# Any recourse for a eBay item damaged in shipping? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422 "2004-03-04T00:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/1 "2004-03-04T00:23:45Z")
I bought a dreamcast off eBay, in the seller’s description of it, he says “Works great.” Now the Dreamcast won’t read any CDs, whether they are game or audio ones. I think it’s the lens that is damaged, since the CDs do seem to spin when the DC is checking them out. He shipped to Canada through USPS. When I contacted him about this he said: > [@](#): > > I played the system before I shipped it and it worked just fine. There were no problems with it before it left. If it got damaged, it was during shipment with the USPS. I don’t accept returns of items that were damaged in shipping. But again, the system did work without any problems before I shipped it, so I know it works. First this guy screws me on the shipping, now this. And one of the controllers struggles to stay in the port because its damaged, this I am sure was not caused by shipping. So have any other dopers had a similiar problem and resolved it successfully? Any ideas on anyone I should contact? Or is my only recourse to leave this guy some bad feedback? Maybe this should’ve gone into MPSIMS, might be more suited there. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/2 "2004-03-04T00:46:40Z")
Was the dreamcast packaged well for shipping (lots of foam/bubble wrap)? And did the delivered box you received it in show signs of damage on the box itself. I have delivered a CD player to myself and had it not work after delivery, so postal delivery can deffinately damage such items despite the senders best intentions. Has the EBAYer you bought it from got any history of postal damaged items? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/3 "2004-03-04T00:53:35Z")
This is a common means of fraud on eBay – how did you pay? Was there insurance? ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/4 "2004-03-04T01:02:14Z")
You know when you a buy a TV or something and it comes with the big foam pieces on the ends? Well, that’s what was in the box, broken into small enough pieces that they could fit in the box, and the rest of the padding was provided by glossy advertisements. You know, the kind you get folded up inside of your newspaper. So I don’t think the box was well padded. The exterior of the box didn’t show any damage. Going through his feedback it seems he’s never shipped anything that was as delicate as a dreamcast; mostly books and video games. One thing I noticed was that in the last month he’s received 4 negative feedbacks. All of which occurred after I made the purchase, which also took a month to arrive. So I don’t know what’s going on? Except for the fact that he doesn’t like to left negative feedback. > [@](#): > > Who bought the dirty game? You did. Not nice person, oh well. Not all nice! > > Bought watch .0.99! CHeapskate and ungrateful wench! Can’t please them all!! ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/5 "2004-03-04T01:05:41Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > This is a common means of fraud on eBay – how did you pay? Was there insurance? Western Union Money Order, I still have the other half. And on the box is a USPS Insured Mail sticker. I have kept all of the packing materials and stickers that were on the box. Nothing has been thrown out. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/6 "2004-03-04T02:54:19Z")
I have _no_ idea how to do a claim for shipping damage by the USPS (or anyone for that matter). If you’re close to the border, I guess you could just go to the USPS. I imagine you could get good directions at [their site](http://www.usps.gov). It’s a pain in the butt, but they ought to process your claim (hopefully it was insured for what you paid for it!). If they won’t pay the claim, let them know that if they weren’t responsible, then the seller perpetrated mail fraud, and see if that will move them. Also since you used USPS instead of UPS or DHL or someone, at least you’re not out the brokerage fees 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/7 "2004-03-04T03:29:35Z")
It’s funny. I don’t think anyone could live closer to the U.S. than I do. I literally live underneath the Ambassador Bridge which connects Windsor and Detroit. Only problem is I don’t have a car and won’t have one for at least a month. Is there a Statute of Limitations on this? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/8 "2004-03-04T03:35:53Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > Is there a Statute of Limitations on this? Unfortunately, yes. See [this page](http://www.usps.com/receive/howtofileinsuranceclaims/welcome.htm) on the USPS website. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recourse-for-a-ebay-item-damaged-in-shipping/232422/9 "2004-03-04T20:39:36Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > It’s funny. I don’t think anyone could live closer to the U.S. than I do. I literally live underneath the Ambassador Bridge which connects Windsor and Detroit. Only problem is I don’t have a car and won’t have one for at least a month. Is there a Statute of Limitations on this? Wow, I could probably holler at you and be heard. Another consideration is that the USPS didn’t deliver the item to you – Canada Post did, right? I wonder how the insurance works for that. Since you live right under the bridge, you’re close to U of Windsor, right? There may be some bored student looking for something to do, like crossing the border – it seems like there are plenty of post offices down town. Another thing to consider – who makes the insurance claim? The sender or the receiver? It may be okay to place the burden on the seller.