When a trade goes bad

[Beast06]

Basically of the result of a sale that they've completely messed up - http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/forums/inde...howtopic=160821

 

Basically what's happened is that I've send one package through my local PO and it ended up the package not actually being sent off from the PO and simply just lying there. It's happened to this particular package twice - which resulting in me sending it through another PO, which was fine. So I think it's something down to the staff at this office...

 

Has this happened to anyone before? Is there anything I can do apart from filing a complaint to Royal Mail? It just seems a bit strange to me that they've been fine before and It's not happened to me before this incident but to be honest it's royally *fruitcage*ed everything right up.

[rhino]

you don't know anyone who works there who might have a grudge do you? Best thing to do is to apologise to the guy you're sending it to and as you stated file a complaint against the PO dept responsible

[Anteater]

Seems like this excuse should have been posted in the problem with sale thread rather than here for the sympathy vote.

 

[Beast06]

Seems like this excuse should have been posted in the problem with sale thread rather than here for the sympathy vote.

 

 

Sympathy vote? Jesus. It's not an excuse, it's a reason.

 

This is what has been happening the whole time and me and Bodgeups have been in contact personally about it. I just haven't posted on that thread about it.

 

Please back to topic?

 

Rhino: Nope, I haven't noticed a change in staff myself, although I wouldn't be in often - No one that works there as far as I know...

[thewallhitme]

i thought that was the topic.

 

also, why was the barrel bent?

[Beast06]

i thought that was the topic.

 

also, why was the barrel bent?

 

That would be their fault too.....

 

The topic is what I can do anything more but just complain against RM.

 

If this thread is going to go this way then it may as well be locked....

[Anteater]

You are responsible for the items you ship until the buyer receives everything in good order, not up until you drop it off at the post. Items being bent is likely result of you not packing it properly as well, post just takes it from A to B as they see fit, if a box is sitting around it's likely result of how you tried to ship it, like bad handwriting on the shipping address or just an incorrect shipping address for example, especially if it's happened to you more than once.

 

You're wanting the excuses reasons thread you started locked because some people said some things and asked pesky questions which causes you to get defensive like you did in the removed post from the other thread instead of you explaining it, again.

 

Okie dokie, That's fine but someone else will have to do that as I've decided to be far to busy at the moment.

[Night_raven]

Right, gonna jump in here and defend the Royal Mail.

 

First off, ALWAYS pack the item properly, also round the edges off of the box, it stops it from being damaged.

 

Secondly, it is your fault as you didn't pack it properly, It is known that Royal mail throw parcels about (Unless marked fragile) and it will get bumped and bashed.

 

Just shoving it in a box is not going to be sufficient, there's a reason why i keep my boxes to any rifles i sell. So that i can use it to protect the gun during shipping.

[Keoni77]

Having to deal with Shipping at work, I can tell you this, the shipper is responsible for the package they are sending, from packaging to posting, whether the shipper paid for ship cost or receiver pre-paid ship cost anything happens to the package its up to the shipper to correct the things UNLESS the problem arises once the receiver has physically signed for the package, thats when the shipper can contest the problem, if its caused by the shipping company then the shipper turns in a claim to the shipping company.

 

A good bussiness practice at this point would be, contacting the receiver, if they would like to keep the product or return, in this case if the item is NOT usable, a refund is due and item is returned to the shipper so they can follow up with the shipping company with their claim.

 

Unless the shipper can prove the receiver "broke/damage/stole" the item when the package is received, responsibility falls to the shipper to right things up.

[Habakure]

I migth be being thick here so excuse me if I'am. I take it you've re-opened the parcel to see if it is bent, do you do it at the post office or at home, as they may well turn round and say it happened while you where on your way home. Or if it is still with the post office have the told you its bent (The barrel that is, not the situation you find your self in).

 

Edit:- And no that has never heappened to me (Parcels beign ruined in transit by royal mail), letters going missing or delivered to wrong address yes but never damaged goods. The only problems I've hard with parcel line or royal mail have been through work but am not going into that on this forum.

[Voodoo1]

If the Post Office has kept hold of the item they should be able to give you a reason. If not then complain to Post Office Ltd (not RM as its the PO at fault - two separate companies)

 

If the item is damaged you can claim (although if its 1st/2nd class there's a limit), however official guidelines essentially are that an item must be sufficiently packaged to withstand a fall from head height. This is because of the yorks packages are shipped around on can be stacked that high. There's no requirement to have opened the package in front of anyone official, however they can request to see item and packaging when processing a claim.

[Bodgeups]

So, considering everything that has happened, ie having to wait so long, damage to the gun, am I within my rights to ask for a refund?

[Connery]

Yes, if you return the item.

[Bodgeups]

That goes without saying, doesn't it?

[Stealthbomber]

Couple of random points...

