ereks mom Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) ETA: I'm not going to contact the seller because the package did arrive. I assumed she had insured it, but she had not. I'm not going to contact the PO either; since the package wasn't insured, they can't do anything. The mailman didn't bring the package to the door or put it into a plastic bag as he usually does, but he wasn't required to do so. I will chalk this one up to experience. Here's the scenario: I bought used books from seller on a used curriculum site. $50 ppd for MFW ECC 7th/8th grade supplement materials. Seller shipped the package media mail, uninsured. I didn't think to ask for it & she didn't offer. Mailman delivered the package, but it wouldn't fit in the mailbox, so he left it on top of the mailbox instead. Mailbox is not in a covered area, but at the end of my driveway, which is off a rural road that is paved and well-traveled. There was a thunderstorm after the mailman left. :glare: The wind blew the box off the mailbox so it sits on the ground, broken open, during the storm. Books were damaged, of course, some worse than others. Since the package was uninsured, do I have any recourse? Certainly, the seller was not at fault. Neither was I. The mailman is at fault, but the package was not insured, so... ???? Edited July 16, 2012 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Unfortunately, the mailman doesn't have to make sure it's in a place away from rain. That's what insurance will cover. The PO will do nothing without it. So, basically, one of you will be out the money. :smash: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I don't think there is anything you can do about it, unfortunately. If it happened en route -- and you do not know at one end it happened or whose fault it was (ie -- maybe the seller didn't package it correctly), I might as the seller if they might be willing to split the cost. (But they are not obliged to.) Once, after my five children took the Iowa Basics tests and I returned them, the mailman at the other end dropped the package, it burst open in the mud, and everything was ruined. I had to pay the cost of replacing the tests for five children, over $200. I hadn't insured it and I was out. It's what taught me to insure packages that were worth it to me and more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 If *I* were in your shoes? Is that the question being asked? *I* would chalk it up to a lesson learned and buy insurance in the future. You could try talking to the PO, but I don't think you will receive any recourse because you did not buy insurance. They will tell you that it is the seller's responsibility to make sure the package gets to you safely. If you bought via PayPal or eBay, then you *might* be able to press the issue and get your money back from the seller. But, it isn't really yet seller's fault, so I would not do that. This is the sort of stance that has caused a lot of people to mostly stop selling online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I don't know what is the rule on post office part, Our mailman always put the unfitted package by the doorstep which is covered porch. Maybe you can complain to post office to see if anything they can do. other than that, i don't think the seller is responsible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 It's definitely not the seller's fault, so I wouldn't even bother to contact her. I would contact the post office and see if there's anything they can do. They probably won't since the package wasn't insured, but they should at least talk to their delivery person. Leaving a package like that on TOP of a mailbox is pretty dumb. I can see next to if they won't bring it up to your house, but he had to know if he left it on top there was a good chance it would topple off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristi26 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Technically, it's the seller's responsibility to buy insurance for a package to protect themselves. BUT, in this case, the package was "safely" delivered by your inept mailman who left it out in the rain. If it were me, I'd go down to the PO with my package (or what's left of it) and complain about it to them. Not that it will do much good probably...this is so sad. I'd be so bummed if my package got destroyed like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 What a bummer! :glare: I'd be ticked, unfortunately I don't know that there's any recourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Well, if it happened once...it is sure to happen again. Are you able to make a little sheltered box for packages next to your mailbox? This could have happened with any package. Or can you ask your PO to keep packages for you to pick up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Martin Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Insurance exists to cover the seller, not the buyer. You could request a refund, but I would call and complain to the post office first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) It's definitely not the seller's fault, so I wouldn't even bother to contact her. I would contact the post office and see if there's anything they can do. They probably won't since the package wasn't insured, but they should at least talk to their delivery person. Leaving a package like that on TOP of a mailbox is pretty dumb. I can see next to if they won't bring it up to your house, but he had to know if he left it on top there was a good chance it would topple off. Yeah, I'm not going to contact