Free item missed , extra postage , then turned up broken

[obsidiancrowcrystals]

So I had a crystal that I sold and it had a little free plastic stand.  So,I didn't put that stand in by accident and the seller was furious , way more angry and rude than they should be.  I resent the stand, adequately covered it, put it in the post and now it's turned up there broken.

The customer again is way more furious and rude than they should be. I have tried to rectify what I accidently human error missed.   They are now saying that they should be giving a more substantial stand and it be sent in a box which would cost me a lot more postage...

I have done my part sending the stand (which i give out of my own pocket as a gesture to my customers) and the fact that it turned up broken is not my fault. It's the post.  so can I just leave it there because I did my job and sent the stand? The person is so rude to me I just want to block them. Please can anyone advise? Help! Xx

[4_bathrooms]

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@obsidiancrowcrystals wrote:

I have done my part sending the stand (which i give out of my own pocket as a gesture to my customers) and the fact that it turned up broken is not my fault. It's the post. 

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If you adequately packaged the stand - and I'll be honest, I don't think you did - you need to claim off Royal Mail. The free stand was still part of the sale so your buyer had every right to expect they would receive it in one piece.

Your buyer can still open a case for the item not being as described. If they do that your choices are to provide a return shipping label, get the crystal back and refund or refund without requiring return. Obviously you will be relying on the buyer packaging the crystal adequately for the return shipping leg as they only require a delivery or attempted delivery scan to show in the return tracking to receive their refund (is it fragile?).

Are you able to send a replacement stand in stronger packaging?

[dancewithadingo · Accepted solution]

Good Afternoon obsidian

While I sympathise with you over your demanding and rude buyer I am inclined to side with them as they didn't get, in one piece, what they paid for and by definition it is your fault.

You really ought to have put the stand in a small strong box to protect it. I would suggest that however furious you are that you send them another one adequately protected ie in a box.  This is important if it formed part of the sale.

Apologise through gritted teeth,tell them that another one is on it's way and then post one out.  Put it down to experience.  You come across demanding buyers at times and it leaves a bad taste. Just send them one more and move on.  You may wish to put them on your blocked list as I am sure you don't wish to sell to them again. 

[akemp1]

Sorry some tough love incoming,

Just because you said it was free doesn't make it any less part of the items described being sold.

As a seller it's your responsibility to include all the items in the package and if you don't then you are not doing the buyer a favour in making the 'gesture' to send it separately at your own cost you are rightly paying for your mistake. That combined with an apology for the inconvenience and delay in getting the full set of items is usually enough to close the matter.

If the missing item was then insufficiently packaged so got damaged you should pay for your mistake and apologise again. If you feel it was sufficiently packaged you could separately try and make a claim on your carrier but don't delay satisfying the customer while that is in progress.

Sorry that's just the reality of how it is when you sell stuff and if you don't communicate with the buyer with that common understanding then you run the risk of them getting shirty with you as they try and stand up for their established rights to receive all the items they have paid for (whether you consider some free or not) undamaged.

You don't have to give them a more substantial stand just the type you said you would include. It's up to you how you package but I wouldn't suggest taking the risk it gets broken again.

[obsidiancrowcrystals]

Thanks for your reply. Thanks 

[obsidiancrowcrystals]

Thanks for the reply 

[obsidiancrowcrystals]

Thanks for the reply , but you have no idea how I packages the stand( I don't think you know because you have not seen a photo) 

[insidethe93]

obsidiancrowcrystals wrote: "...furious , way more angry and rude than they should be."

Rudeness is unacceptable under any circumstances. Sorry you've such an impatient intolerant person who doesn't understand that these things happen.

If you re-send, don't forget every sorting office has a pet rhino that sits on parcels, damaging even well-packaged items. Maybe package it even more super-extra-carefully. I send quite a few gifts each month and I've taken to making parcels containing even apparently unbreakable items into totally rigid parcels and I start with the default assumption that the rhino will sit on it.