[DimC]

Hi all,

A few month ago I sold a lens in the Markeplace, the buyer and I agreed on a price and he paid thru bank transfer, not paypal.
Let's say 600€ for the lens excluding shipping cost, he paid 600€ and we agreed on him paying the shipping cost after I actually sent the lens.

I took an insurance covering the cost of the item, which added 60€ to the total price.

For some unknown reasons and after almost 6 month of researches, the post office declared the item as "lost" and offered to re imbursed to my account 600€, thus leavin the shipping ans insurance cost to my own.

Since the beginning I've been regularly emailing the buyer via MP, keeping him informed of the situation, but I didnt (until it was officially declared "lost") offered to send his money back.

So now here is my question :
Should I get all his money back, the €600 he paid, or de we need to split the cost of the shipping, insurance and lens ?

If I send him his money back, I would end up paying for shipping and insurance cost + I would have lost my lens in the process, which seems a little over the top for me, but I cant find the rules to apply in this case.

I want to make him a reasonable offer (he's been very patient and cool to deal with), it's my first time ever having this kind of issues while selling a product and I have no idea how to handle this case.

[BigMackCam]

If it were me, I'd refund the buyer his entire payment. This isn't a Marketplace stipulation, but normal commercial practice (and morally the right thing to do, in my opinion) unless you specifically agreed something else in advance. If you bought a lens from B&H or Adorama and didn't receive it, you wouldn't expect to be partially responsible for the shipping costs; you'd quite reasonably expect a full refund, and for the retailer and shipper to sort the problem out between themselves

EDIT: This very nearly happened to me with a Marketplace sale just before Christmas. I sent the item to the buyer, and six weeks later it still hadn't arrived. I offered a full refund, though they were very understanding and suggested waiting a little longer. It eventually arrived, and the buyer was happy - but I was prepared to issue a full refund.

[DimC]

If it were me, I'd refund the buyer his entire payment. This isn't a Marketplace stipulation, but normal commercial practice (and morally the right thing to do, in my opinion) unless you specifically agreed something else in advance. If you bought a lens from B&H or Adorama and didn't receive it, you wouldn't expect to be partially responsible for the shipping costs; you'd quite reasonably expect a full refund, and for the retailer and shipper to sort the problem out between themselves

EDIT: This very nearly happened to me with a Marketplace sale just before Christmas. I sent the item to the buyer, and six weeks later it still hadn't arrived. I offered a full refund, though they were very understanding and suggested waiting a little longer. It eventually arrived, and the buyer was happy - but I was prepared to issue a full refund.

That's the way to go you're right.
Wisdom here BigMackCam.

[IgorZ]

That's terrible! Post office probably lost my lens. It's been on its way to a buyer in India since April. The buyer wants refund, but it's $60, not 600 euros. Ouch.

[Kozlok]

Full refund to the buyer. Unfortunately a loss for you, but it's important to remember commercial risks belong to the seller. Asking the buyer to pay for some of your losses is wrong.

If you bought a pair of shoes and got them home to find a defect, would you feel it's fair for you to pay half of the salesman's salary and store overhead for the 20 minutes the transaction took? Or would you expect a full refund?

[DeadJohn]

+1 for full refund to buyer. It was your responsibility to ship, and unfortunately your shipping agent lost the lens.

Any insurance negotiation with the shipper is your problem not they buyer's.

[aslyfox]

+1 for full refund to buyer. It was your responsibility to ship, and unfortunately your shipping agent lost the lens.

Any insurance negotiation with the shipper is your problem not they buyer's.

credits to you for asking for advice

my thought -

if you were the buyer, instead of the seller, what would you want???

that might be the way to go

[johnyates]

the post office declared the item as "lost" and offered to re imbursed to my account 600€, thus leavin the shipping ans insurance cost to my own.

The post office should refund you the shipping cost too.

[DeadJohn]

@nomadkng, if I ever accidentally bid on one of your sales, please refuse me. If I don't receive my order I will promptly dispute via Paypal and get a full refund.

Shipping insurance protects *you* the seller who ships the item, not me the buyer.

[mee]

The post office should refund you the shipping cost too.

I find it ironic the shipping service lost the item in their custody, but yet isn't refunding the money they took for shipping the item. They literally charged for the privilege of losing the OP's property.

[DimC]

I find it ironic the shipping service lost the item in their custody, but yet isn't refunding the money they took for shipping the item. They literally charged for the privilege of losing the OP's property.

Yeah that's really is a mess. And they spend almost 4 months to finally declare the item lost, which is way too long imho.
This is my first bad experience with French postal service though, and I've been using them extensively either via personal business or my company, I was very confident ....until this problem arrived.

The buyer has been very patient and he fully deserve to be reimbursed, my question was more about the insurance and shipping cost that's he didn't paid yet, but I'll send all his money back, he deserved it.

I'm very sad a Sigma 70-200 /f2.8 has been lost somewhere, that's bugs me !

[BigMackCam]

The buyer has been very patient ... but I'll send all his money back, he deserved it.

Good for you, Dimitri... we should all be so honourable

[DimC]

Hi folks,

In my OP, I made a mistake saying the buyer didn't pay for the shipping, he actually paid for it.
I forgot this fact because there was some bank transfer taxes deducted from the original price we dealt with, and in my mind it was because the shipment was not yet paid.
I stand corrected.

To make things clear, Ill send the buyer his money back (lens price + shipping cost) minus the bank transfer fees that might occur.

[Racer X 69]

So you sold a lens for €600.

The buyer paid you through PayPal.

The lens was insured for €600.

The lens was lost.

You filed a claim, the insurance reimbursed you the €600.

PayPal refunded the €600 to the buyer.

Except for the fees and shipping, it looks like a wash. The buyer is refunded their money, and your loss of the lens has been covered.

Bummer, but not a total loss. And good for you to work with the buyer so graciously.

Take the €600 insurance money and buy another lens.

[DimC]

So you sold a lens for €600.

The buyer paid you through PayPal.

The lens was insured for €600.

The lens was lost.

You filed a claim, the insurance reimbursed you the €600.

PayPal refunded the €600 to the buyer.

Except for the fees and shipping, it looks like a wash. The buyer is refunded their money, and your loss of the lens has been covered.

Bummer, but not a total loss. And good for you to work with the buyer so graciously.

Take the €600 insurance money and buy another lens.

It was not sold thru Paypal, big mistake from me here.