USPS Delivery Problem

[VCM3]

Well,I never had to do this,but I feel I need to put out an alert of some sort.

I recently shipped a knife a fella purchased through Paypal . The guys name is not going to be mentioned at this time,as I have no proof of where this knife actually went. In his correspondences during the purchase,he told me the knife would be delivered to a " locked Postal Locker " ,and that is was under lock and key,this is how they get their mail ( I believe at his work) ,and I should use " my own descretion" as to what I should do sending it. But,he made it sound as if it were no big deal. I took that ,did not think anything more & just sent it out ,priority small flat rate box ,with the tracking and $50. insurance it came with,I did not add any insurance.

Now in the past I have 100% with this system & last year costs at the P.O. were well over 6K for me,so I'm not new to shipping boxes.

Sure enough,I get the email. Buyer claims he tracked it,sent his wife down there to get it & no box in " locked Postal locker" Tracking says it was scanned/ delivered to that locker

I basically replied to him,I could call the PO ,the # he gave me,but I do not know what else I can do,what would you like me to do ? type answer. He replied that me as the sellier should look into it better ,and make some kind of something,I dunno what ?

I did mention,seems at on the end of delivery line there is a theif.


So he says I leave him not much choice but for him to put in a Paypal claim.

I write back,don't do that,lemme look into it. I told him without letting me look into it,he's jumping the gun.

I then went directly to Paypal sent his money back to him. I'd like to add,too,this buyer haggled me a little on price ,I cut him a break,so it certainly seemed extra expense on shipping was not going to happen to make the sale.


Then I'm on facebook ,in a group that alerts members of the group of scams,ng buyers,etc. I always like to look to see what's what. A knife maker has a post up about a knife was not delivered ,but tracks to ,delivered,at " postal locker " ( buyer said " locked postal locker " ) I mention this postal locker deal had just happened to me . Another member then posts " this is the third one of these in less than two weeks" ,he's heard of.


So with no other options, I am putting out this alert. I will also be adding extra shipping expenses to newly listed knives after this,I'll eat the cost of everything listed so far. Signature confirmation,and I found out or a little extra I can get restrictions on the signature as well,meaning the exact name on the package has to be signed.

There is no real garauntee at the end of the day. I know sellers ,makers,who send high end items only registered US mail.

This will add cost,more work,on my end. Less wiggle room on prices.

Prior to me starting to write this , I did get off the phone with the post office at the zip code of delivery,telephone # provided to me by the buyer. She advised me to make a claim at my PO box for the $50. at the very least,then added," I need to get off the phone asap,as the alarm for the hurricane was going on,an evacuation"

There's a lot to think about here ,concerning something that to me,was just another day popping out boxes. But when I here someone say " third one like this in less than two weeks" ,well that's an eye opener.

So be careful how you ship and consider this alert

Thank You all.

I may or may not show the said knife ,as a " stolen knife alert " type thing,I really can't see how that could make a difference

 

[Esav Benyamin]

I am sorry to hear this. Scammers drive up prices for everyone. I recommend Registered mail for high-price, poor security areas myself. Signature confirmation, especially addressee-only is a cheaper and generally reliable alternative.

 

[supratentorial]

It does sound fishy to me. But it is possible that USPS delivered it to the wrong PO box. It's happened to me twice. I just went up to the counter with the tracking info (showing delivery) and they went back and found the misplaced box both times. Similar things have happened with UPS and FedEx delivering my mail to my neighbors.

I don't know if this is a scammer but it would be worth asking a clerk to look for the package.

 

[VCM3]

It does sound fishy to me. But it is possible that USPS delivered it to the wrong PO box. It's happened to me twice. I just went up to the counter with the tracking info (showing delivery) and they went back and found the misplaced box both times. Similar things have happened with UPS and FedEx delivering mail to my neighbors.

I don't know if this is a scammer but it would be worth asking a clerk to look for the package.

