Refunding for an item damaged in the post, is this a fair solution?

aeb_2

soolin wrote: »

I think the advice about just sending pics of item to get compensation is a little inaccurate. RM will require the goods for inspection together with all the packaging- so you would need it back from th ebuyer.

They also have packing requirements which state items boxed with a certain depth of room , although I do not believe they discriminate between new and used boxes.

This is worth knowing, thanks. My damaged item was sent through MyHermes in an A4 paper box. When I applied for the compensation it was very easy. I had to write a brief description, tell them the value and upload three photos 1) the damaged item 2) the packaging inside 3)the outer box damage. The damage to the outer box was very obvious so perhaps that made it clear cut - or perhaps I was very lucky that day! My buyer did send excellent photos too

Mindless_Clone

AlTeREgO wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies, although we have strayed a little from the original question, or maybe i wasn't clear.

What i was asking is do you think its resasonable to get back to the buyer with an offer of the partial refund? maybe they haven't thought of that option, but its now also granted i hadn't considered it could well be a gift

Well I understood it.

Personally, if it were me offering full cost of the item only, I would think that's a fair deal. Obviously that would depend on whether it was a gift and / or the overall cost of buying another one, and if another one would be readily available for when I needed it etc.
Given that the buyer requested it to be posted when you weren't originally offering postage, I can certainly understand why you don't want to be out of pocket for it.
Ebay can't make you pay their return postage costs; morally I would normally say it's the right thing to do but I don't think this is that straightforward, partly due to cost and partly due to buyer requesting the postage.
So in all, I think you either do a full refund on return, but only of your costs and they can pay the return cost, or offer them the refund for full value of item and they can keep it. If they don't like that, they can take it through ebay, will have to return it at their costs anyway. Essentially the option there is that they pay £21 and have nothing to show for it, or they pay £21 and get to keep the item. I know what I'd chose.
Yes, if you go the latter they'll probably leave a neg you but you can counter that with a polite reply saying you're sorry buyer wasn't able to accept the offer made in their favour this time.


All that said, I think this might be a case where it makes sense to have a telephone conversation with the buyer and discuss it. I suspect they might be far more reasonable in person than in email. You might be able to reach some kind of compromise. Or you might be able to get them to agree to cooperate with a claim for the item, on condition they get to go halves on the compensation (as well as getting their original refund).

hiccup123

have you tried contacting couriers to explain what has happened. they may be able to advise how to make a claim for damage. If there is a chance they will compensate you then ask for the item back, offer to pay the return postage as a gesture of good will and hopefully there'll be no negative feedback.

Or you could offer a partial refund....which i have done in the past and the buyer was happy

martindow

aeb wrote: »

This is worth knowing, thanks. My damaged item was sent through MyHermes in an A4 paper box.

Paper boxes are quite thin and do not provide much protection. I think you may have a struggle claiming on the carrier's insurance as they would expect a double wall box to be used. What packing was between the item and the box and how much did the item weigh? £21 sounds very expensive for a small box like this - were you sending to NI or the Highlands?

AlTeREgO

martindow wrote: »

Paper boxes are quite thin and do not provide much protection. I think you may have a struggle claiming on the carrier's insurance as they would expect a double wall box to be used. What packing was between the item and the box and how much did the item weigh? £21 sounds very expensive for a small box like this - were you sending to NI or the Highlands?

Think you have your posts muddled a bit, my postage was £21, was sent in a thick double walled box and padded out with bubble wrap, the weight was almost 12kg and was a large parcel to handle.
The paper box was what someone else had said they had used for something, and i doubt it was a 12kg parcel

chancesare_2

AlTeREgO wrote: »

Think you have your posts muddled a bit, my postage was £21, was sent in a thick double walled box and padded out with bubble wrap, the weight was almost 12kg and was a large parcel to handle.
The paper box was what someone else had said they had used for something, and i doubt it was a 12kg parcel

I send stuff up to 30kg and it costs less than a tenner....who on earth did you use?

Meadows

AlTeREgO wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies, although we have strayed a little from the original question, or maybe i wasn't clear. What i was asking is do you think its reasonable to get back to the buyer with an offer of the partial refund? maybe they haven't thought of that option, but its now also granted i hadn't considered it could well be a gift.

The question was understood but it is not for us to say whether you should or should not offer a full or partial refund. As the seller only you can decided which way to go as someone has to bare a loss here with damaged goods, and by communicating with your buyer you should be able to reach an amicable agreement.

Crowqueen

If the OP agreed to post and arranged the courier/postal service themselves, they should bear full responsibility for the damage in transit. They could easily have rejected the buyer's request for postage and insisted on collection.

The only time they could possibly disclaim liability in this situation, particularly as a business seller, is if the buyer arranged the courier themselves.

martindow

AlTeREgO wrote: »

The paper box was what someone else had said they had used

Sorry about muddling posts!