Thread: I mailed razors, they didn't arrive, now what?

I cleaned up and honed 5 razors for a new member. He included $5 for return postage but did not request tracking or insurance. In the past I have always specified that I will do return postage in any manner requested as long as they pay for it. In this instance, $5 was added for postage with no instructions. I don't consider priority mail to be worthwhile given that it only speeds up delivery by a day or two, but when he included the $5 postage payment, I admittedly stupidly assumed he wanted priority mail return. I mailed them using the return address provided and a week later they have not been received.

Now, I COULD have sent them by first class mail, which I usually use, and used the balance of the $5 for tracking and insurance. Because he didn't request it, I did not apply the payment toward tracking and insurance. I should have asked, but I did not. That was my mistake and I won't do it again. I've already consulted with another honer who always charges for return first class postage, tracking, and insurance. That is what I will do in the future.

What do I do now? What do I do to make up for this? I figure the razors were worth $40 to $50 each and that I probably should give him 5 comparable razors and consider it to be a hard lesson learned. I'm posting this to ask for a group consensus on what I should do, and to let this be a lesson for anyone else who mails razors without insurance.

You are both 'at fault.' You are negligent for not realising what the $5 was for when a reasonable SR user would have realised that 1) it was for tracking 2) regardless, items with an aggregate value of around $200-$250 should be tracked and insured for obvious reasons.

The owner of the razors was careless of his own property by not specifying he wanted insurance and tracking. However, it should be policy on your behalf if this is a service you are providing and you should have made that clear from the start.

Possible solution? You split the costs and either refund a partial value of whatever you both consider it to be provided none of the items had 'sentimental value' in which case god help us(!); or as you already mentioned you donate a couple of razors as compensation.

Sounds fair.

Is there not a possibility that as it has only been 1 week they may still arrive?

Do nothing for at least 21 days...

Read the instructions on the USPS website.. it says that NO claims could be made anyway for at least 21 days and that is just to start a claim that had Tracking and Insurance...

You both need to wait and see if the razors turn up at either place, yours or his...

It could be possible the package is at the person's local PO, it might be worth it that he or she checks with them.

As a side question to members with more experience:
If things come to filing insurance claim, how do you prove value for vintage razors?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Do nothing for at least 21 days...

Read the instructions on the USPS website.. it says that NO claims could be made anyway for at least 21 days and that is just to start a claim that had Tracking and Insurance...

You both need to wait and see if the razors turn up at either place, yours or his...

+1. I had an express mail (overnight) package go missing for 10 days. More recently a handgun mailed from an FFL in Texas to my FFL in Florida went missing for 2 weeks before it turned up. Give it time and it will likely show up.

Originally Posted by mainaman

As a side question to members with more experience:
If things come to filing insurance claim, how do you prove value for vintage razors?

You, Me, Lynn, Max, Brad etc: are the proof Stefan, your records as a Restorer and the prices bought and paid for are the only leg you have to stand on...

You have to have either purchase receipts or an estimate from a Professional in that field...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Do nothing for at least 21 days...

Read the instructions on the USPS website.. it says that NO claims could be made anyway for at least 21 days and that is just to start a claim that had Tracking and Insurance...

You both need to wait and see if the razors turn up at either place, yours or his...

That was going to be my suggestion as well.

I bought a razor on Ebay, and it came as only the package with a hole in one end, no razor. I went to the post office to file a claim, the clerk asked me what it was, I said a Straight razor, she said "just a minute" went to her desk and got it!! Strange things happen at the USPS.

I also get lots of media in the mail with my biz, just last week a customer had mailed me some CD's and they didn't arrive so she mailed them again, both packages arrived on the same day, mailed two weeks apart?!?

Hi,

I think the consensus here is to wait about 21 days to see if it turns up. Then if they are still missing ask them to provide proof of value and go from there on negotiating a settlement.

You may also want to consider adding limited liability clause to your terms of service. Something like this:

1. Limitation of Remedies In no way shall honemister be liable for any damages beyond the scope of the Work contracted, consequential or other wise. Honemister and its suppliers’ entire liability and the Clients exclusive remedy shall be, at honemister’s option to repair or replace the Work contracted with like work or similar Work created byhonemister.

2. No Liability for Consequential Damages. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall honemister or its suppliers be liable for any special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the Work contracted.

I make no claims to the above statements. Use them at your own risk.

- Mike

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Do nothing for at least 21 days...

Read the instructions on the USPS website.. it says that NO claims could be made anyway for at least 21 days and that is just to start a claim that had Tracking and Insurance...

You both need to wait and see if the razors turn up at either place, yours or his...

What he said.
Usually when I mail stuff to the US or Ozzyland, it gets there in about a week.
Occasionally it takes up to 3 weeks, and once it was 3 weeks and 5 days.

Other than that, you're both at fault for assuming that the other guy meant what you thought he meant. When I ship something, I always explicitly spell out my assumption about shipping and responsibility before doing anything. That is really the only thing that can prevent ugliness when things get lost.