Absolutely. I was rushed off the phone due to the hurricane evacuation thats going on there. Also,this is why I will not name the buyer,as it could also very well be Postal error ,or theft within.

But take this post as an eye opener & alert.

I will not be so flexible to make the buyer happy next time,so if you hear someone say ," that guy Vince was a jerk to me,didn't even reply back,or.." Please direct them to this thread.

I get many requests for knives that are very hard to obtain. I get requests for price reductions on current inventory. It's all correspondence,time,to me.

Add in,now the correspondence of inquiring about shipping arrangements.

I'm not going to be so accomodating to certain people.

 

[VCM3]

Absolutely. I was rushed off the phone due to the hurricane evacuation thats going on there. Also,this is why I will not name the buyer,as it could also very well be Postal error ,or theft within.

But take this post as an eye opener & alert.

I will not be so flexible to make the buyer happy next time,so if you hear someone say ," that guy Vince was a jerk to me,didn't even reply back,or.." Please direct them to this thread.

I get many requests for knives that are very hard to obtain. I get requests for price reductions on current inventory. It's all correspondence,time,to me.

Add in,now the correspondence of inquiring about shipping arrangements.

I'm not going to be so accomodating to certain people.

And I'll add,for the most part I don't have problems like this little issue and most everyone here and on other internet venues are good to me & I them.

So it's just business,nothing personal Thank You All

 

[benchwarmer380]

What exactly is a locked postal locker? Similar to a PO box?

Was said lockers address tied to ther paypal account?

 

[VCM3]

What exactly is a locked postal locker? Similar to a PO box?

Was said lockers address tied to ther paypal account?

That's a good question. My post office guy says its a bank of locked boxes,say like in a lobby.

So I go through Paypal receipt on my screen to refund,push button. Now I go look,no record of the original sale is on my screen any longer,so I can't even find it to verify the addy. I do have his addy in my emails. Paypal is not so great for seller's I'd say.

Best bet avoid these screwed up situations. I know this was an eye opener for me & I certainly will try to avoid this in the future

 

[VCM3]

That's a good question. My post office guy says its a bank of locked boxes,say like in a lobby.

So I go through Paypal receipt on my screen to refund,push button. Now I go look,no record of the original sale is on my screen any longer,so I can't even find it to verify the addy. I do have his addy in my emails. Paypal is not so great for seller's I'd say.

Best bet avoid these screwed up situations. I know this was an eye opener for me & I certainly will try to avoid this in the future

I am going to call Paypal & talk to them about this,though

 

[other memory]

First off, I strongly recommend against accusing the buyer of scamming you. PP will side against sellers who accuse people of wrong doing without proof. Impressions and feelings don't matter in the arbitration process; only your documentation and political and negotiation skills matter. This being said…

Unfortunately, how PP's arbitration system works, a buyer can claim non delivery and it is the seller’s responsibility to prove delivery. The seller must prove it. YES, this is the exact point a knowledgeable PP system scammer will exploit.

So, you need to outsmart them at this point.

Exactly how much time passed between the point of marked/tracked delivery and the buyer notifying you of non-receipt? Post that exact time. It means a lot. Also, did the offer ANY assistance, or did they remain distant and dismissive? If they are passive, PP will take that into account. Lastly, point out to PP via your documented correspondence with the buyer that they wrote "my own discretion". That's a very telling quote.

There is good news. Successful scammers typically become bold and repeat what they've done in the past. If PP sees this, they will lose and be banned from PP.

If I'm reading you correctly, they made a mistake and threatened a PP claim very quickly. That’s a big deal, it suggests intent. So what's important here is to point that out to PayPal, the buyer immediately claimed non-receipt and never tried to assist you. PayPal knows this is a point of exploitation and they have actually been sued over it, but settled. My point is, they will call the buyer into question in order to make it harder for the exploiter to exploit. It's at this point you need to be meticulous that the buyer was very quick to point out they didn't receive the item and threatened a claim. They will be investigated. From there, do NOT emotionalize, only stick to facts that work in your favor.

