Advice on a trade gone bad, and fixing it

[Lohman446]

Ok.. I recently made a deal for someone for a mag rail. He sent me the money order, no big deal and I sent out the rail (though even here was a screw up, he was under the impression we were going to ship at the same time, I waited until I had the rail).

The problems - ok, actually I handed it to someone else to mail for me. Its been over two weeks (or close to it) and he does not have his rail yet. Understandably his mail to me is getting a bit frustrated. I can understand that.

At this point I have PMed Tuna and asked him to ship a rail and Ill pay for it, because I don't have another used one to send this member.

My question is what more should I do on this? What more can I do? I feel really bad this person has not gotten what I promised them.

[Pyroboy597]

Do you know the person who you told to mail it well enough that they would be honest about if something had happened? Is the person you shipped it to honest enough to be saying that he really did not get the rail?

[skriptal]

that sound like something that happened to me, exept i was on the reciving end and the person refused to give me a full refund on the tank, even though i never got it. So i settled for a 50% refund. I lost 80 smakaroos :(

I thought it would be better just taking the 50% refund than driving to his state and filing a claim in small claims court.

Lohman, you are doing the right thing. I wish more sellers would be like yo and fix their messes.

[coyote]

You are making good on your obligation...

If a member asks for more they are being unreasoable.

In the future always use a trackable shipping source like USPS priority. it would only cost $4 to ship the rail, it will get there fast, and it will save headaches.

I once had a buyer send me an address with the wrong street#. Because I was able to track it the buyer got his part in spite of the mistake.

[Rudz]

im in the middle of the same situation with an ao member, i paid for a tank, he shipped it, i have the tracking number and the tank has been recieved in my city on the 14th..2 days after he shipped it..my local po says they dont have it, ive called the main office in the are, they have yet to get back to me, ive checked the local po several times..and stiull no tank..the ao member has done everything he can, the tracking number says a packege shipped and arrived, but i dont have it and neither doeas my local po..so what am i supposed to do? im gonna keep calling the main office untill i get some answers..

[Maggot6]

I would no doubt be angry if I were the other guy, but I would certainly appreciate the fact that you are refunding him with Tuna's goodness...

There is nothing you can do more than that, and even if he took you to court, what could he do, make you pay for another rail? :tard:

[Temo Vryce]

Lohman, You're welcome to mess up a deal with me anytime if it means that you'll buy me new Tuna parts. ;) It's people like you that give AO the reputation that I have known and come to expect from traders here. I have 2 trades on going with AOer's now and I'm happy to say so far everything is going really well. If more traders were like you the internet would be a much better place for purchasing stuff.

[Arstron]

That is why I always (unless somone else takes it to the post office) send my packages USPS Priority mail with a tracking number. I have only had problems with late shipments twice while shipping like that and each time should where the package was stuck at.

[ABTOCMEPTb]

When you want something to be done right - do it your self.

[rx2]

To whom did you give the rail? Also, by what means did you send it, or have it sent?

Also, to anyone selling or buying, I have a few suggestions. As someone who deals with hundreds of items a day, USPS is iffy, at best. Sure, they usually deliver, but the tracking system is usually way behind, or doesn't even list packages as existing in the system. I strongly suggest either UPS or FedEx (stay away from DHL at all costs). UPS has the best tracking and claim settlement in my experience, with FedEx close behind.

Of course, no matter what system you use, don't be cheap: always make sure to insure items over 100 dollars, and request the "signature required" option. It still isn't 100 percent foolproof, but it is your best bet. Otherwise you may end up with at item listed as delivered, even though the buyer never did actually receive it.

[robnix]

To whom did you give the rail? Also, by what means did you send it, or have it sent?

Also, to anyone selling or buying, I have a few suggestions. As someone who deals with hundreds of items a day, USPS is iffy, at best. Sure, they usually deliver, but the tracking system is usually way behind, or doesn't even list packages as existing in the system. I strongly suggest either UPS or FedEx (stay away from DHL at all costs). UPS has the best tracking and claim settlement in my experience, with FedEx close behind.

Of course, no matter what system you use, don't be cheap: always make sure to insure items over 100 dollars, and request the "signature required" option. It still isn't 100 percent foolproof, but it is your best bet. Otherwise you may end up with at item listed as delivered, even though the buyer never did actually receive it.

This is VERY good advice.

[Pha|anx]

It's people like you that give AO the reputation that I have known and come to expect from traders here.If only more trades had Lohman's way of business. Is it not sad? We expect AO to be scammer free but when we finally fall pray it hurts even more.






/UPS > Fedex > USPS
//Postal tracking is a joke. Get real!
///Mich people are awesome! :cheers:

[Rudz]

usps says i had my tank a week ago..umm yeah ok..then i should have it right?? not my fault they delivered it somehwere else..or maybe it never left the post ofice..all i know is i dont have it..and im not at all mad at the sender..its the post office i want to tear into :mad:

[syl58]

if you sent parcel post, it took 3 weeks until I got my order from wwa. oh, and usps broke a tippmann (snapped the metal) I sold and now i have to file a claim, and wait, i really hate usps, never use them

[shorty24]

Lohman is from West MI?! I must meet this man :D

More seriously though, I wish there were more traders like hime out there... I know I always try my best to fulfill my obligations in a deal, and I greatly respect that in others. So, here's to Lohman and all those other great traders out there :cheers:

[Strider]

Personally I would give it another week or two. Then again, I'm from Canada so I cross border deals 4 weeks before I start worrying. :p

Advice - keep up the communications. If your replying quickly to his queries, he shouldn't get worked up.

Course, this is the internet - getting worked up is what it's all about. :argh:

[punkncat]

I have to agree that USPS' tracking is rather a joke...but I have used priority service with hundreds of packages with zero problems. (knock on wood)

I used to work for UPS. I have a few suggestions. DO NOT mark anything as fragile. ALWAYS overpack your goods for protection, and insure for sure. Ramp workers and FRAGILE means fun playing field goal kicker or worse....probably happens with any shipper. I guess its much like when you work in the kitchen at a restaurant, you never eat there again.

[TheAngryDrunkenRussian]

UPS also believes that if the box is 8 inches it will fit in a 5 inch hole when they pack trucks.

[Tao]

Ok.. I recently made a deal for someone for a mag rail. He sent me the money order, no big deal and I sent out the rail (though even here was a screw up, he was under the impression we were going to ship at the same time, I waited until I had the rail).

The problems - ok, actually I handed it to someone else to mail for me. Its been over two weeks (or close to it) and he does not have his rail yet. Understandably his mail to me is getting a bit frustrated. I can understand that.

At this point I have PMed Tuna and asked him to ship a rail and Ill pay for it, because I don't have another used one to send this member.

My question is what more should I do on this? What more can I do? I feel really bad this person has not gotten what I promised them.

The best is to be honest first and foremost

Right now you stand in a breach of contract. Before you do anything else I would confront the guy you are dealing with and ask him what option HE would like to do to fix this, even before you go ahead and order a new one from Tuna.
For example

1)refund
2)ship a new rail (i.e. From Tuna)
3)Keep waiting for the orriginal to arrive.
4)add in a partial refund to any option for the inconveninece.
5)anything else you can come to an agreement on

You should find that (usually) being honest about what is going on up front will be the best. You may get a rippen but at least you can keep his confidence that you are not trying to rip him off.

Hope this helps.