Shipping - Who's Resposible for Receipt of Item?

Update... package is still missing. I contacted the post office and they have opened up an investigation/trace. It will take up to 15 days to complete. The agreement was that I ship the package regular post, but I opted at my own expense to mail it with delivery/tracking confirmation and $100 insurance. IMO, it is a no fault situation, therefore, I have proposed to the buyer that if the package does not show up, and there is nothing more that the Post Office can do, money will be refunded and I will take my chance with a insurance claim. I believe this to be a reasonable resolution.

I always make it a point to get insurance on anything I ship. If buyer declines to pay the extra, then it is clearly HIS fault if the package becomes lost.

I always, always, always insure. It's not a Buyer option. For items under $100 insurance is included by the shipper - though for USPS I believe this is an exception.

For a small, low $ item, I may take a chance, but if it's lost I'd probably shrug, and give a refund. At the same time I think it behooves both partys to work together to locate the missing item.

Finally, if you purchased tracking and USPS can show it was signed for, then it's the buyer's word against the Post Office, which in my opinion makes it the buyer's problem, which he/she needs to take up with the post office. This said, I think it's good practice to help the buyer locate the item if it's clear he/she's acting in good faith.

If you have your tracking that showed delivery it's on him, it's on you if you can't prove you sent the item. Insurance wouldn't help if the item was delivered, the post office did their job. You can't be responsible for what happens once an item gets delivered because there are those who try to get another item sent over again. I'm going through a hassle with a guy who waited for six months after I sent an item to tell me he never got it. Tracking is dead as the post office deletes records after six months. You can't check to see if it was delivered and insurance no longer compensates you for sending another item. I sent this guy another replacement even though I did not feel like I was obligated to do so, now he did the same thing and told me he didn't get it again, That's where I told him to take a flying......

Actually, according to AudiogoN policy (I know, who cares?), it is still the shipper's responsibility until the buyer accepts the item is as described in the ad.
What's the difference between the shipper's liability if the package is lost or damaged in shipping?

The buyer is supposed to be able to open the box, inspect the item and try it out to make sure it works as stated in the ad. When he accepts it, then the shippers liabilty ends.

I agree with Tvad that signature service should be required. That at least would help track the package after delivery. It's not a perfect system though, as I've known my mailman to sign for my USPS packages.

Maybe the reason I defend the buyer is because this just happened to me for the first time. I've been involved in shipping damage issues before, who hasn't? I've never been part of a missing package before though.

The shipper sent it via UPS Ground. Sent me a tracking number. The tracking number says the package was delivered last Friday. I asked my wife and children, no one has seen this package. There was no signature required, so it was just dropped off. Who knows what happened? Was it stolen off my front porch? Did the driver drop it off at the wrong house? Who knows? All I know is my $2500 item is missing. Is the shipper's responsibility over? How do I know what was in the box? It could be a new scam for all I know, sending out phantom tracking numbers.

Look at it from the buyer's point of view.
The seller can recoup the insurance, the buyer cannot.
The seller could have the buyer's money and the insurance money. The buyer is at the seller's mercy.
Who's got the best chance of being screwed here?

I'll get off my soapbox now. Goodnight Gracie.

John