EBay may have some help for you on this. They have guarantees for both buyer and seller - but maybe they do not extend to China. I would call and discuss with them regardless.
Hi Tedd
Something close to this situation has happened to me in the past. Here is how I feel about it. If the customer is a good customer refund the money for the missing items, good will goes a long way with good customers. At the same time try to process the insurance claim , but this will be hard unless the customer noted, documented and complained to their carrier that the box looked tampered with. Ebay protection police will either make you take the loss or the customer depending on how they interpret the claim.
Wayne
Beads are stolen in the Chinese postal system, it's a huge problem. It appears to happen in customs and possibly while they are in transit. I paid out a total of $4000 in refunds before requiring that all packages to China over $100 are sent by express mail with insurance. If your customer files a claim with ebay you will be held responsible for sending a refund. I believe it is up to you to file a claim for insurance. I would suggest that you ask at your post office. Express mail has not been a problem for me. The strangest experience that I've had is a returned package that contained a piece of metal junk. The beads had been removed, the metal was put in the package and sent to me as undeliverable. As I had paid out the $75 refund 4 months previously I just threw the package and it's contents in the trash! I'm sorry that you are also having this problem but as the package was insured you should be able to make a claim for the value of the missing beads. Do you have a copy of the invoice? Judy
Hi Tedd,
Work with eBay, keeping in mind that eBay will scrutinize correspondence between buyer and seller. But "eBay Buyer Protection" will most likely cover your loss based upon your status with them.
The package could have been pilfered anywhere. Therefore, I would not shine a suspicious light only on China. A number of years ago, I was in a similar situation with a non-eBay, USPS registered and insured Ojime sent from New York City to San Francisco. -It was undelivered and lost in the mail for over one week…
Eventually, the USPS investigated my claim and sent me a stack of form letters signed by each person who handled the registered package -claiming: "The US Postal Service did everything possible to provide proper handling of my package." And they refused to accept responsibility for loss of a twenty five hundred dollar bead.
After all, how can a person know a package arrived pilfered without opening the box first? And evidence of pilfering becomes destroyed when a box is delivered and opened after the postman leaves…
I wonder if I should have tried taking the USPS to court over this?…Don't we need permission before suing the Federal Government?
The funny part of the story is that the missing bead depicted a rat. So, I probably sounded like a nut case.
For important packages, I prefer other carriers rather than the USPS -like Federal Express- whenever possible. We may also consider carrying transit insurance with a private insurance company.
I am so sorry you had this problem. I know how worrisome it can be.
Frederick
P.S. Did you loose an important Pumtek bead? I feel that June's (your mother's) Pumtek beads were some of her best choices.
I would take the customer's word for it that the items were missing & that it appeared to have been opened, because I have seen where a few sellers are no longer willing to sell to buyers in China because this has happened before to them, FYI. Thefts by postal workers can and do happen now & then in any country, sadly.
