Shipped a guitar to USA.. damaged in transit

CamperMan

I recently sold an expensive guitar on ebay to a buyer in the USA..,the guitar was packed and strapped into a secure heavy duty flight case, the guitar arrived badly damaged and the flight case shows external damage, like it was thrown hard or dropped from a height..

Now.. An Post only compensate up to €32 for international parcels..

where do I stand on this

The buyer is demanding I have it returned and now i have to pay the return shipping costs from the USA.. then refund him in full for the guitar..

This thing was shipped as secure as can be.. isn't that what flight cases are for?

It was in a similar case to this

Atlantic Dawn

Who's decision was it to ship it with An Post? Was the buyer presented with alternative options to An Post and refused?

CamperMan

here is another question

If I accept the return and give the buyer a refund, when the guitar arrives back, will customs stiff me for duty?

A Dub in Glasgo

I was selling my sons guitar last year and after researching couriers who would take it, none of them offered insurance for damage. I decided to sell on Gumtree instead and ignore postage

stronglikebull

eBay/Paypal don't make the seller pay for the cost of returns, it's up to the buyer to pay this, so you shouldn't have to pay for them to return it. They must also return it by registered delivery, otherwise the claim will not go in their favour. They will however put the entire cost of refunding the buyer on you (including the cost that they paid for delivery from you).

As it was you that packed the guitar, and chose the delivery service, you are unfortunately responsible for it. It is up to the seller to have adequate insurance in place for the shipment. Any lack of insurance is on you.

A Dub in Glasgo

Although not forced, a good seller will refund the return postage afterall why should the buyer in this instance be out of pocket

BattleReady

That's a tough one. You might ask the buyer to organise the shipping from the US and pay him for it. It would be cheaper from his end. Would never send anything expensive with post. The the ParcelDirect next time

CamperMan

Its all wrapped up now, case closed, i phoned ebay in the usa and talked to them, they looked at my photos and the photos the buyer submitted, read my ebay description and said the buyer did not have a case and closed it there and then on the phone

A Dub in Glasgo

Wow, I am very surprised... was it that obvious?

CamperMan

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Wow, I am very surprised... was it that obvious?

Add your reply here.

The damage was minimal, it was the strap button, part of it had come off, and there was some marking on the very bottom of the body near the strap button.. but as it was a used guitar over 20 years old and not a new one.. ebay said it was acceptable, especially as the strap button can be replaced easily enough

whiterebel

A victory for Common sense by eBay, thanks for the update.

stronglikebull

Wow, that's very surprising. Perhaps eBay are getting more astute in their old age? Usually in this kind of instance you always hear of eBay siding with the buyer.