the seller because I know it wasn't her fault. I'm not going to contact the PO either, because the package wasn't insured. The puzzling thing is that sometimes the mailman brings large packages to the door and sometimes leaves them at the mailbox--but if he leaves them at the mailbox, he usually puts them into a plastic trash bag and hangs it from the mailbox. (Really. I'm not kidding. It's a rural area and nobody bothers those packages.) But once in awhile he leaves them on top of the mailbox. Oh, well. I finally got the books dry--it took a week of fanning them open and leaving them in a sunny window--but now they're all ruffly. They're usable, but they're not pretty. Edited July 16, 2012 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 The puzzling thing is that sometimes the mailman brings large packages to the door and sometimes leaves them at the mailbox--but if he leaves them at the mailbox, he usually puts them into a plastic trash bag and hangs it from the mailbox. (Really. I'm not kidding. It's a rural area and nobody bothers those packages.) But once in awhile he leaves them on top of the mailbox. Oh, well. I finally got the books dry--it took a week of fanning them open and leaving them in a sunny window--but now they're all ruffly. They're usable, but they're not pretty. Could it have been a substitute mailperson? I'd complain... more because there is a greater chance that a sub needs to be taught better for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 You DO need to complain to the PO. They're not supposed to leave mail out in the open. There's a reason there are lock boxes for packages. If a package doesn't fit, they're supposed to put a note in your mailbox asking you to come pick it up from the PO. We had a mail carrier who made the executive decision to quit delivering our mail because he thought we had moved.:001_huh: We had forgotten to pick up the mail for 3 days one summer and he took it all out of the box, and put a stop on all our mail without our permission. I was LIVID to say the least, and issued a formal complaint. It was taken care of and he was reprimanded. I think you need to let them know what happened. :grouphug: Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Well, if it happened once...it is sure to happen again. Are you able to make a little sheltered box for packages next to your mailbox? This could have happened with any package. Or can you ask your PO to keep packages for you to pick up? I would consider getting a larger mailbox if necessary. After our driver came up the long driveway multiple times with packages, I invested in a larger box. He was happy. We ended up with a large plastic one that wasn't too costly. It made me feel better about smaller packages trying to be crammed in a box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Here's the scenario: I bought used books from seller on a used curriculum site. $50 ppd for MFW ECC 7th/8th grade supplement materials. Seller shipped the package media mail, uninsured. I didn't think to ask for it & she didn't offer. Mailman delivered the package, but it wouldn't fit in the mailbox, so he left it on top of the mailbox instead. Mailbox is not in a covered area, but at the end of my driveway, which is off a rural road that is paved and well-traveled. There was a thunderstorm after the mailman left. :glare: The wind blew the box off the mailbox so it sits on the ground, broken open, during the storm. Books were damaged, of course, some worse than others. Since the package was uninsured, do I have any recourse? Certainly, the seller was not at fault. Neither was I. The mailman is at fault, but the package was not insured, so... ???? No, you have no recourse. It was delivered to your home. It did not fit in your box. Mailman is not required to find optimal location for delivery, though it would have been nice for him to set it on your porch or bring it to you. Mine would have. This is just one of those freak things. Seller certainly isn't responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Well, if it happened once...it is sure to happen again. Are you able to make a little sheltered box for packages next to your mailbox? This could have happened with any package. Or can you ask your PO to keep packages for you to pick up? I have one of those deck boxes with lids -- the square ones -- that I leave by my mailbox if I will be out of town or not home if inclement weather is a possibility. I leave a little sign saying "Please put packages in here." I like my UPS and FedEx guys because they put boxes in trash bags if weather is inclement. I have found they are more considerate than postal employees for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 FYI.......insurance would have been about $2. I always buy it whether people pay for it or not. In your situation there really is no recourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 You DO need to complain to the PO. They're not supposed to leave mail out in the open. There's a reason there are lock boxes for packages. If a package doesn't fit, they're supposed to put a note in your mailbox asking you to come pick it up from the PO. We had a mail carrier who made the executive decision to quit delivering our mail because he thought we had moved.:001_huh: We had forgotten to pick up the mail for 3 days one summer and he took it all out of the box, and put a stop on all our mail without our permission. I was LIVID to say the least, and issued a formal complaint. It was taken care of and he was reprimanded. I think you need to let them know what