Opinion about knives lost during shipping

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If this is the wrong section, please feel free to move this thread.

Question. Who is responsible for a lost knife during shipping, the buyer or seller? Or if there isn't a clearcut answer, is there a standard practice that people use?

Details:

This was a domestic transaction, within the same state via USPS Priority with no additional insurance purchased.
The tracking status is stuck on "In transit" since December 20th, with no updates since then.
Lost package search has been filed on usps.com with no results or messages from them.

It surely sucks for both parties, but I'm wondering how you guys have handled this type of situation. In nearly 1k shipping transactions, this is a first so I've never put much thought into this scenario.

Anyone have a similar situation? How did you handle it? In our case, both parties are calm about it, but just want to get it settled. There is still a possibility I guess that it could be lost and still show up since it hasn't been THAT long, but how long is reasonable to wait?

I don't like purchasing insurance because IMO it puts a target on the package for thieves. As the seller, i don't mind eating the entire loss...but I just want to make sure it's the most fair way to go about it.

Thanks guys!
 
Seller eats it, sadly. Always buy insurance.

The good news is USPS may well find it. I shipped a knife on 12/10 that was lost for almost a month. Tracking suddenly kicked in and it was delivered just a few days ago. Apparently December is not a great time to rely on USPS.

Good luck!
 
Seller eats it, sadly. Always buy insurance.

Always sound advice for Sellers.


Best advice for Buyers: Never use PayPal Gift.....unless, of course.....you are in the habit of giving money away.

If you expect Goods in return for monies sent....well....you should probably follow PayPal's Terms of Use
 
Seller eats it. Or should. As a seller I always insure unless it's risk I'm willing to accept. Priority mail covers up to $100 I think.
 
I always send usps express flat rate envelope. Never have had one go missing, usps priority, have lost them for over a month a couple times, but they did turn up.
 
On a domestic transaction I feel it's the sellers responsibility. I think PayPal goods, feels the same way. I don't buy insurance when shipping, because I feel it targets the package. But I'm also willing to eat the cost of item, if things go bad.
 
Over the last three weeks, 3 packages I sent and 2 I was receiving sat in hubs around the US for 2-5 days (All flat box priority all Received to Hub, Never Left). Then all of a sudden all my packages I sent were delivered and ones I purchased as well. The longest was a 7 day trip from Atlanta to North Carolina, a 3-4 hour drive at best. USPS during peak times or weather disruptions are just delayed in either the physical world, the tracking system or both. Never had a package lost though, but last year one I sent flat rate priority to CA went from Atlanta, to FL, to NY, to ID, to TX, and then on to San Diego the final destination. Total transit time 17 days.
 
Always buy insurance, but be wary as USPS isn't the best at paying out claims apparently... Flat rate includes $50 but regardless I always insure to full value. Apparently they'll try to make you prove value which is very difficult on custom knives.
 
Priority mail covers up to $100 I think.

Insurance of $50 is included with Priority. Without delivery confirmation (to the proper address), the seller is normally responsible. But 25 days for USPS is kind of short IMHO. I believe that 45 days is when you start worrying and maybe a little longer around Christmas.
 
Seller eats it. Or should. As a seller I always insure unless it's risk I'm willing to accept. Priority mail covers up to $100 I think.

Seller should insure for any amount more than they are willing to write off. The buyer should not be at risk. The exception to this is if the buyer is overseas in an area where shipping isn't reliable and they insist on buying the item anyway.
 
If this is the wrong section, please feel free to move this thread.

Question. Who is responsible for a lost knife during shipping, the buyer or seller? Or if there isn't a clearcut answer, is there a standard practice that people use?

Details:

This was a domestic transaction, within the same state via USPS Priority with no additional insurance purchased.
The tracking status is stuck on "In transit" since December 20th, with no updates since then.
Lost package search has been filed on usps.com with no results or messages from them.

It surely sucks for both parties, but I'm wondering how you guys have handled this type of situation. In nearly 1k shipping transactions, this is a first so I've never put much thought into this scenario.

