USPS shipping issue...shaft lost, insurance denied

I'm confused, was it insured for the $300? If not you are probably out of luck since there was no signature required and it was left unattended on your porch. If it was insured, it's typically the shipper that would have to file the claim because he would have the original receipt, which is required in most cases. But there is a dollar amount where all insured packages need a signature, if that was the case...you have a case.

I had one instance where there was insurance in a cue shipment to me (maybe $500) that was left on my porch over night so there was some slight warpage of the shaft and some finish issues. My local post office recognized that they should have gotten a signature so they worked with me to get it repaired to the tune of about $160. It took a couple times, but the personal touch with my post office proved to help a great deal as they hand holded me through the process.

Good luck.

Dave
 
azdiamondbacks1 said:
" Proof of Value" ? That sounds like an universal out clause for USPS
Hey Mr. Postal Manager- It makes it a little bit tough to prove the
value of the contents when your greasy postal worker with the
sticky fingers decides to help himself to the contents before said
package is delivered.
*
I am not Einstein or anything but couldn't they weigh the weight of the box
when they handed it to you and compare that with the weight the
shipper paid to ship said box ??
Click to expand...

It isn't employee theft. It is the way in which parcels are handled. They get tossed in a large metal container with dozens of other parcels on, under and beside them and then put in the back of a tractor trailer.

Which is why, for the 1,000th time, USE REGISTERED MAIL.

Why? Because registered mail gets handled separate from everything else and every step of the way an employee has to sign for it and is responsible for it. It doesn't cost much more.

But if you prefer the thrill of wondering whether your cue can survive having a 50 lb box fall on it, then continue to ignore my advice. Good luck.
 
people buy a cue sent in a cardboard carton and if it survives put it in a 300 dollar secure case. yet they dont require it to be packaged in any certain way, and buy from some kid that isnt going to make up for the damage.

buyer beware. and if if wasnt for fools other fools wouldnt have money.

learn your lesson for free or learn it after getting ripped off by the seller as did the op here.
 
Shafted by usps

speedy5963 said:
That is too bad to hear, I shipped a shaft to a friend to try out via USPS, it was wrapped up very well, in a tub that was sealed very well. When he received the tube, it was cut open, top was gone and it was empty, there was stamp that the post office in PA used, said item damaged upon arrival??? So sometime from the office in San Jose CA to PA someone cut into it, removed the contents and then processed. In the end my buddy received an empty tube, post office said it couldn't of been an employee??? Go figure, sealed tube taken in, empty damaged tube delivered??? Not a huge fan of USPS
Click to expand...

YEP....What SPEEDY said......Hi Buddy
Unbelievable what the World had come to Today. I actually Received an Empty Tube
and Got ZERO Help From The Postal Service after several attempts to Find Out What happened to the Shaft. It was Pretty obvious that Somebody in the USPS
system Cut Open the Tube and Stole the Shaft. The part I couldn't believe was that they actually had the Balls To send the Empty Tube to me after Stealing the Shaft....What A Lowlife...Who Does That.

Thanks.....Paul
 
I'm curious if any of these packages are shipped priority or just standard mail?
 
When a usps lettercarrier gets a parcel that is open or damaged he or she gives it to a supervisor to show they received it that way. The parcels are shippedfrom city to cityand stations by contract drivers and airlines . In transit it isnt postal employees . Not saying never but very doubtful a career employee would risk a career. In a postal facility everywhere but bathrooms are watched. If you (like most)on here do and ship correctly it will get there.30 yrs U.S.P.S. PROUD OF IT.
 
samsarakid24 said:
YEP....What SPEEDY said......Hi Buddy
Unbelievable what the World had come to Today. I actually Received an Empty Tube
and Got ZERO Help From The Postal Service after several attempts to Find Out What happened to the Shaft. It was Pretty obvious that Somebody in the USPS
system Cut Open the Tube and Stole the Shaft. The part I couldn't believe was that they actually had the Balls To send the Empty Tube to me after Stealing the Shaft....What A Lowlife...Who Does That.

Thanks.....Paul
Click to expand...

Same here...I got a package last week and the butt was missing. Luckily it was a cheap cue on ebay but it was shipped through FEDEX! and I didn't expect that would happen using them.
Oh well
 
Rico said:
When a usps lettercarrier gets a parcel that is open or damaged he or she gives it to a supervisor to show they received it that way. The parcels are shippedfrom city to cityand stations by contract drivers and airlines . In transit it isnt postal employees . Not saying never but very doubtful a career employee would risk a career. In a postal facility everywhere but bathrooms are watched. If you (like most)on here do and ship correctly it will get there.30 yrs U.S.P.S. PROUD OF IT.
Click to expand...

Bingo. It was shipped Priority and packaged poorly. I'm disappointed that no employee noted that the tube was open. I've been denied twice by insurance. I'll try again.
 
I recently sent an expensive (for me that is) cue to Scott at Proficent for a refinish. I sent it FedEx next day and paid for $5000.00 insurance. The shipping costs for both directions came to about $250.00. It was bubble wrapped and packed into a 3 inch round PVC pipe with one sealed end and a screw on end on the other. It was just about indestructible. His charge for the refinish was about $135.00. The shipping company made almost double what Scott did on his work. I've read many nightmare stories on AZ over the years about just about every shipping company there is so I chose the one I trusted the most. It seems like they all suck to some degree an appears to be getting worse and not better. I know I was very concerned shipping that package! Good Luck to the OP I wish companies and there employees were more trustworthy but they don't seem to care a bit.
 
