Need some advice on DOA's

Don&SallysZoo

Arachnosquire
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Oct 10, 2007
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OK, well we ordered a pair of B. vagans and they arrived DOA. :mad: Here's the situation. We paid the seller for express shipping and instead of shipping express he shipped them priority when he went to mail them out. He states that he didn't have the right sized box, so therefore, cost was going to be higher than what he charged us. Plus the PO told him they would arrive 2nd day...same as express.

So he sent them out Wednesday of last week and we got them today. They arrived Dead as door nails. Lid was just about off of one of the containers and the heat pack was inside with the T..(T glued to the Heat Pack).

I told the seller Saturday they have not arrived yet...he was pretty sure they would arrive DOA and suggested I collect from the PO since he insured the box.

We've never had a T arrive DOA, so is this common practice for the buyer to collect on DOAs, even when the seller ships a slower method than what you pay for?

We just wanted to get some feedback.


:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
 

Staley

Arachnobaron
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The seller needs to refund you. You pay for express shipping you should get it. LAG is almost always standard with Overnight express. I hope you dealt with someone reputable.

Staley
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Holy cow that really sucks..........I feel bad for those little guys.

Normally what happens is if the seller has T’s to send as replacements they will do that, but if there are no replacements for the dead a full refund is issued. (regardless even if the post office is to blame, unless otherwise stated before the purchase was made.)

Some dealers will ask for pictures of the dead, some even ask that you send it back to them. But ether way there should be a resolution to the issue and there should be no more money spent by the buyer.
 

LeilaNami

Arachnoking
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A buyer should either show pictures of the DOA Ts to the seller or ship back the bodies at the cost of the seller. The seller should then send replacements at the speed and cost he originally quoted you or refund your money including the shipping fee he charged you. If the seller does not do this then I would put a negative feedback in the feedback forum to warn other shoppers.

EDIT: It was the seller's own fault for misquoting the price of shipping and should have sent it express. I would still leave negative or neutral feedback regardless of refund or replacements if given.
 

LittleGiRLy

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As far as i know, HE owes you, not the PO, even if he insured the box, he sent it pri, and not express like you agreed on. And where is the rest of the money that you sent him for express mailing?! Also, packing was rather poor. I have yet to meet someone who ships with the heat pack inside with the T.

Sorry for your losses, and i hope everything gets resolved soon...



-
 

NevularScorpion

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I told the seller Saturday they have not arrived yet...he was pretty sure they would arrive DOA and suggested I collect from the PO since he insured the box.


:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
I think you can get introuble if the PO finds out that the item inside the package are tarantulas because its illegal to ship animals or venomous. I suggest that you ask the person that you deal with for the full refund. poor Ts :(
 

GailC

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I agree, the seller owes you a refund for the T's and the shipping. If he couldn't ship the way he said he would, then he shouldn't have shipped them at all until he checked with you first. Not to mention that if they had been packed proper, they might have made it alive even with the delay. The heat pack should have never been packed with the T, poor shipping all around.
Sorry for your loss and I hope you get reimbursed.
 

JMoran1097

Arachnoangel
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damn, sucks. this is going to be a really obvious question, but did their abdomens explode from the heat?
 

Moltar

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Refund.

That person doesn't know how to ship and i personally wouldn't risk the disappointment of a couple more doa's showing up on my doorstep were i in your position.
 
Last edited:

Veneficus

Arachnobaron
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You can not collect from the PO, because it is illegal to ship tarantulas in the mail (this seems to keep coming up...sigh...).

The seller needs to give you a full refund! Especially since it's their fault they shipped it the wrong way when you paid for overnight. If he had the wrong box size or it would cost more, then he needed to let you know and get more money or repack them into a different size. They should have never gone out like that.

What a waste and a terrible, sad shame. :-(
 

sick4x4

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I think you can get introuble if the PO finds out that the item inside the package are tarantulas because its illegal to ship animals or venomous. I suggest that you ask the person that you deal with for the full refund. poor Ts :(
it differs from PO to PO...in southern cali i have shipped and receive large amounts of T's... to be honest when i get a package, they always want to see what it is and when i ship, i tape it in the PO because they want to see the T's...i'm sure there is rules but really, the PO isn't out to get us...but i wouldn't brag when shipping that im sending extremely venomous bugs lol...that would be stupid..

wayne
 

WyvernsLair

Arachnobaron
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it differs from PO to PO...in southern cali i have shipped and receive large amounts of T's...

The individual employees might let it slide occasionally for shipping purposes, but I highly doubt the USPS service itself will honor a claim and refund money on damaged items (in this case dead spiders) even though the box was insured since spiders are very clearly listed in their regulations as NOT being allowed to be shipped through them.
 

sick4x4

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The individual employees might let it slide occasionally for shipping purposes, but I highly doubt the USPS service itself will honor a claim and refund money on damaged items (in this case dead spiders) even though the box was insured since spiders are very clearly listed in their regulations as NOT being allowed to be shipped through them.
it was the manger but your right to the claims aspect...the losses are recouped through the parties involved but to say the USPS will not ship venomous animals isn't totally accurate...they all might share a single policy but if truth be told, its really a discretionary issue that differs from PO to PO...
 

Talkenlate04

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I think the only way USPS would give you any cash is if the box was gone gone gone, and no one could find it, but that almost never happens. And even then you would still have to lie about what was in the box.......
KARMA bites! {D
 

bugster

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one other issue to consider with USPS

I've had some experience with getting USPS insurance claims, and you should also be aware that to place a claim you will need:

1) All packaging/materials, labels, etc. from package
2) The tarantulas will be seized (as would any other damaged items) by the USPS and will not be returned.
3) Proof of price paid and/or value of comparable item (print out receipt or some other proof of item's value)

The whole process is really a hassle and reimbursement will not be immediate at your local PO, but done through corporate somehow.

Obviously there's no getting around admitting to the USPS what was in the package either. :)
 

arrowhd

Arachnolord
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From looking at your pictures, they may not have been alive if shipped overnight. You have every right to demand a refund or replacement. You might also want to tell this individual how to properly pack them for shipment. Unbelieveable.
 

Don&SallysZoo

Arachnosquire
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I would like to thank everyone for their feedback. I've been in contact with the seller and he tells us that he'll refund our money by noon tomorrow. We'll see how this goes.

He said this is his first time shipping T's and he was hurried and tried to keep cost minimal. I'll keep this updated as we go and hopefully he does come through on what he says he'll do. I'll be posting in the feedback section later once this is complete.
 

Don&SallysZoo

Arachnosquire
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I've had some experience with getting USPS insurance claims, and you should also be aware that to place a claim you will need:

1) All packaging/materials, labels, etc. from package
2) The tarantulas will be seized (as would any other damaged items) by the USPS and will not be returned.
3) Proof of price paid and/or value of comparable item (print out receipt or some other proof of item's value)

The whole process is really a hassle and reimbursement will not be immediate at your local PO, but done through corporate somehow.

Obviously there's no getting around admitting to the USPS what was in the package either. :)

Yeah this is why insuring T's through the PO is a joke...IHMO.
 

Nerri1029

Chief Cook n Bottlewasher
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Something to add. ( devil's sdvocate )

Yes the official policy is no T's.

that aside, there is no reason the USPS should refund your money.

They did nothing wrong, aside form a late package.

Assuming the package was not labeled "LIVE"
Assuming the package wasn't mangled.

The manager would be well within logic to deny you the value of the contents. A refund of the shipping costs maybe since it was late, maybe.

IMO the responsibility based on this
and the heat pack was inside with the T..(T glued to the Heat Pack)
belongs to the seller.
 
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