Anyone have a similar situation? How did you handle it? In our case, both parties are calm about it, but just want to get it settled. There is still a possibility I guess that it could be lost and still show up since it hasn't been THAT long, but how long is reasonable to wait?

I don't like purchasing insurance because IMO it puts a target on the package for thieves. As the seller, i don't mind eating the entire loss...but I just want to make sure it's the most fair way to go about it.

Thanks guys!


if its still showing "in-transit" there is hope. I would'nt go refunding any funds quite yet
 
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usps has been weirder and worse than usual lately. had a package get to the nearest big city then ship to west palm beach...many hours away and no way on the way, then ship back to the nearest big city and to my local post office. another made it to the nearest big city them ship westward and North to a city in the north west of the state then ship back to the nearest big city and to the local post office. meanwhile other shipments bought and shipped later and further away made it in less steps and came earlier. ironically all the screw ups where in my state where there is no weather issues since im as far south as you can go. also ironic all shipments started from the west and north where there is weather issues and had no issues until getting to my state.

so maybe y'all will get lucky and the package will be found fallen off the conveyor belt or stuck under drivers seat or whatever and get shipped out.


also yeah seller/shipper eats the loss. why insurance is bought to protect the seller. course getting usps to pay a claim is like wrestling an alligator in rut season with no arms.
 
USPS has been weird the past couple weeks. Had a first class package make it from Michigan to my door in less than two days, but a Priority Mail package sat at the Phoenix hub for four days (Monday to Friday) last week before moving, then arrived in Denver in 6 hours (still won't be delivered until tomorrow). No idea.
 
Extra fees for insurance are the responsibility of the buyer.


I am not in agreement with some posters here saying the seller being responsible. If the knife was shipped and tracking is accurate the buyer is at loss. It is up to the buyer to pay "extra insurance" (beyond the $50 priority insurance) and not the seller. It is also up to the seller to REQUEST to pay extra for insurance. Otherwise it is assumed the buyer takes the risk.

If someone buys a $1000. knife from me i am not paying for insurance $1000. Nor am I calculating it into the price of the knife.
 
But the insurance is for the seller. Why would you make the buyer pay it??

I'm with the majority on this one. Seller is responsible for getting the package to the buyer.
 
Apparently they'll try to make you prove value which is very difficult on custom knives.

It is not only with custom knives but any knife above current version retail value. If you buy a old BG-42 Sebenza for $900. and the current version is listed at $400. that is all they pay.
 
But the insurance is for the seller. Why would you make the buyer pay it??

I'm with the majority on this one. Seller is responsible for getting the package to the buyer.

If the buyer payed "extra insurance" (beyond the $50. priority mail) then the seller reimburses him and then has to deal with getting funds back from USPS.
 
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There is no question that the seller has the responsibility to ensure or to insure the package getting to the customer as expected. All of the forums enforce this rule and you will have your membership terminated if you do not make things right with the buyer. That is if it was sold through the forums. Paypal enforces this same rule in every instance unless the buyer paid friends and family or there was an agreement in writing prior to the shipment that the buyer would accept the full responsibility for the package getting to them. This is a normal practice when shipping overseas. I would never sell and ship to anyone overseas unless they agreed to this.

Such is life. If you purchase from Amazon and you do not get your package the seller has to refund your money. No different here. Hence purchasing the insurance is your best option when dealing domestically. Nobody other than USPS employees will know that it is insured. Therefore it is not red flagged. If it is stolen who cares it was insured!

Good luck I hope the package is found.
 
.........It is also up to the seller to REQUEST to pay extra for insurance. Otherwise it is assumed the buyer takes the risk.

If someone buys a $1000. knife from me i am not paying for insurance $1000. Nor am I calculating it into the price of the knife.



Note to Self:

Hey Self,

Don't go buying $1000 knives from colubrid, anytime soon.


Your friend,

Self


Noted!

:D
 
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