I don't tend to complain very much, especially in public partially because who would listen and partially because the truth is that everyone has their share of problems and who needs mine but in some respects I am reminded of the book, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, that of the sender and that of the receiver where it "was the best of times and worst of times" all wrapped into the very same exchange. Recently well actually last year now, I sent out a package and the contents arrived damaged, it happens, it sucks but it does happen and this is the first time for me in a very long time, so long in fact I felt like a newborn taking baby-steps trying to figure out how to make a claim online, though with the acquiescence of the irate receiver sending a photo, I got the job done.
That being said, here comes the complaining part, the customer called and was short, aggressive and demanding that I just refund his purchase price to which I told him, the package was fully insured and there is a process to getting an insurance claim going and paid out and unfortunately some of that fell within their pervue. I was insulted, yelled at and insulted a bit more first saying the package should have been double boxed and then that it was too tightly packed within the wood box. I always pack the pot inside the wood box, firmly so that given the shake test, it does not move, lids are always packed separately. The wood box was bubblewrapped and then placed in a box with ample clearance all around that was also filled with small bubble bubblewrap.
This is my standard way of packing and the customer assured me there was no damage what so ever to the outside of the first time used, pristine box. Though in reading this you will have to take my word for this accounting of the packing and encounter but my ultimate question is how does a well packed pot inside a wood box break from the inside out as evidenced by the photos? In the end to which can I lay the blame, the fact that it was too well packed inside the wood box which I was informed broke the piece or that fact that it wasn't double boxed which would have had no affect on protecting the pot apparently which met its demise as a result of overpacking within the wood box? I should just mention that unless dealing with a heavier, larger pot, I always assume a pot, well packed in its wood box acts as the first box and the exterior shipping box as the second? I guess reflecting on this experience I would like to know what did I do wrong, how could I have managed the packing and outcome better, what can I learn from this situation and lastly who can I hire to run my complaint department moving forward? I know my wife and Khan (the Wunderkat) have already declined the job despite the aggressive sign-on bonus and very short hours.
Postscript; I should mention that despite getting absolutely no cooperation from the buyer I was able to plead my case to the USPS and ultimately, months later receive a full insurance claim for the package and its contents. Paypal had refunded to the buyer, I had paid the owner/ seller months earlier so I am thankful to the appeals advocate I worked with that luckly was sympathtic to my plight.
Another all is well that ends well except for the pot that is.
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