For comics I use comic mailers which I buy new, but for everything else I reuse what ever I can. There is no reason many shipping items could not get multiple uses out of them, but like you stated sometimes they need a little reinforcement. When I ship with reused item though they look like they are brand new and get the same care as new items.
I always think about the amount of shipping materials and supplies the grading companies discard every day, it has the be in the millions over a years times.
My absolute #1 biggest fear is this.
It happened once to me many years ago on a $5 book and i just reimbursed, rather than feel a knot in my stomach for $5.
But ive worried for years and years for the expensive stuff i sell, if this ever were to happen.
I try to fight things like this. If you packaged it and mailed it it would have been scanned at the post office and they would have weighed it. If it was open when it got to the buyer that is on USPS. He needs to file a claim with USPS.
Ebay stated I should file a claim and i should reimburse the buyer which is frustrating. Its only a $12 order and I packed very well. it would be unusual for the package to be opened and then delivered to the buyer without USPS noticing. nevertheless very frustrating.
eBay outsources their help desk. Most likely usps is going to tell you the buyer needs to file the claim (in my experience). He will have all the photos and as the receiver will need to attest that it was received opened.
I think if you go to USPS they say the recipient should file the claim. The recipient has a the evidence…if USPS chooses to examine it, they may require the buyer to bring it to a USPS OR have them ship the package back so you can do it…which is ridiculous.
eBay just wants buyers to be happy since that’s where the money comes from…so they dump the issue on the seller. Not their problem, in other words, unless the buyer makes it their problem. And eBay doesn’t want that.
BTW, I was in a show today and the owner got a call…apparently they were to receive a graded Ghost Rider 1 (4.5 CGC) but it was stolen from their porch after delivered.
He was asking if the owner had come across someone trying to sell it.
First issue in forever with ebay, they lost my card at their hub, been sitting there since the 15th December with no further movement, they didn’t even bother looking they just refunded a couple minutes after opening a case. Would rather have the card especially with the way One Piece card prices are going will likely never get a PSA 10 at this grade again. Luckily I have some 10’s of this one already but another would have been nice. At least the seller isn’t impacted by this and gets to keep the sale.
In this situation, it’s no one’s fault but as the seller, for me at least when I sell something, I gotta do right so in this case I would just reimburse the buyer and then fight USPS for it (if it’s truly worth the effort). Honestly, $12 I wouldn’t fight myself though… You’ll spend far more time and resources than it’s truly worth since USPS is incompetent and a huge time waster.
I am getting an awful lot of unsolicited people hitting me up offering me a fraction of what I have books listed for. These are message and not offers since offers are turned off.
That’s the dude from China who’s bought a ton. He comes in low on things, but I’ve had good luck packaging things up. I bet I’ve sold $250 to him. But, he wants to haggle. i think the language barrier can be challenging, but he pays and doesn’t seem to complain.
Anything Nightwing/Putri/Mora/Red Hood, he’ll be interested.
