Damaged in post again!!

[XKawaiiCutieX]

Hiya a few days back I asked what to do about a ring I had sent out which had been damaged in the post and with everyone's helpful advice I offered to refund or replace with something else from my shop, The customer decided to order a necklace which was a pound extra in price, I took off the extra pound as a goodwill for her trouble and sent the necklace out, with advice from people in this team I sent it out in a box with wading, tissue and a hell of alot of bubble wrap, I have now just received another message from the buyer saying that the necklace is also broke, I really don't know what to do I have sold many items before to places all across the world and this has never happened, to have it happen to the same buyer twice it's starting to feel abit odd as I know the necklace and the ring was fine when I posted them out, and with the necklace being in a secure box I am not really sure how this could have happened, any advice on this please as I really don't know what to do for the best

[viadeinavigli]

I'm sorry to hear this, but did you ask for a picture of the damage?

[XKawaiiCutieX]

I didn't the first time I just took her word for it but she has offered to send a picture of the necklace I just feel a bit cheeky asking for it

[AdamRabbit]

I would just ask for the picture and say something like, "Could you please send me a picture of the damage so I can figure out how to properly package future orders?"

[Former_Member]

I'm wondering why she wanted a necklace instead of a replacement for the broken ring in the first place.

[XKawaiiCutieX]

The ring was a one of a kind item so I could only replace for something else in my shop, I mean she does seem genuine it just seems really strange to happen twice with two different pieces I always double check my items when posting out and I take a lot of time and care when making my pieces, the only other thing I can think is she has a very heavy handed postperson, I have asked her for pictures of the necklace and if possible the ring so I can try to figure out what has happened

[Former_Member]

Oh boy, something smells fishy.

[Former_Member]

I would always ask for photos. If the situation is real, there would be no problem for them to snap a photo with their phone and send me, right?

[LaLindaArtStudio]

I would for sure ask for pictures and return of the damaged items. You may be better off just giving this customer a refund and being done with it.

I had a situation where a pair of earrings were busted up severely, no way it could have been done in transit. Probably a neighbor got into her mail and decided it wasn't worth stealing. I had her send me a picture first, then send me back the broken earrings and I made her a new pair of earrings after she returned the broken ones (the findings are sterling silver and still worth money). I refunded her the return postage price and never heard from her again. No Feedback good or bad even after I went out of my way to make her happy.

[PrettiesNPracticals]

I think I would do the same as LInda. Offer free return postage for the damaged item. I think I have it in my return policies, too, that I will ask for the damaged item back up to two times. If a third item is damaged, then a refund of purchase price is given after the return.It sure sounds fishy, even though you want to give people the benefit of the doubt. I hope you can get this resolved. So sorry you are facing this

[Former_Member]

I'm new to all this. But I would ask for photos - don't feel like you're being rude. These could be used as evidence when claiming from the postal company - as if they damaged the items, some compensation could be given.

I would also ask for the items back. If they are fixable, and she decided to keep them, I would offer her a partial refund.

It's a shame it's happened twice, total bummer happened to the exact same person!

[Former_Member]

Hi Jackie,

I totally understand how you feel! Because this just happened to me in this week too! Twice damage to delivery to the exact same person and this never happen to me before this. That customer brought a ring from me and the first time was because the damage on the surface of the ring, then I send her another new one few days later. Today she just send me a image about the new ring was being damaged completely when she got it! So then I had to give her full refund back. As my customer was saying,maybe its just the Christmas rush at the post office to blame for the rough handing.But anyway, now I have to worry and watch out about these problems in the future.

[Former_Member]

Did you ask for pictures of both? I would it is so easy to take cell phone pictures and have her post. Did you get insurance on either? If you send something else out I would make sure you put on some insurance.

[Former_Member]

If the items are getting damaged that badly, I'd be asking for photos of not only the items but also the damaged packaging so that I could see what was happening.

I've shipped many breakables and fragile items and have only ever had two items arrive damaged.

[WithLoveFromLucille]

That's crazy! Although it is plausible, it could be a scam.
I would ask her to return the items before I refunded or had an exchange.

Good luck to you.
Cheers!

[Former_Member]

I would definitely expect the broken item back. It smells really fishy.

[XKawaiiCutieX]

Hiya guys thanks again for the advice on this :) I asked her for the photos and she sent me them, both items were broke and she was quite rude in her email about the situation even though I had gone out of my way when it had first happened to solve the problem, So I just sent her a message back apologising for what had happened, in the first case I did not make her send the items back because I had just give her the benefit of the doubt and did not want to make her go out of her way, but with it happening twice I politely asked her to return the items and on arrival I would refund her original purchase with postage and the postage she had paid to send them back, she then got back to me saying she was sorry for being rude in the original message and that she would now prefer to keep both items instead, does seem a bit strange that when I asked for them back she then decided to keep them after original demanding another refund or replacement, I did have a look at her feedback and the last item she had bought she had received a refund for something being wrong with it. So the only thing I can think has happened it was a case of bad luck and the postperson had been heavy handed with both parcels, or it was a scam and she would simply fix both items and get a refund as well