I recently shipped a brand new Walnut Stock and Forend to a member of this forum who claims he never received it. This was two months ago. His claim began within a week of me shipping and his first question was, Did I send it with delivery confirmation or tracking number. Why would you ask that question when it hasnt even been a long period of time after shipping. Seems to me someone is trying to get something for nothing. It would be obvious if you had the package in hand that there was no confirmation or tracking on it. Hmmm? I have done deals with several members of this forum and never have gotten a delivery confirmation because I didnt feel I needed it with USPS. Evidently I do.
Now this person wants money for the "used" stock he sent me plus the 20.00 I charged him for the forend plus the shipping he spent. Or the Stock back plus,plus,plus.
And I lose my stock, forend, money etc. Hard lesson learned, wont happen again. Even the post office told me that after this much time it would have eventually returned to the post office at his location, my post office or myself as undeliverable. It is very unlikely the package just disappeared.
Anyway, what would you do in this situation?? I offered to send him his stock back but his 20.00 and shipping would be a loss as I lost substantially more.
Im not posting this members name but, if anyone asks I will tell you, just PM me.

hntrjohn,

I can tell you that the post office loses items on a regular basis. I've been sent some packages that have never shown up but in the last 18 months I've been sent 2 priority mail envelopes, one showed up more than 6 months after it was mailed and the other was slightly over 2 months after it was mailed. Priority mail is supposed to be delivered in about 3 days... When I ship something of value I always use FedEx or make sure there is a tracking # and return receipt on any USPS package. The USPS reliability has really gone down hill in the last 2 years IMHO.

Sorry you're having trouble.

Gary

I can relate to what Gary said. I have a business that ships product all over the country and NOTHING goes out without some kind of confirmation with USPS (signature or delivery) or tracking ID. It keeps honest people honest as well as securing their confidence that they're covered. Back when credit card payment receipts had to be mailed to a bank in NY for deposit, I had a Priority Mail envelope (with delivery confirmation) full of receipts evaporate into thin air, not to be found as yet. This was 3 years ago and it never returned or arrived. In another situation a deposit was not credited although confirmation showed that it did arrive at the destination, the BANK people lost it somewhere. Without confirmation I would have had no recourse, and been SCREWED out of some significant $$$$. That 50 cent green sticker goes on everything anymore.

I can tell you first hand that you MUST use delivery confirmation on EVERY package you send through the USPS. I have had at least 3 things disapear over the last 2 years. DO NOT use the USPS unless you absolutely, positively have to.UPS and Fedex are much better choices.

I must be the exception, I have sent and recieved hundreds of packages and never had one get totally lost, late yes. Obviously all where not thru the USPS but I have never had a problem with losing one into thin air. I tend to agree that delivery confirmation is getting to be a prerequiset anymore with deasl over the internet. Not everyone is as honest as we all hope. I am not saying that the package did arrive or didn't arrive, just my 2 cents. I think that Johns offer is fair and if I where on the other end I would not expect him to absorb the whole loss.

Not to long ago I ordered 200 45-70 collar button from Western Bullet Co. they sent them uninsured and with out a tracking number. I never got them, the mail person said she delivered them but couldn't remember if she put them in or on the mail box or on my deck. I filed all the paperwork and nothing happened,so now I am out $25.00 and no bullets.

There are a lot of people that will take a package off the mail box or off the ground in front of the box even off your deck. If that happens the tracking numbers will show the post office did deliver it but the person still did not get it.

This person may have not gotten the stock, it could have been taken before he got home.

The bottom line is If you ship something uninsured and with no tracking numbers/ singed conformation, and it gets lost stolen, or damaged you will have to take the hit. I never ship anything that I could not replace or take the loss with out insurance and tracking numbers.

When ever I ship something I always charge more then the "price of shipping you see on thye package" This also includes delivery conformation and insurance.

Looks like you learned a lesson the hard way

Don't want to beat a dead horse, BUT. After leaving last session I recalled a situation a few months ago where a customer hadn't received a shipment and was inquiring when he could expect it. I had confirmation numbers on both packages which showed delivery to the post office in question. Customer hadn't received a yellow card for attempted delivery and P O had no packages???!!!??? Short story, the customer's packages were delivered to a neighbor's house. But I must wonder about the neighborhood as he had to go find it?! The P O had no clue. I love our mail carriers and they do a bang-up job, but they are human and no human is perfect. I could ask who but would rather not. BOTD.

Yeah, tough lesson learned. I have had a few packages lost by the USPS. I ordered some stuff from Cast Performance. Waited almost a month, actually forgot about it. Called them up, they traced it but came up with nothing. They resent the items with delivery confirmation and insurance and that package came thru OK. I called them about a month after that and they still had no info from the USPS.

I also sent a money order to a fellow HH member first class mail. I recieved my items, but it took the money order 27 days to go to Oregon. I'm sure glad he trusted me that I sent it.