Received Without Contents

zatch

zatch

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Hey guys, need some advice here.

I am in the middle of a trade with a forum member. The knife I was shipping was used and he was unsure if he was going to be happy with it. I offered to ship first to let him check the knife out (the overall value of the trade was low- wasn't a huge deal to me to ship first). He received it and was happy with it. His end of the trade was a CS Tomahawk.

He couldn't figure out how to ship the whole thing - after a few emails, he suggested that he send the head and some cash for a brand new helve. No problem to me.

I received the package today with the money inside but no tomahawk head. The outside of the package is stamped "Received without contents" in red. The package contained some packing materials and the cash. It did not appear as if the box was opened up and retaped, however I'm sure this could be done easily - the box was beaten up but otherwise fine.

I'm not sure what to think here and I don't know what the red stamping means on the outside of the box (besides the obvious) - If it was opened up and the head was stolen, why not just take the cash? Would USPS mark the box if he was shipping, essentially, an empty box? I don't want to assume it's the other guy's fault quite yet - It's taken him quite a while to ship but he hasn't dropped communication or otherwise shown he was out to scam.

I attached some pictures of the box and the markings.

Thanks!

P3010526.jpg

P3010527.jpg

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It's possible the head fell out. It doesn't look like the box was taped and the seal on the box isn't that strong. The box looks distended, too. Something weighty like a hawk head could certainly for its weigh out when you consider the boxes are tossed around and sometimes dumped in a heap on their way to you.
 
If I were you, I'd take the package to my local Post Office right away and let them sort it out. This post is from another forum:

"Figured I'd update this just in the event this happens to anyone else.

I contacted the main USPS office and I was told to contact the Dead Letter Office in Atlanta GA because they handle things of that sort. I called up the Dead Letter Office, explained the situation. Told her about it weighing 3 pounds 2ounces upon being shipped, and returning to me empty weighing less than a half pout and the lady completely understood. She said I'd have to go to my local branch (any branch) and fill out a 3760 Form, which is a request to look into my package.

Heading out to the post office now."
 
lava_lamp said:
It's possible the head fell out. It doesn't look like the box was taped and the seal on the box isn't that strong. The box looks distended, too. Something weighty like a hawk head could certainly for its weigh out when you consider the boxes are tossed around and sometimes dumped in a heap on their way to you.
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I'd agree, but I can verify that the box was taped up (or retaped up).
 
If the contents can't be found, contact the trader and try to work things out. If he got insurance he should put in a claim ASAP.
 
It's almost certain you're SOL. No insurance label on the package, and if it was insured, it wouldn't have a DELCON label. If it fell out, which it appears it did (since the cash is still inside), the likelihood of it being found and then reunited with you is about the same as you winning the lottery. Not to discourage you from contacting the USPS, but I don't want your disappointment to be great when they say they can't help you.
 
themandylion said:
It's almost certain you're SOL. No insurance label on the package, and if it was insured, it wouldn't have a DELCON label. If it fell out, which it appears it did (since the cash is still inside), the likelihood of it being found and then reunited with you is about the same as you winning the lottery. Not to discourage you from contacting the USPS, but I don't want your disappointment to be great when they say they can't help you.
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I think your right. I'd be surprised if I can get anything out of USPS - As you said, no insurance. It must have fallen out and someone retaped it. That probably means that it may have been shipped without tape? Oh well. I know it's not a huge deal. I can get any one of the CS hawks for pretty cheap. I was looking forward to it though and cash inflow has been minimal lately - college is eating me alive!

Thanks for the responses!
 
zatch said:
I think your right. I'd be surprised if I can get anything out of USPS - As you said, no insurance. It must have fallen out and someone retaped it. That probably means that it may have been shipped without tape? Oh well. I know it's not a huge deal. I can get any one of the CS hawks for pretty cheap. I was looking forward to it though and cash inflow has been minimal lately - college is eating me alive!

Thanks for the responses!
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I really wish I had better news for you. :blue:

We had a textbook fall out of a box a couple months back, and only because we have a great carrier did we get it - he searched for it for us, on his own accord. That's a rare exception, and usually only in a small PO like ours.

The PM boxes' adhesive strip is "OK" - just OK. Not a surprise it let go in transit. I've been known to use an eighth of a roll of packaging tape on an average box, so there's no chance of unaided-without-a-tool opening of the parcel.
 
themandylion said:
I really wish I had better news for you. :blue:

We had a textbook fall out of a box a couple months back, and only because we have a great carrier did we get it - he searched for it for us, on his own accord. That's a rare exception, and usually only in a small PO like ours.

The PM boxes' adhesive strip is "OK" - just OK. Not a surprise it let go in transit. I've been known to use an eighth of a roll of packaging tape on an average box, so there's no chance of unaided-without-a-tool opening of the parcel.
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If I had any one of my textbooks lost in the mail, it would be WAY more expensive than just a tomahawk!

I was think about insurance "backwards" from what I read - I always include it for my safety and making sure the package gets there. I never think to ask it (that will change in the future).