I wish you well. WIN

 

[VCM3]

First off, I strongly recommend against accusing the buyer of scamming you. PP will side against sellers who accuse people of wrong doing without proof. Impressions and feelings don't matter in the arbitration process; only your documentation and political and negotiation skills matter. This being said…

Unfortunately, how PP's arbitration system works, a buyer can claim non delivery and it is the seller’s responsibility to prove delivery. The seller must prove it. YES, this is the exact point a knowledgeable PP system scammer will exploit.

So, you need to outsmart them at this point.

Exactly how much time passed between the point of marked/tracked delivery and the buyer notifying you of non-receipt? Post that exact time. It means a lot. Also, did the offer ANY assistance, or did they remain distant and dismissive? If they are passive, PP will take that into account. Lastly, point out to PP via your documented correspondence with the buyer that they wrote "my own discretion". That's a very telling quote.

There is good news. Successful scammers typically become bold and repeat what they've done in the past. If PP sees this, they will lose and be banned from PP.

If I'm reading you correctly, they made a mistake and threatened a PP claim very quickly. That’s a big deal, it suggests intent. So what's important here is to point that out to PayPal, the buyer immediately claimed non-receipt and never tried to assist you. PayPal knows this is a point of exploitation and they have actually been sued over it, but settled. My point is, they will call the buyer into question in order to make it harder for the exploiter to exploit. It's at this point you need to be meticulous that the buyer was very quick to point out they didn't receive the item and threatened a claim. They will be investigated. From there, do NOT emotionalize, only stick to facts that work in your favor.

I wish you well. WIN

I'm not accusing anyone,I thought I typed that clear.
Less than one day passed between non delivery ( tracked saying delivered) & email saying it is gone & in my response he took wrong, replied to & said the words Paypal claim,for the very next morning.

 

[other memory]

Less than one day passed between non delivery ( tracked saying delivered) & email saying it is gone & in my response he took wrong, replied to & said the words Paypal claim,for the very next morning.

He contacted you shortly after tracking stated delivered. That’s not odd, that’s the smart thing to do. Report the issue. What’s odd is how fast he dropped the words "PP claim" (I'm assuming you're accurately quoting, not attributing and truncating). Reasonable people would have investigated at least a little bit and asked a few questions. At least signal a willingness to be proactive. Did he ask specific questions (such as “Did you type out my address, or hand write it”)?

The timing of tracking stating delivered coinciding with how quickly he signaled he would file a PP claim is what gets me. It’s tight timing. In other words, he might hypothetically be trying to speed up getting his stuff. Put another way, he’s not being cautious and playing a long con.

I’d point out to PayPal how fast he acted to file a claim. This will play in your favor. PP will require “detailed” comment if you point that out. Thus, maybe the buyer will trip-up their story. They DO look if buyers at least try to be proactive. That’s usually the tell.

Was your box inconspicuous? Did you use signature confirmation?

 

[cda555]

This is an interesting post. I tell sellers that I get my mail in a locked box and that it is okay to send them without protection. Maybe I shouldn't say that anymore?

 

[VCM3]

This is an interesting post. I tell sellers that I get my mail in a locked box and that it is okay to send them without protection. Maybe I shouldn't say that anymore?

I can say,without a doubt,from here out,I will not take this " locked box" as safe. I will have to hash this out,but it seems the signature confirmation will be the way to go.

 

[cda555]

I can say,without a doubt,from here out,I will not take this " locked box" as safe. I will have to hash this out,but it seems the signature confirmation will be the way to go.

Makes sense.

Signature confirmation is just hard for me. My post office closes at 4:30 so I have to take time off work. Plus they are closed on Saturday. It would probably work for most people. My post office uniquely sucks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[VCM3]

Makes sense.