Bavafongoul said:
In the future, just do everything via the USPS vs. signed receipt......even if the carton was not showing signs of any abusive handling, I always have a pocket knife.......it takes a second to cut and open the box while the postman is there........just tell them you want to verify the shipper didn't rip you off sending an empty box and then mention also in case of any damage........or else arrange to have it shipped to your local post office and examine the contents of the box in the presence of a postal employee....empty boxes or damaged items can be noted on the receipt....any damage claim has to be initiated by the seller/shipper whom paid for the cost of any stated value insurance coverage.

I realize this is just hindsight advice and I hope you can get things ultimately resolved favorably for you.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Signature required and you cut the package open right in front of them. I have done his several times when buying from people off craigslist or ebay. The postman didn't seem to mind.
 
KCRack'em said:
I bought a cue from a seller here on AZB ($300) and the shipping tube arrived open with the shaft missing. I paid by money order so I have the receipt to prove value, but USPS has denied the claim and my first appeal. First denial stated that I did not provide proof of value. I did provide what the local post office said to provide. I haven't received a reason for the second denial in the mail yet. I found out about it when I logged in to check on the status.
I need advice for my next appeal. I'm sure we have employees and customers among us who can help/have experience with this.
I also would like to know what I should expect from the seller if all appeals are exhausted. As it stands, I think we're far apart on this.
There is a lesson or two to be learned here:
Pack your tubes so that nothing will slide out if it comes open. Yes this requires more packing material, but may be well worth the extra effort.
Use stronger tape on the ends of the tube. I've researched it and found there to be a lot of varieties of tape available. Spend and extra buck or two for the good stuff.
Click to expand...
Use USPS for mailing letters only.....FEDEX for shipping cues...

I know firsthand , having worked for USPS, that they don't care at all about you unless your item was shipped from Amazon.
 
Majic said:
Use USPS for mailing letters only.....FEDEX for shipping cues...

I know firsthand , having worked for USPS, that they don't care at all about you unless your item was shipped from Amazon.
Click to expand...

And then they run over your fence, swear at your dog and tear up your driveway. On Sunday. Just happened to me.
 
LAlouie said:
This won't help, but you should have taken a photo of the opened box, which I would think lays blame on the shipper.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you can blame the shipper. The shipper used a tube
stated by the OP, I would assume the butt had bubble wrap around it?
A cue in a tube is pretty snug, unless the shipper used nothing , which i doubt.
I would think the whole cue would be missing, not just a shaft.
Not sure if its that cut and dry to put it on the shipper. If he used a box, that might
be a different story.
 
maha said:
it is the sellers responsibility to get it to you in the condition you bought it as. so it is up to him to make you whole. he is fully responsible.

having said that you need a bill of sale from him for what you bought. that is proof of value. in it have him state what he sold and when he sent it and how.

next time for all. dont accept a damaged package. open it in front of who delivered it or have it taken back to their office depending on the company.

also when buying from anyone make it clear who is responsible for what.
especially when buying from an individual who may not be diligent on packaging or paying for his mistakes.

i personally wouldnt give a stranger in the poolroom 500 bucks first to go out and get a cue from his car, nor would i pay 500 bucks to a stranger on the web in advance unless he had a top reputation, an address i can find him at, a phone number, and a reference.
Click to expand...
I say this with all due respect but i really disagree with you that its the sellers
responsibility to get a parcel to the buyer in the condition he bought it.
If I ( as the seller) sell you something and go through the proper measures of
shipping you your item, then thats what I'm responsible for.

Once its out of my control and with the postal service, its would be nuts
for me to be responsible for there error. I've done my part the best I could.
I'm a straight up guy who thankfully has had perfect deals, but could
never take the beat for something that I have no control over. IMHO
 
scsuxci said:
I say this with all due respect but i really disagree with you that its the sellers
responsibility to get a parcel to the buyer in the condition he bought it.
If I ( as the seller) sell you something and go through the proper measures of
shipping you your item, then thats what I'm responsible for.

Once its out of my control and with the postal service, its would be nuts
for me to be responsible for there error. I've done my part the best I could.
I'm a straight up guy who thankfully has had perfect deals, but could
never take the beat for something that I have no control over. IMHO
Click to expand...

But does the buyer have to take responsibility for their mistake? The way I see it you are the one that contracted UPS or whatever shipping method you used so it is the sellers responsibility until the buyer receives their package in the condition described. If say you didn't use UPS and used a friend to deliver the item and your friend ran off, would it then be your responsibility? Just my .02.

Edit: If you want a loophole to this that takes responsibility off of you, ask the buyer their preferred shipping outlet. It may be out of your way but if the customer chooses what company is contracted, if the item left your hands as described by you then in that case I would say it was on the buyer.
 
Last edited:
scsuxci said:
I'm not sure if you can blame the shipper. The shipper used a tube
stated by the OP, I would assume the butt had bubble wrap around it?
A cue in a tube is pretty snug, unless the shipper used nothing , which i doubt.
I would think the whole cue would be missing, not just a shaft.
Not sure if its that cut and dry to put it on the shipper. If he used a box, that might
be a different story.
Click to expand...

No caps on the end of the tube as far as I can tell...just tape. And no bubble wrap, so no, it was not snug allowing the cue to move back and forth against the tape. The cue may have made it, but it looks like the pin made a hole in the paper that both pieces were wrapped in and thus the shaft escaped. Seller insists that it was packaged well. I'm still shocked that I was left to deal with the insurance claim. I would have refunded the money and taken on the claim myself if I was the seller........
 
The post office is always a pain to get them to deal with a claim. Fedex is always your best bet, on anything expensive like a cue, they will pay off. :o
 
The post office is always a pain to get them to deal with a claim. Fedex is always your best bet, on anything expensive like a cue, they will pay off. :o
 
so the seller s==t on you and you are protecting him. maybe he will do the same to another member here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top