hard to read, but must be understood.
And it tells it like it was... and why it is.