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Around two weeks ago I sold a cake plate.  You know the kind metal filigree stand with glass dome?  As we I’ve always done, we double box the item and send it off UPS.

The buyer even requested I ship it UPS.

Except I think she wanted the UPS store to ship the item.  (You’ll see this in later messages)

I messaged her and said it would be shipped via UPS.  We sent out the item, double boxed, and received a messaged stating that the scroll filigree work on the metal base broke.

If you’ve never submitted a claim with UPS, they require the buyers phone number.  They will call the buyer and schedule a pick up with them.

Uh.. that’s not what I asked you to do.

I message the buyer again and ask them to please give me their phone number and allow me to have UPS pick it up.  Once they pick it up I can refund her money.

The buyer then opens a return request.

Did you see ‘UPS did not package this purchase’? Her address is a UPS store.  I wonder if the UPS store had a role in this debacle?

You see how she is stating she will not “request a return from UPS”?  AND in all of our messages she adds a note for eBay.

I call eBay where the representative volunteers to message the buyer and urge her to work with me.  The message from the eBay rep even states that “if you return the item to the seller, the insurance will be void” and we need to have the carrier pick up the item per their policy.

I respond to her in the return request:

“We” packed the item.  It was double boxed and UPS picked it up from our business and shipped it to your home.  When UPS has a breakage there are rules that are put on me the shipper to follow.  I’ve sent you the instructions on how to get the fast refund possible and you’ve refused. Perhaps I did not explain well enough in previous emails.  When there is a breakage UPS will pick up the broken item and the packaging from your house.  They will start the refund process since there was insurance place on the package.  In order to start his process i need your phone number.  UPS will call you and set u a time to pick it up.  They will pick up the item and issue a refund.  It takes bout a week or two for this to happen and there is very little effort you will need to do besides answering the phone and scheduling a pick up.  This is what is required for a return.  Please send me the best phone number for UPS t get a hold of you and we can get the process started.

She responds:

Once again. We are Not going to allow UPS to be responsible for an item that was shipped damaged.  Maybe we were not clear.  We are Not going to hold UPS responsible for this item you sent so “carefully packaged”.  Once questions… Since you packaged the item so carefully and double boxed package.  Why did this item arrive broken?  Well the box was not damaged at all and the contents wee still in place.  Seems like you are holding UPS responsible for something that they are not responsible for  We will surely explain this to UPS.  Once again we are not going to accept a claim from UPS.  THIS HAS NOT BEEN A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE THIS A SPECIAL SITUATION. Thank you.

I called eBay.  Where the representative told me that I did not make myself clear in the messages that she was going to receive a refund.  SOOOOO  I message the buyer again.

It does not matter how well you package an item sometimes it breaks. The glass usually breaks and on this item it did not. It was the metal. It was not intentional. WHY would a seller of 19 years want a customer to receive a broken item? I packaged the item sent it to you with insurance.  I purchased insurance on this item for a situation like this.  If I had not purchased insurance I would be responsible. I spoke to an eBay representative and they thought I was not clear that this is UPS’ policy and that I am following their rules.  Once again here are the steps to getting this claim done as quickly as possible.

The way this is being handle is how UPS handles breakages.

#1 I submit the claim with your number

#2 They call you

#3 You package the item in the original packaging and leave it for them to pick up.

#4 They pick it up inspect it

#5 They call me to ask what was in there.

#6 a refund is issued.

Please message me your phone number as soon as possible so that I can get this process started.

She responds:

You are not understanding that we are not going to be part of a claim blaming or holding UPS responsible for the damage done to our item.  That’s it EBAY will definitely have to step in.  even if you do submit a claim, once UPS contacts us we are going to explain what took place.  That’s it… We wish that we never came in touch with you and your item.  We are not going to hold UPS responsible.  you don’t have to explain any more. We will get EBAY involved.

I contacted eBay again.  The person I spoke to volunteered to call the customer and explain that this was what they were supposed to do.  If they sent it back to me the insurance I put on the package would be void.  I guess the buyer was rude and belligerent with the eBay rep.  I received a call back from the eBay rep and she explained the only choice she thought I had was to escalate the claim and have it closed against me THEN appeal the claim and  everything would be rainbows.

All is well that ends well?