Client says they recived an empty box, how to procede?

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Greenberg Woods

Greenberg Woods

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Hey guys, so I have a bit of an issue.

I mailed a box with about 70 dollars worth of scales to someone in the exact same way I mail dozens if not hundreds of other boxes, a small USPS flat rate box. The customer "not a regular of mine, relatively new to the forum" says they revived an empty box. The box still had the packing materiel in it, but the buyer says the blocks were gone.

While it is possible it was a scam, i offered the buyer either his money back or replacement blocks, i figure even if it is a scam keeping a clean reputation is more important.

But what do i do now? I have no way to prove what was in the box. Can I make a claim?

Thanks a lot guys.

Ben Greenberg
Greenberg Woods
 
Are you marking your return address with the business name ?

Ask for photos of the box, see if it looks like it was opened and resealed.

Keeping the packing material is the minimum.

How was your packing ?
Do youuse an abundance of tape ?
 
Did the box appear to be tampered with in any way? Was there a note or anything from USPS? Normally if the box gets torn open in transit, they'll throw some tape over the hole and/or send a note with it. Maybe ask for some pictures of the box, although I don't believe it is necessary for a claim.

You can make a claim, absolutely, but what happens with it will obviously be up the the USPS.

http://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive0514/609.htm
That may help clarify some things.
 
No, the return address is just my address

Its hard to tell, the client opened the box from the side rather than the front.

The packing material was a single one of those little air sacks that amazon shipps their stuff with

No an abundance of tape, two strips of tape in addition to the adhesive sealer the box came with


Im sending him more wood, but I am pretty upset. This was my black palm and I already have very low profits from palm.
 
Also, FWIW, anytime I mail something in a box, I'll almost always tape it to the inside of the box,, so that if the box was somehow cut open, the contents would hopefully still remain in place. There's no such thing as too much tape! ;)

I'll also tape every seam around the flat rate boxes, including the adhesive side, just in case.
 
I am the client, and I am not trying to steal from you. The sides of the box were not taped up, which is why I opened it from the sides, it was easier than pulling at the adhesive front flap. It opened easy enough from the sides that nothing even got ripped. It looked like the box had been crushed from the narrow ends, which caused the sides to open up and merchandise fall out. The bit of packing material that was left inside of the box was a popped air pillow that was trapped in the adhesive that holds the front flap on. The box was closed like there was nothing wrong with it when the mailman delivered it a while ago so I suspected nothing wrong. When I opened it, it was empty. The box traveled all the way to Virginia.

Some of these photos were sent to Ben prior to this thread being started.











 
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I just used one of those boxes the other day to mail off a knife.
I don't trust them...
Just putting them together the sides kept blowing out exactly like the pics above.
So I asked the lady for packaging tape and taped the snot out of it.
The boxes are designed like crap.
 
Yup.... seen that happen before. That's why I always tape along the entire adhesive side, as well as taping all around the ends (3 sides each anyway) to ensure the flaps can't be pulled open without a significant effort.

Tape is so much cheaper than losing merchandise.
 
And Mike, I know you probably werent trying to scam me, but it is still something I had to consider.

I dont have any finals on wensday, so that should be when the blocks ship out. This time cocooned in tape.
 
I pretty much put enough tape around a box to make it almost waterproof. A good amount of tape will at least deter a lazy thief. Mike
 
Greenberg Woods said:
And Mike, I know you probably werent trying to scam me, but it is still something I had to consider.

I dont have any finals on wensday, so that should be when the blocks ship out. This time cocooned in tape.
Click to expand...

Being new here with no transaction history, I understand Ben, and I take no offense.
 
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Was the weight marked on the receipt? Maybe you forgot to throw the wood in there by accident.
I agree with the others...tape like crazy.
 
Lesson learned.

Use clear packaging tape and tape all sides and seams.

Those boxes if not taped can get smashed and stuff fall out all the time.

Good tape is about $3 a roll and a good investment.

I use them to send parts all over the world, you have to seal it like all the way around.
 
Sorry to tell you , Ben, but you didn't pack that right. If you don't run a strap of reinforced tape around the box from end to end, the ends will pop open. This is especially true if the object in the box makes it bulge a bit. I run a strip around the perimeter and another from end to end across the middle of the box.

You can try and place a claim, but it is a lot of paperwork and may come to no gain. Just replace the scales and chalk it up to experience. Get a six-pack of 3/4" reinforced tape, too.
 
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