Whose responsibility is it to claim damage? Buyer or Seller?

ctsoxfan

I am a bit disappointed with a recent purchase I made from a large Ebay PSA seller. I am certain everyone here would know him if I singled him out, but I won't just yet. I have been buying cards from him for at least the past six months, and have probably purchased 30-40 graded cards from him in that time. My most recent purchase was a $250.00 order of 7 graded cards, for which I payed insurance on the shipment. When the package arrived (marked insured), I found two of the seven holders badly damaged, though the cards seem to be fine.

I contacted the seller, and he replied back fairly quickly, telling me to bring the package and cards to my local PO and file a claim. He told me to let him know where to send the insurance receipt. Because of my schedule, it is very difficult to get to the local PO during their counter hours to do this, and, even if I do, what kind of recourse can I expect from them? I would guess I would have to surrender the cards, but since the cards themselves are OK, can I expect a full refund of what I paid the seller? This seems like a lot of work for an innocent buyer to have to do, and I would think the seller would have offered to take the cards back, or at least pay to have them reholdered for me. Anyone have any experience with this type of transaction? Thanks in advance.

habs71

<< <i>I contacted the seller, and he replied back fairly quickly, telling me to bring the package and cards to my local PO and file a claim. >>



This is a subject that has been covered many times on this board.

It is to your advantage to take the cards to your local PO..along with all the packing material. You can initiate the claim without the receipt.

Returning the items to the seller so they may file the claim may void your claim of damage. The items could have been damaged during the return shipping.

Go to www.usps.com and read up on insurance and filing a claim.




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Gottabuyit

the buyer has to file the claim because of what habs just said. They will think you are trying to pull a fast one if you did it that way.

ctsoxfan

Thanks for the replies. Will the PO reimburse me the full amount I paid for the cards, even though it is only the holders that were damaged? If not, I might just send them back to PSA myself with my next submission and pay the $5 each to reholder them.

habs71

No, but they will pay for the reholdering.



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Gottabuyit

how badly did the holder break? If it totally broke off, PSA may not believe you that it is a reholdering. I think in the insurance case, the post office has to have someone inspect to contents and deicide what you deserve.

habs71

<< <i>the post office has to have someone inspect to contents and deicide what you deserve. >>




Definately! Can't file a damage claim with out the PO inspecting the package and contents.



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ctsoxfan

Thanks again for the help.

DeutscherGeist

I faced the same exact problem myself. I won 4 cards on ebay from one seller and only one had slight damage to the holder.

There is no way around it, you must go to the PO and show them all the cards and packaging material and so on. After the PO inspects the stuff on sight, they took the damaged card in holder and asked me to fill out a claim form. I showed them what I paid for that particular card by having a printed copy of the ebay site (any valid proof is OK). They told me that they will now send the form to the seller to sign. They gave me a carbon copy of the portion I filled out. Weeks later, I received a check for the amount I paid for that card. I did, in the meantime contact the seller via email to tell him that a form was coming that he needs to sign in order for me to get the claim money and reminding him that he will not lose any money. He emailed me back and said it was done (He did not even hesitate and did his part very fast and helped me out). He was a good seller, so of course he would do this to his customers.

I must also add that although the PSA card could have been reholdered, how could anyone really be sure if the card itself was damaged or not. I did not want that risk. This was the fast and easy way to do it. Keep in mind that even the slightest knick on a corner will lower the PSA grade 1 or 2 grades. If I had told the post office that I wanted to file a claim for the $5 reholdering fee, they would accept that too, but then I would have to send it to PSA at my cost and go to the PO again to show the invoice that I had the card holder replaced. Only then would they grant the $5. Think about the shipping fees for sending the card to PSA. It may cost $5 back and forth as well. It makes no financial sense. Plus, that's two trips to the post office, so filing a total claim was the better and safer option. The PSA card was a Sportflics Jose Canseco card that I won for about $10, it was not anything rare. We can afford to lose more 80's cards from the hobby anyway.

The PO makes things so complicated and rigid that I wish they would just cash out on the spot for claims under $50.

ctsoxfan

<< <i>The PO makes things so complicated and rigid that I wish they would just cash out on the spot for claims under $50 >>



Yes, that would be great! The two cards in question are listed in the SMR for around $50 each, but I won them for around half that. I didn't actually think about the fact that the corners might have incurred some damage from the case being cracked, so I think my best bet is going to be the claim form route. I saved the package, and have a printed copy of my Paypal receipt to show the prices paid. I only wish the seller would have taken an extra minute to better protect the shipment (remember, I spent $250.00 here, and paid for insured shipping. I have spent $25.00 before, and received shipments in Priority Mail boxes! Here, just a bubble wrapper, no extra protection for the cards.) Well, you live and learn. Thanks for the help, DG.