Amazon takes word of Abusive Buyer over Seller

I don't like to complain but I have been selling on Amazon for six years without incident until August when I sold a half ounce Mexican gold coin to a buyer in California. I sent it first class with signature required and insured since the coin is worth over $500.00.

Well wouldn't you know that the buyer complained that he never received the coin and that he wanted his money back. Amazon suggested that I "settle proactively" with the buyer. I sent them both the Postal receipt, signed signature card and the insurance certificate. The buyer continued to complain in spite of all of the evidence I presented.Amazon still sided with the buyer. This continued until I got the USPS Inspector's Office and his local police involved. Then they both stopped harassing me.

When I sold a set of Mexican gold coins again to another buyer I made sure that besides insurance, I opted for restricted delivery.

Rstrited delivery is the best way to ship expensive coins.

 

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It's good that you fought this scam from the buyer and won in spite of Amazon's failure to be fair. This is a lesson for other sellers, you need to CYA when you ship high value coins.

And how does "restricted delivery" work ?

 

And yet eBay buyers will still whine and threaten to report you to eBay when you charge them for exact shipping on high value items...

 

The package can only go to a specific person, and that person signs for package. If the person is not available, they'll hold onto it until that person can pick it up.

This prevents a buyer from trying to claim they didn't receive an item, if the seller provides proof that the buyer indeed signed.

 

I include S&H in my opening price and then list the item with free shipping.

 

How much more does "Restricted Delivery" cost?

 

I sell around 20 to 40 orders per day on Amazon, for many years, and I've never had a buyer claim go against me, IE: Amazon has always ruled in my favor. You seemed to have done everything right, I'm not sure why the claim went against you.

You may not know that Amazon has a seller forum, and frankly, it is an excellent forum. You could post there and get a fast response from a number of experienced Amazon sellers who could advise you regarding Amazon procedures and policies, and the advice is usually excellent.

 

You tell the clerk that you want restricted delivery, i.e., only to the person named as the recipient. You pay a couple of dollars more but it's worth the money. Amazon made me waste about a month fighting this ne'er do wells claim.

 

Their sellers' forum is full of people who can't believe that Amazon is allowing them to sell there. I wouldn't give you two cents for their opinion, which is like an a__hole in that everybody has one.

 

Well that's your prerogative, but there is no better advice out there about selling on Amazon than on that forum. Sure, there can always be some dopes or trolls on there, but I just ignore them. However most if not all of the sellers with high post counts, they state facts, not opinions, about Amazon policies.

 

The facts about Amazon are interpreted by clerks who think they know it all.

 

I use USPS Registered for very high value items.

 

Registered and restricted delivery insured are almost the same thing.

 

Oh my no!!

They aren't even close! Registered mail is handled completely differently and separately from all other US mail. There is contact/ownership at every step of the way. Perhaps some Postal Employee will chime in but I know that every person who touches the mail piece has to sign for it. They are kept in separate cages and someone is always responsible for it. It's the only way to send high valued shipment as they almost never disappear and when they do, someone is usually arrested and the package is sometimes even recovered.
I have shipped thousands of package with values up to over $75,000.00 and the only ones I have ever lost weren't registered but only insured. By the way, if you really want to have your eyes opened, loose a package with the USPS that is insured and try to file a claim and get paid.

 

Thank you.

 

Doesn't standard delivery signature require that an ID be presented which matches the addressee? Never heard of restricted delivery before but good to know now.

 

Good job to get the postal inspector and police involved. It is pretty amazing that Amazon would side with the buyer when so much evidence shows it was received. Was there something else that happened other than what you described?

The only thing I can think of is Amazon didn't want to burn the buyer if he was truly a victim of fraud (identity theft). Especially since the package was insured and Amazon figured you would get your insurance claim approved. Buyer might have also had a good track record.

In any case you did good to protect yourself.

 

Something I didn't mention about registered mail. It is S-L-O-W!

 

Nope, anybody can sign for it, no id required. Restricted means only the person it is addressed to can sign. And they probably will ask for ID. Technically they are supposed to see ID for Registered mail, but I've only been asked for one once.

 

Registered mail in not always slow but most of the time it is. But the advantage of registered has been mentioned above...locked up and signed for at every stop. At my PO I have always had to sign the little brownish slip whether they put it in the box or not. If it's one of the workers that knows me well I don't need to show ID. Others make me show and write in my address even though the slips end up in the trash down the road. It is by far the best way to send valuables through the mail and can get pricey.