I live just outside a big city (not Chicago or New York big, but not small town) - I wouldn't expect the PO to think twice about it. Either way, lesson learned for me and life goes on!
 
The USPS finding lost property is as likely as hell freezing over. I've had a package I sent out to a buyer with a light in it. It arrived to him empty. I had failed to tape it properly and I refunded him.

I just had a trade with a guy overseas and all I received was about a 6in by 6 in piece of the packaging and the customs form in a white envelope from the USPS telling me the contents were lost and a form to have them search for it. I hold no hope for help from the USPS but I'll fill out the form kinda for the same reason I buy lottery tickets you can't win if you don't play.

On the darker side I the USPS I shipped someone a Surefire in a flat rate box that I secured very well. The recipient received a box that had been opened and resealed with a book in it titled Going Postal and no light. I mean who steals one thing and replaces it with another. These and several other incidents have made me loose all faith in the USPS. That and them constantly taking 2 weeks to deliver a priority package or sending a package I mail from Missouri going to Florida but some reason it takes the scenic route to California and back.

General theme is the post office mishandles many packages and most likely the axe fell out along the way and now either a postal employee has it or after it isn't claimed at the warehouse in Atlanta it will be auctioned to fund the USPS.
 
Viper715 said:
The USPS finding lost property is as likely as hell freezing over. I've had a package I sent out to a buyer with a light in it. It arrived to him empty. I had failed to tape it properly and I refunded him.

I just had a trade with a guy overseas and all I received was about a 6in by 6 in piece of the packaging and the customs form in a white envelope from the USPS telling me the contents were lost and a form to have them search for it. I hold no hope for help from the USPS but I'll fill out the form kinda for the same reason I buy lottery tickets you can't win if you don't play.

On the darker side I the USPS I shipped someone a Surefire in a flat rate box that I secured very well. The recipient received a box that had been opened and resealed with a book in it titled Going Postal and no light. I mean who steals one thing and replaces it with another. These and several other incidents have made me loose all faith in the USPS. That and them constantly taking 2 weeks to deliver a priority package or sending a package I mail from Missouri going to Florida but some reason it takes the scenic route to California and back. General theme is the post office mishandles many packages and most likely the axe fell out along the way and now either a postal employee has it or after it isn't claimed at the warehouse in Atlanta it will be auctioned to fund the USPS.
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Funny you should mention the part I highlighted. I've noticed a lot of that going on lately myself. I wondered if it might have anything to do with talk of possible USPS locations closing and employees who just don't give a crap anymore.

I was one the US Postal Services biggest proponents for the longest time too. Never had a single problem, not one, until the talk of closing offices started. Ironically that's about the time when my USPS shipping problems started. Coincidence ?
Maybe-Maybe not ??

And just for the record, the issues I've encountered aren't just a one shot deal. I've had several back to back issues. Especially the "scenic route" problem. That's happened more than once now, and frankly, it's getting old. :grumpy:

UPS or Fed-Ex from now on for me :thumbup: It might cost a bit more, but IMO, it only takes one lost package to cost me a considerable amount of $$$$

I'm not going to give 'em a chance for that one to happen :rolleyes:

Sorry to hear about your Hawk. That's a real bummer :thumbdn:


:confused:
 
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David Wesner said:
UPS or Fed-Ex from now on for me :thumbup: It might cost a bit more, but IMO, it only takes one lost package to cost me a considerable amount of $$$$
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Fed-Ex is even worse, I had a package ship from Texas to California, up to Oregon, over to Ohio, over to NYC, down to Georgia, up to Camden, NJ, down to VIneland, NJ, back up to Camden, then to me.

UPS regularly delivers to the post office. IF I wanted it delivered to the post office, I wouldn't have ordered UPS with my street address on it. They also crush a lot of boxes.

It's not just USPS, nobody knows how to ship anything.
 
GWashington1732 said:
Fed-Ex is even worse, I had a package ship from Texas to California, up to Oregon, over to Ohio, over to NYC, down to Georgia, up to Camden, NJ, down to VIneland, NJ, back up to Camden, then to me.

UPS regularly delivers to the post office. IF I wanted it delivered to the post office, I wouldn't have ordered UPS with my street address on it. They also crush a lot of boxes.

It's not just USPS, nobody knows how to ship anything.
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Ya know, as much as I hate to admit it, you're probably right on all accounts :(

Is it really that they don't know how or is it they just don't care ??

Whatever the case, it sucks !!




:thumbdn:
 
If it has "received without contents" stamped on it, then someone at the Post Office found it opened, otherwise how could they know to stamp it? No way the other Trader could have manipulated that.

If the packaging wasn't tampered, then, in all likelihood, the adhesive strip came off and the axe fell out during transit. Maybe the Trader didn't press long enough on the flap for the adhesive to "set" so the weight of the axe head broke the seal.

Somebody at the other end found it, closed it and stamped it.
 
Always tape the crap out of any USPS priority box.Years ago I packed up a trade and really pressed the glue seal on it.It had let go and popped open overnight.I have taped every side on those boxes sense.I have also noticed that address labels will come off over night although it is worse on brown envelopes,I put clear tape over all my address info and delcon labels now.
 
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