Item broken by Australia Post - need some advice!

[lyndalpn-cows]

Okay needing some advice

I sold an item (a radio) to a fellow and posted it off - double wrapped in bubble wrap, packed with lots of packing and inside an Aussie Post box and it has apparently arrived badly damaged.  The box is intact from the photos I have seen but the plastic casing is wrecked and not surpisingly the radio doesnt work. the item number is 261186439014 if that helps.

I sent the item registered post and have the lodgement receipt. (and ended up paying $13 more to post it than he paid for the postage due to me miscalculating the charges! ARgh)  I have advised the fellow he needs to take it to the post office with the packaging and put in a claim form. 

The buyer has responded today to say that he will not be taking it to the Post office but will be sending it back to me and is demanding a refund.  That it is my item and my responsibility to sort out nd that he wants the refund he is entitled to.  As far as I see it it is only my item until it is posted....

According to the registered post  lodgement advice it says

"The addressee has the sole right to claim after accepting delivery of the article"

So... the way I see it I have a couple of options

1. Is a refund and lose my money - this is a $125 radio so not a small amount.

2. Refuse to refund and most likely get a negative feedback.

What do you advise I do?  Am I correct in my ststament that he must make the claim?  Im starting to think that its the prinicple of the thing and I dont care all that much (well not $125 worth) about a negative feedback?  If It was a small item I would just refund and move on, but frankly his last email was stroppy and a bit rude.

[***super_nova***]

Ask for photo of the damage, and then refund.  Not much point sending it back.

If the box is not damaged then it was not packed well enough, and that is your fault. 

The buyer could try to see if AP would admit fault, but it would be very likely unlikely.

Or you could probably try something like this:

dear buyer;

i am so sorry that the item arrived damaged, please take it to the PO with all the wrapping for assessment, and once you lodge the claim in my name, I will refund you the whole amount you paid including postage.

yours xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[*new2vintage]

If your buyer has paid with Paypal he can open a dispute and receive his payment back if he wins it. Your refund policy indicates you are usually willing to give a refund so maybe that's why he expects to receive one.

A vintage radio needs to be wrapped in plenty of bubble wrap with pieces of styrene foam around it and it needs to be inside 2 boxes. I advise you to only offer local pick up if you ever want to sell another radio.

[chezzy]

Agree on the double-boxing - have first box 'suspended' in packaging material and well in from outer box. Also if you shake box you shouldn't be able to feel anything move (ideally!). Worth keeping in mind that item may need to survive being dropped from waist height (well that is something I keep in mind when packing items)

[lyndalpn-cows]

It was in bubble wrap and packing and one sturdy box (granted it was not in two boxes - it would have quadrupled the post cost but maybe thats what I had to do!) and registered and insured even thats not enough. Ugh I hate Australia Post.I send china and glass all the time, have sent glass lamps, clocks, telephones and never have had this happen..... this was certainly an extraordinary amount of force to do the damage that has occurred.

So.. just checking, my listing says "I take every care with packing however cannot be held responsible for items once they have been posted" is that not enough to cover me?  Or would he still have a right in a dispute.  I also insured and registered it even though he didnt request it or pay the extra for registered post... what an idiot I am!

I guess my other issue is that I cannot even attempt to make a claim - he needs to do that from what I can see - so I have no ability to even try and recoup the costs if I refund. So you guys would seriously just refund?  Im surprised. I know its not his fault, but wow.

[lyndalpn-cows]

It certainly didnt move when I shook it and I certainly think it would have handled a drop. And Im really careful with packing. But yeah, it seems not careful enough!!

[patchoo78]

I send china and glass all the time, have sent glass lamps, clocks, telephones and never have had this happen..... this was certainly an extraordinary amount of force to do the damage that has occurred.

Are you entirely sure that Aus Post damaged it? Your above statement suggests that this is the first time this has happened and that you send China and other breakables.. 

You'd think that the box would be showing some kind of damage

[2106greencat]

just checking, my listing says "I take every care with packing however cannot be held responsible for items once they have been posted" is that not enough to cover me?  Or would he still have a right in a dispute. 

As the seller you are responsible to get it to the buyer intact. You can state anything you want in your TOS, but fact of the matter is it will not be accepted if a dispute is raised.

It is unfair of your buyer not to take it to the post office to see if the packaging was adequate, however I do not know if that would help you with a paypal claim or not. As far as I know once it is received it is the property of the receiver and they are the one's who need to claim for any damages. Maybe ring paypal and clarify as it seems to be a very grey area, and AP are not very forthcoming when it means admitting an error on their part.

You will of course be told that it needs to be packaged to withstand 20kg dropped from waist height, but of course, as yet AP have not actually advised anyone how this can be achieved, short of a titanium box 😞

[chezzy]

I hear you 😞  

The packing 'advice' wasn't necessarily directed at you. Just sharing my own experience because you just don't know what posted items are subjected to. Yes, double boxing may increase the cost especially if AP does the cubing thing. You could always put it all inside a lumpy or lop-sided expandable bag - I don't think they cube those 😉

Can you ring AP and explain the situation? I'd be trying to put in a claim with AP, if they deem your packaging materials sufficient you may be entitled to compo (sounds like you have used AP products so that is a good start). I really feel for you, good luck.

[*new2vintage]

Can you see if there is any damage to the box at all ? If the radio is badly damaged there should be some sign of the box being dropped or crushed. Aus Post will only give compensation if it was packed to their standards and I think the buyer needs to make the claim. The fact that you accept no responsibility for posted items doesn't hold water with Paypal.