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Why do you only mail using first class/priority mail? Why can't I have my item shipped in a less expensive manner?
The reason why I only ship priority mail with delivery confirmation, is because I once had an item lost in shipping. The item was quite valuable, but the buyer was adamant that he did not want to pay the extra shipping for priority mail with confirmation. When it was lost, he did not /quite/ accuse me of stealing his money, but he demanded proof and it was a very tense situation for several weeks. It turned out that the item was waiting in his post office for him to pick it up, but the delivery notice had been lost. If he had paid the extra for the priority mail with confirmation, his item could have been found almost immediately, and not a month later, after both sides filling out search forms and not-quite-angry-but-very-close emails going back and forth. After going through that, I decided that everything would be shipped in this method, regardless. In many cases, the extra for Priority Mail is only about $1.50, and certainly worth the peace of mind.
Occassionally, I will make an exception for heavy media items (ie several video tapes, magazines, or books), in which case that exception will be noted in the auction description.
What payment methods do you accept?
I accept any type of Paypal payment (ie: credit card, bank transfers, echecks), or money orders.
Do you accept personal checks?
No.
Why won't you accept personal checks?
For two reasons. One: Because personal checks have a tendancy to bounce. This is not anything personal against anyone... but personal checks do have that possibility. Money orders never bounce :) My bank charges ME for any checks that are returned for non-sufficient funds. The second reason is because checks take time to clear, whereas money orders mean that your item can ship the day after I receive the payment.
Will you make an exception for me?
No. No exceptions. I do not accept personal checks.
As you might gather from the above, I have had many problems with personal checks in the past. Therefore, it is a blanket policy for all auctions. No personal checks.
What is your handling fee for?
This fee helps to cover a variety of things, including packaging materials that USPS does not provide (bubble-wrap for example) as well as printer ink, paper, tape, etc. It also may include packaging such as boxes, bubble-wrap, and padded envelopes for First Class mailings, as the USPS does not supply free boxes for mailings other than Priority or Express Mail.
I do try to recycle padded envelopes and bubble-wrap when possible, and when I do buy padded envelopes, bubblewrap, etc, I check the dollar store, first, in an effort to keep handling costs as low as possible.
Why is your handling fee more for addresses outside the United States?
This is because the USPS does not provide packaging materials for out-of-country shipping (the exception being Global Priority, which is often more expensive than Airmail and is not much faster). In fact, it is a federal offense to use such packaging materials for anything other than inside-States shipping. The extra handling cost is for the purchase of materials, such as bubble-envelopes, bubble-wrap, and boxes as needed, to ensure that the item is packaged securely and safely.
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Do you accept returns if my item arrives broken?
The decision to buy insurance is up to the buyer. In cases where the item is obviously fragile, I may decide to require insurance, in which case there will be a notation in the listing description. Otherwise, I cannot be held responsible for items lost or damaged while in the possession of the USPS. Every package that leaves here, however, regardless of shipping method, has electronic delivery confirmation. HOWEVER, if the buyer refuses insurance, and the item arrives damaged, I will not reimburse.
Is the insurance you offer through the USPS?
Nope. The insurance I offer is the Parcel Insurance Plan through Stamps.com. It costs exactly the same as USPS insurance, but takes less time for claims to be processed. The USPS will not even allow damage claims within the first 30 days of mailing, whereas PIP will allow them immediately upon notification of the damage. Also, the USPS can take up to another month to process the claim, whereas PIP states that they settle most claims within a week of receiving the request.
How do I file a claim?
First of all, send me an email with a description of the damage, I will take care of all the paperwork from my end. The reimbursement amount will be the value of the item as shown on the invoice and does not include shipping/handling charges. DO NOT THROW THE ITEM AWAY, as PIP may need to contact you for information or verification. If the item is discarded, PIP may not authorize the payment. I will let you know when the claim is processed and we can decide what to do with the item at that time. PIP sends the reimbursement to me, and I will, in turn, forwarded it to you, either via Paypal or by mail.
You sound so strict about your shipping methods. Can't you make an exception for me?
The reason why I sound so strict is because I have had so many people try to slip tricks past me. One person sent a lesser amount thinking that I wouldn't notice. Many people become angry at me because they didn't read the auction listing and missed something important. Some bidders never contact me or send payment. I sound strict because of the few customers who refuse to bide by the auction terms and who have made not only my life difficult, but also that of future customers.
However, in spite of this, check my feedback and see that, for almost three years, I have had delighted customers. My feedback reflects this, and you can bid with reassurance that with these rules, a StealthBunny customer is a happy and satisfied one.
What is a "stealth bunny"?
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