Signature confirmation is just hard for me. My post office closes at 4:30 so I have to take time off work. Plus they are closed on Saturday. It would probably work for most people. My post office uniquely sucks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes I'm aware of the problems that can arise this way,too. Then there's the scenario,if the ' pink slip" is left,the package goes back with carrier & in my opinion increases the chances for a foul up.

 

[supratentorial]

Vince, In such a situation, everyone needs to take time to look into the matter (as you know). If the guy turns out to be a scammer, you are in a difficult situation since the money has already been refunded. If I understand correctly, a PayPal claim provides time for the buyer and seller to work the problem. The details are just logged for PayPal to review if it is escalated. You would upload the tracking and proof of delivery and hopefully the USPS and/or the business(?) mail room would locate the package after some investigation. You would have time to work out what happened before a dispute could be escalated to a claim. An immediate refund is very considerate to the buyer but leaves you with less options.

 

[VCM3]

Vince, In such a situation, everyone needs to take time to look into the matter (as you know). If the guy turns out to be a scammer, you are in a difficult situation since the money has already been refunded. If I understand correctly, a PayPal claim provides time for the buyer and seller to work the problem. The details are just logged for PayPal to review if it is escalated. You would upload the tracking and proof of delivery and hopefully the USPS and/or the business(?) mail room would locate the package after some investigation. You would have time to work out what happened before a dispute could be escalated to a claim. An immediate refund is very considerate to the buyer but leaves you with less options.

I know,but I did not want the hassles hanging over me. As it turns out,PO and buyer are in an area being evacuated because of Andrew. I told him,if the knife should show up please pay up. I was not able to get anywhere with the PO today as I stated earlier. I definitely wanted to post this,once I heard of the " postal box" story,3 times in one week. I just found that to be too ..... I dunno what word to use here. I'm not accusing,but I def. will be spending more time now with discussions of where is this box going & what is going to happen with the shipping.

I do not see how there is a hassle free no worry garauntee. It is still a crap shhot if you ask me ,but I'm going to try to be wiser about this.

Menefee has been using the signature Confirmation now for a while, I shoulda learned from him

 

[VCM3]

Another maker I know lost one recently ,the guy gave a " front desk" addy. Only to find out later," yes,thats my addy but there's 300 employee's here" No conversation took place it was just labeled from the guys Paypal addy. A lot of people I deal with do not have the patience to deal with crappy details like this. I'm putting out the word,best I can

 

[LMT66]

Here's something else I've encountered lately with USPS. I have paid for Signature Confirmation AND Restricted Delivery several times and each time they have just left it with whomever was at the address. One was an office and the name that signed for it was not who I restricted delivery to. When I asked my Postmaster why he just said it is up to the postman to use his discretion.
I think the safest way is to send Registed Mail.

 

[VCM3]

He contacted you shortly after tracking stated delivered. That’s not odd, that’s the smart thing to do. Report the issue. What’s odd is how fast he dropped the words "PP claim" (I'm assuming you're accurately quoting, not attributing and truncating). Reasonable people would have investigated at least a little bit and asked a few questions. At least signal a willingness to be proactive. Did he ask specific questions (such as “Did you type out my address, or hand write it”)?

The timing of tracking stating delivered coinciding with how quickly he signaled he would file a PP claim is what gets me. It’s tight timing. In other words, he might hypothetically be trying to speed up getting his stuff. Put another way, he’s not being cautious and playing a long con.

I’d point out to PayPal how fast he acted to file a claim. This will play in your favor. PP will require “detailed” comment if you point that out. Thus, maybe the buyer will trip-up their story. They DO look if buyers at least try to be proactive. That’s usually the tell.

Was your box inconspicuous? Did you use signature confirmation?

His reply saying he was going to file the pp claim in the morning was, I do believe, a reaction to me saying to him that I did not know what he wanted me to do about the package not being there. He got aggrevated at me