 

Given that from both a legal AND a moral point of view the seller is the one responsible for the parcel, it's always worth insuring a parcel to the correct value.

If something goes wrong, like in this case, the buyer gets a refund from the seller and the SELLER needs to claim compensation from the company who shipped the item.

To put this in perspective, if you bought a new gun from 6Mil or Airsoft World and it arrived damaged (or failed to arrive completely) would you be happy if the retailer said "It's your problem now mate"?

Didn't think so.

 

Secondly, it always helps if you use a bit of common sense.

Personally, I'd never ship a gun like an SVD fully assembled. I'd strip it down then tape the barrel to something like a broom handle.

Even the original packaging couldn't prevent the gun from being damaged.

If the buyer said he didn't want the hassle of rebuilding the gun I'd find a different buyer.

 

In general I think you have to remember that, on the whole, airsofters are unrelentingly cheap-*albatross* and factor that into your trades.

I often get people asking to send me stuff for repair or modification and I'm constantly amazed how many of them are prepared to send the item by 2nd-class post.

I mean, come on?!

How do these people know I don't have a wardrobe full of stuff I've nicked from people too cheap to use a tracking service?

My favourite one, a couple of years back, was when somebody sent a seller £300 by unregistered post and then threw a hissy-fit cos the seller claimed the money never arrived.

That kind of trade was always going to be a disaster.

 

It costs an extra £5 or so to insure a parcel up to something like £500 value.

Pay the money.

Get the insurance.

Post the item.

Keep the money received from the buyer. DO NOT SPEND IT until the buyer confirms he is happy with the item.

If something goes wrong, refund your buyer THEN claim on the insurance that YOU bought from the postal service.

 

At this point you often get people who say "Yeah but some buyers specifically ask for me to send an item by 2nd-class post".

Some people get their jollies by sticking their fingers into light sockets. Doesn't mean it's smart for you to do it as well.

If you want to avoid problems with trades coming back to haunt you I'd suggest you either tell them you're not prepared to send the item by 2nd-class post OR, alternatively, you simply suck it up and pay for the tracking and insurance out of your profit since it's actually for your own benefit.

 

*EDIT*

One other thing I'd like to mention...

As well as being total cheapskates, most airsofters are as lazy as sloths and lie like a broken watch.

There are 2 ways a sale can go.

1) The seller parcels up the item, sends it and forwards you the tracking number.

2) The seller procrastinates, puts of sending the item "until tomorrow" and then comes up with ever more fanciful reasons why they can't produce a tracking number.

 

In fact, I'd go as far as to say this:-

Rule #1: If you don't get a tracking number it means the seller hasn't bothered to send the item yet. Period.

 

There is absolutely NO excuse why a tracking number wouldn't be issued.

As soon as you hand over the item you get a number.

No amount of "it was left in their store room" or "it got returned to my house" excuses explain why a tracking number cannot be provided.

The ONLY reason for this is because the item hasn't been taken to the post-office yet.

[snorkelman]

my approach

 

item sells for the price asked or near it - any minor faults that might have been missed will be discounted significantly or the offer of a refund. Buyers choice of which they choose

 

item sells for a lowball price way below asking price - any minor faults will be discounted slightly (on basis that the significant discount over asking price already given should cut me some slack) or the offer of a refund. Again buyers choice

 

Major faults claimed or buyer wants a discount that I feel is over the odds for the fault involved then I'll request return of the item and full refund given on my receipt of it.

 

Above combo generally covers both parties against one side trying to rip the ###### out of the other

 

all items sent by a method that at least covers the value of whats inside. No show at their end I'll file the paperwork refund the buyer and get my refund from the carrier. If I was daft enough to send somethign by a method where I couldnt do so then more fool me.

 

I'll generally factor cost of that level of shipping into the price. Buyer tries to get a discount by having me cheap out on shipping then I'll either suck up the difference to still send that method or I'll look for another buyer.

 

I tend to be quite disorganised at best of times so when it comes to selling stuff I take that particular trait of mine into account and make a point of making sure I've weighed it and either got it prepacked (or packing materials to hand) at time of advertising it. That way Im never more than five mins away from it being ready to go out the door. Deal gets competed outside of posting hours then I stick the damn thing at the front door so I cant leave the house the next morning without tripping over it Works for me..

 

[Habakure]

Seeing as am a little bit perdantic when it comes to hearing about "Bent Barrels", how was the item packaged. Was it in a box. If it was in a box and the barrel broken whilst at the post office then there would be damage to the box. If it wasn't in a box and the barrel got bent then I would say it is the fault of the sender. As much as the royal mail mess things up they do say the package has to be secure. Or when they told me that years ago they may have been trying to cover thier own back ( Just incase the item I was sening was damaged in transit due to poor packing).