[78-L] Filing USPS insurance claim-Good news-Bad news

[David Lennick]

I did okay a few years ago when I bought close to 200 V-Discs from a seller who 
clearly didn't pack them well, with the result that most of the shellac ones 
arrived in pieces or cracked. I filed the claim, surrendered the damaged discs 
(which I didn't want to do initially because the cracked ones could have been 
transferred, but I couldn't make the claim otherwise) and the settlement was 
paid, although for reasons I couldn't understand, it was paid to the SELLER to 
forward to me.

In most other cases, damaged records have been returned to the seller with a 
note reading something like "You eedjit" and most of them settled up. Only 
towards the time I gave up on eBay (because of too many eedjits) did the 
sellers begin constantly accusing me of breaking the records myself or buying 
them to transfer and then return.

dl

On 4/2/2011 3:50 PM, Jim Whipkey wrote:
>
>    I've just had my first EVER  78 record sale on E-Bay arrive broken, the good news is  I've had a fantastic, easy experience with USPS, filed the claim on line, received payment in full in less than a week AND they also refunded  the postage!  What happened  was I sold an old box set of Stan Kenton records, Innovations,  4 records in album to guy in FL  who notified me the records arrived broken (sent a picture of them) and I had included cost of insurance in purchase price.  Buyer told me package was obviously damaged  in handling, even sent me a message in which he described USPS  as United States Parcel Smashers, but  turned crazy when I advised him to file the insurance claim, said he was too busy to make trips to the post office,  didn't have room to store the broken records at his house because he "had company coming".  Next thing I know, he filed claim with Paypal, gave me  negative feedback saying I did not pack item well,  when Paypal told him he had to return r
ecor
>   ds to me to get refund which I had already agreed to give.  He sent records back, I filed the claim, got  my money and his back and he is out the cost of returning the records to me.
>    I'm obviously upset over his unfair negative feedback, but feel fairly well vindicated by subsequent feedback from other buyers who received their records intact.  I  have always packed records between sheets of thick cardboard and  insulated  the records from the outer package with tightly stuffed shredded paper which  has always proved satisfactory. Still puzzled over  the buyers behavior and reactions, but  intend to continue offering my surplus and/or unwanted  records  from time to time. Estimate my box score on selling  78s on E-Bay,  100 or so  happy, one  buyer I was unable to please,
>    Jim Whipkey