happened. :iagree: You don't want something like this to happen again to you or someone else. And it very well could be a substitute mailman. Our regular mailman always brings packages to our door. With the subs it's hit or miss. They shouldn't be leaving it on top of your mailbox where it could very well fall off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icul8rg8r Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) Insurance exists to cover the seller, not the buyer. You could request a refund, but I would call and complain to the post office first. My grandmother sent me her Tea Set (from China! That my dad gave her when he was in the service!). It broke. I tried to file a claim since the package was insured. It took SEVEN MONTHS for them to "investigate" to see if: a) my grandmother was at fault for not wrapping and claiming the items to be fragile; b) if the carrier was at fault not handling the package correctly; or c) if I was at fault (dropping the package or any other act of God once the package was delivered). They decided it was probably "a" or "c", and thus insurance did not cover it, and there was no other recourse. So in my opinion & experience, insuring packages thru the USPS is a SCAM. Just pray/hope the seller packages items well (and when I'm the seller, I make sure that I package items the way I would want it done). And if it's something like a Tea Set from your dad/grandma, have it sent by FEDEX or UPS! Edited July 16, 2012 by icul8rg8r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shea Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I would consider getting a larger mailbox if necessary. After our driver came up the long driveway multiple times with packages, I invested in a larger box. He was happy. We ended up with a large plastic one that wasn't too costly. It made me feel better about smaller packages trying to be crammed in a box. This is what I did after struggling to get a package out of my mailbox that a substitute mailperson crammed into it. I could not hardly get the thing out, and by the time I was able to the book inside was damaged. This is the mailbox I have now and I love it. It sounds like the one quoted above. It is wider than the standard box. I realize this doesn't help you with your ruined package, but it may be something to consider for the future. Check out the reviews on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Solar-Group-MB515B-Rubbermaid-Rougneck/dp/B000LNIB4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342468982&sr=8-1&keywords=rubbermaid+mailbox I purchased mine at Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shea Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 My grandmother sent me her Tea Set (from China! That my dad gave her when he was in the service!). It broke. I tried to file a claim since the package was insured. It took SEVEN MONTHS for them to "investigate" to see if: a) my grandmother was at fault for not wrapping and claiming the items to be fragile; b) if the carrier was at fault not handling the package correctly; or c) if I was at fault (dropping the package or any other act of God once the package was delivered). They decided it was probably "a" or "c", and thus insurance did not cover it, and there was no other recourse. So in my opinion & experience, insuring packages thru the USPS is a SCAM. Just pray/hope the seller packages items well (and when I'm the seller, I make sure that I package items the way I would want it done). And if it's something like a Tea Set from your dad/grandma, have it sent by FEDEX or UPS! :iagree: This is a problem with paying for insurance when you are buying from someone online. Even if you pay extra for the insurance, if the seller does not package the item adequately, USPS can deny the claim. So, you have to rely on the seller to do a decent job in packaging and some.just.don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 My grandmother sent me her Tea Set (from China! That my dad gave her when he was in the service!). It broke. I tried to file a claim since the package was insured. It took SEVEN MONTHS for them to "investigate" to see if: a) my grandmother was at fault for not wrapping and claiming the items to be fragile; b) if the carrier was at fault not handling the package correctly; or c) if I was at fault (dropping the package or any other act of God once the package was delivered). They decided it was probably "a" or "c", and thus insurance did not cover it, and there was no other recourse. So in my opinion & experience, insuring packages thru the USPS is a SCAM. Just pray/hope the seller packages items well (and when I'm the seller, I make sure that I package items the way I would want it done). And if it's something like a Tea Set from your dad/grandma, have it sent by FEDEX or UPS! :iagree: Insurance is a scam. Had a similar thing happen so anything of value goes FedX or UPS. We live in a rural area and they don't deliver to a mailbox at our home but to a central location near our home with a bunch of boxes. I learned last Xmas after a cake kindly delivered and left at our gate by the postal lady disappeared that the workers are not allowed or supposed to do so without a signed release from you. She now calls me when she has something that doesn't fit and I meet her to pick it up. UPS and FedX leave things in plastic bags all the time here too. SOrry for your frustration but insuring it would have been a bigger nightmare in the long run imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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