Insured item damaged in transit.

Just wanted to get a feel for outside opinion on this.

Purchased an item that came damaged in transit. It was insured via the carrier, so a claim will be made. Because it's not an expensive claim it will likely be approved, but there's no guarantee.

Should the seller refund the item price and make the claim, expecting the buyer to assist where necessary? (Buyer gets their money back immediately, seller gets claim, if approved, in however many days / weeks that takes)

Or, should the seller have the buyer make the claim, not refund anything, and have the buyer collect the claim when / if it is approved?

What's normal for Hardforum?

Buyer should refund the money and then file the claim. That is the way it should be handled. You paid for a item that was damaged in transit. That isn't your fault. Thought the seller couldn't help what happened in transit though. But he got insurance and that should solve that issue. Only thing you will have to do is return the item if they need it to be returned. Thanks

I have been trading for a while now and have had this happen a couple of times to me as a seller and a buyer.

Both times I have refunded or got refunded immediately by the seller and the claim was filed. As a seller if the insured service did not need the damaged item I would let the opposite party keep it as we both recieved our money in the end.

I'm pretty sure the claim needs to be handled by the seller. So the seller should refund the money (under the buyer's agreement to help with the claim) and then be reimbursed by the shipping service.

The seller should refund the money ASAP and handle the claim. Was the packaging not good? Just asking because I've shipped a couple loaded towers across country and they never been damaged nor has any of my other items for that matter.

I actually just went through this.

I shipped a desktop to someone in the original packaging and it looked like UPS played soccer with the box. Buyer took pics as he opened the package since he noticed the box was damaged. He sent me the pics and explained to me what happened. I immediately tried to work out a deal with him and gave him a partial refund for what needed to replaced.

I would not refund without pics because of the chance of being scammed. I probably wouldn't refund MOST times without having the carrier pickup the package first, or receiving the item back.

Hopefully the shipper didnt ship through the UPS Store. That was a nightmare to deal with. As a shipper you are giving up any and all rights to handle your own claim and hoping the lazy bastards at the UPS store will handle it correctly for you.

Buyer returns item. Seller refunds in full upon receipt and verification. Seller pursues claim.

It is the seller's responsibility to deliver the item in the described condition. Insurance protects the shipper/seller. Buyer has nothing to do with it.

Jack Flash said:

Or, should the seller have the buyer make the claim, not refund anything, and have the buyer collect the claim when / if it is approved?

Click to expand...

Not really weighing in on the situation, but the buyer literally can't file the claim, if you try it will be denied.

I have had this happen to me as both the buyer and the seller.

I seem to be in the minority here, but when this happened with me as a seller, i told the buyer I would refund his money after the he helped me file the claim, regardless if the claim was approved or not, as long as he helped me properly file it. I need the buyers help since he has the damaged item, packing materials it was in, etc...

In some cases, the shipping company needs to have the damaged goods brought to them and inspected, exactly as shipped, to see if the person shipping them was negligent in proper packing.

I always expect the buyer to assist with that. My reasoning is because it needs to be inspected asap and before it is re-shipped back to me. If it is shipped back to the seller first, the original shipped could say it was damaged during the return and deny the claim.

However, there is a upside to this, for the buyer.
In return for the help, when the claim is paid to me, I refund the buyer his payment and let him keep the item.

Example: I sold a laptop that arrived in working order, but with some damage.
I talked to the buyer, and we worked on the claim together. I told him if the claim is denied, to send me back the laptop, and I would refund his original payment and cost to ship back. When the claim was approved, refunded his money, and let him keep the laptop.

My point is, if someone sends me a picture of a item telling me it is damaged, is not enough for a AUTO REFUND ASAP.

The shipper is the neutral middle party here, and needs to be able to at least see the item first and get the claim processed.

It ok to disagree with me, but having been burned a few times but stuff like this had just made me leary. A prefect example here:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1653357

Oh I agree don't refund right away but the burden lies with the seller. If the buyer is cooperative then all the better.

DPOSCORP said:

I have had this happen to me as both the buyer and the seller.

I seem to be in the minority here, but when this happened with me as a seller, i told the buyer I would refund his money after the he helped me file the claim, regardless if the claim was approved or not, as long as he helped me properly file it. I need the buyers help since he has the damaged item, packing materials it was in, etc...

In some cases, the shipping company needs to have the damaged goods brought to them and inspected, exactly as shipped, to see if the person shipping them was negligent in proper packing.

I always expect the buyer to assist with that. My reasoning is because it needs to be inspected asap and before it is re-shipped back to me. If it is shipped back to the seller first, the original shipped could say it was damaged during the return and deny the claim.

However, there is a upside to this, for the buyer.
In return for the help, when the claim is paid to me, I refund the buyer his payment and let him keep the item.

Example: I sold a laptop that arrived in working order, but with some damage.
I talked to the buyer, and we worked on the claim together. I told him if the claim is denied, to send me back the laptop, and I would refund his original payment and cost to ship back. When the claim was approved, refunded his money, and let him keep the laptop.

My point is, if someone sends me a picture of a item telling me it is damaged, is not enough for a AUTO REFUND ASAP.

The shipper is the neutral middle party here, and needs to be able to at least see the item first and get the claim processed.

It ok to disagree with me, but having been burned a few times but stuff like this had just made me leary. A prefect example here:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1653357

Click to expand...

your policy is very fair, eventually i will proceed same way

I was the seller/shipper. It was an assembled build in a Bitfenix Prodigy case. The bottom feet of it were cracked (which bitfenix toutes as being "indestructable") with it being wrapped in thick plastic (the plastic was from a serta mattress that I had just gotten), put it in the Prodigy's box, which was then put in to a larger box (about 3ft tall) with all of the boxes from the items that were in the build. The box had really big red labels on each side saying this side up, fragile material, etc..

I had also suggested trying an RMA with Bitfenix since the case is sold out everywhere. And that would be faster then waiting for a check from the post office.

There is someone else on this forum selling the same case as new in box for $60. I offered to pay to get that one now (well after the claim has been made, and the item taken to the post office for inspection), then when the claim comes, I get reimbursed. The case I originally payed $92 for, and would be what the insurance claim would be for, giving the buyer $32 for his troubles.

Or, the buyer is interested in another item of mine. I offered to take that amount off the other item, again after the claim has been made.


As for the broken case, if the post office doesnt keep it, the buyer can do what he wants with it. Could easily fix the feet, and have them wrapped in something, painted over, etc... and have a second usable one.



Oddly enough, there was an H100 in there, and I have video proof of the entire build working as it should the day before shipping. Buyer said only one fan was spinning with the four fans plugged in to the H100. Buyer dissasembled the build before testing everything else though, and I would want all pieces tested before a claim be filed. If they arent, and something else is damaged, Im not going to be responsible for that.

Cracked where the holes are? Send us an email [email protected]

We'll get you replacement ones.