Item damaged during transit

[becs_tupper_cupboard]

What's the policy for items that are damaged by Australia Post during transit?  I recommend to all buyers that they spend an extra $1.50 on Postage Insurance but most don't and then expect me to replace their item if its damaged or goes astray.  I have recently had a buyer give me a neg because the item was damaged in transit.  We have no control over this.  what are we supposed to do?

[phorum_junkie*]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

if you believe the insurance is a waste of money perhaps you should aim your reply at the OP not me, they were telling buyers to pay the extra to cover breakages. not me. i was just saying i wouldnt bother, id pay it myself not lumber a buyer with another charge that might cause the buyer to not buy from me.

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I am sure the reply was not aimed at you, for those of us who have been around on the boards for more than a decade it is hard to get used to the fact that you don't just reply to the last post.

The point of the insurance is not to cover breakages or non delivery, it is to increase the amount AP will pay if they accept responsibility.

[davewil1964]

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@becs_tupper_cupboard wrote:

how are you supposed to package an item to withstand something 20kg's being droped on it?  Even if it was in a box and bubble wrapped, it would be squashed 😞

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Exactly. Which is why insurance is a waste of money as AP won't pay out anyway. Do you pack the insides of the containers?

Insurance is really only good for lost items, which is why I insure anything I am not prepared to cop a 'lost' loss on.

But I sell books, which would be unlikely to be damaged if a heavy parcel was dropped on them.

[247newdeals]

Personally as a seller it is my responsibility to make sure a buyer get the items they paid for and in the condition they was advertised as. We know AusPost will damage a certain amount of items (as will any delivery service) so we allow for that in our prices or at least we should. Even if we think it is the buyers responsibility Ebay will side, rightly in my opinion, with the buyer so even if you do not see it as your responsibility it is still wise to do what it takes to cover yourself. 

As far as insurance you can not expect a buyer to pay extra for it as sellers we want buy it because it would be a waste of money paying even $1.50 each parcel would cost us way more than replacing the occasional item that gets damaged. If you believe insurance is important well it is very easy increase you postage cost by $2 and take out insurance on everything you post

[clarry100]

The problem with the insurance as has been mentioned above is that if its damaged then AP will just cite insufficient packaging and refuse to pay out. So not worth buying for this reason.

So if on the odd occasion we buy insurance it's really only to cover total loss of the parcel.

If you have a lodgement scan (to prove you posted it) and subsequently there is no delivery scan and the customer claims they did not get it then I would guess AP would have little option but to pay out. It may take a while but I think they would.

[247newdeals]

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@clarry100 wrote:

The problem with the insurance as has been mentioned above is that if its damaged then AP will just cite insufficient packaging and refuse to pay out. So not worth buying for this reason.

So if on the odd occasion we buy insurance it's really only to cover total loss of the parcel.

If you have a lodgement scan (to prove you posted it) and subsequently there is no delivery scan and the customer claims they did not get it then I would guess AP would have little option but to pay out. It may take a while but I think they would.

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I agree insurance is a waste of time but my point is the OP expects the buyer to pay extra for it otherwise he does not see they have a right to ask for a refund/replacement, for an item damaged in transit. I say as sellers we have to make sure an item is delivered and is in the condition we sold it at if it is damaged in transit then it is out responsibility to fix that not the buyers and to me a buyer has no reason to take out insurance. 

[stoddartlane]

I have an item shipped through AP and it arrived broken to million pieces. Buyer noticed me and i sent out a replacement. I wrapped it like crazy you cant imagine how much bubble warp i use and also doulbe carton box. But it arrived broken again (better this time it broken into two pieces lol)

I did purchased $2 insurance but it required receipient to take the damaged item to AP office to get a certificate.... Serioudly that is not easy. If im a buter i dont really bother taking it to post office.

As a buyer i want a peace of mind thats why i paid for insurace but aP just makes it so hard to claim.

Anyone who knows good tranit/shipping insurance with no or low excess fee please kindly let me know.

[lyndal1838]

If insurance has been paid to AP and the item is damaged you have to take a bit of responsibility for making a claim.....take the item to the PO to be inspected.

I don't know of any courier service that wil pay out a claim without any effort on the part of the receiver.   You at least have to let them inspect the damage.

Please look at the dates on threads before dragging them out of retirement....this one is ancient.

[eol-products]

Unfortunatley when packing items like ceramics bubble wrap is useless and you need to us packing foam or noodles with atleast a 50mm buffer from other items or the lid if it has one. Most Aust post staff have a problem bending over to place a parcel on a trolley and find it easier to just let it drop.

Just cause they sell fragile packing tape instore does not mean they offer the service.