question

tim wolf

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Hi,
annoying situation:
custumor gives me ring to put in a new stone because old one is broken, so i send the stone and the ring to my supplier. one week later he sends me back the ring+new stone but the package seems to be lost. Who's responseble now, who pays for new ring?
postoffice won't because shipment was not secured they say. is it my supplier? is it me? or is it my costumer, the jeweler?
Anyone having experience with a situation like this?

Tim wolf
 

Brian Marshall

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Hi TIm,


Ultimately, you will pay - one way or another...

You are the one the customer dealt with. (the customer did not deal with the supplier or shipper)

TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch)

You did not take the precautions you needed to take - like insurance and getting signatures at each stage to track who was really responsible.

Can be an expensive lesson. You are not likely to forget it in the future.



Brian
 
Last edited:

mrthe

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Sorry to read this, i think the responseble is who had shipped the ring without insurance, your supplier ,or if you have request a shippment without insurance , you.
 

Arnaud Van Tilburgh

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Tim, stop using Bpost (Belgium post) for shipping valuable things like jewellery. The same in the Netherlands. It was on the news, not that the packages get lost, they got stolen.
Maxim in Antwerp once sent me a letter containing a small rubber wheel as a sample to give it a try, the envelop never reached me.
When it says Jeweller Arnaud, for some it is always worth looking inside if it is valuable.

That is why in the Netherlands, jewellers now use a private company to take care of transport.

arnaud
 

tim wolf

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shipment was registered(signatures needed), so i have a tracking nr. it's gone lost somewhere between antwerp and my place. postoffice say they can't do nothing... and even if they could i have to proof what was in the package. how the hell can i proof that...
 

Gemsetterchris

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shipment was registered(signatures needed), so i have a tracking nr. it's gone lost somewhere between antwerp and my place. postoffice say they can't do nothing... and even if they could i have to proof what was in the package. how the hell can i proof that...

If there is a tracking code then it`s the post office`s resposibility.
There should be some kind of compensation, however they you could have sent it with a specified amount of insurance.
If it`s on the way to you, it is possible to have been delivered to the wrong post box..like your neighbour (it`s happened to me) so ask around.

You don`t need proof of whats in the package.
 

mrthe

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in Spain if something signet is lost post office refound you with around 30€ but refound who have shipped it that in this case i presume is the responseble
 

Gemsetterchris

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It`s up to the sender to do the complaining..they can get up 30SDR for a registered parcel with no specified insurance amount.
I just looked into that briefly on the belgium post site..
Most European countries post work on the same rules.
 

silverchip

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Ya don't sign for it if you are the thief.I am sorry that it got stolen and you didn't put the proper ins. on it. I have had packages go missing but even with insurance it took over a year to get a check from the postal service,anyway you look at it,it still sucks!!!!!!!
 

tim wolf

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The complaining has been done by the sender(my supplier) but i don't have much hope they find back that ring. tommorow i can contact my costumer with this sad news. i hope his costumer is not emotionel attached to the ring. I new one can be paid but if it's a ring from a deceased mother or so...Brrr i strongly hope not!! to be cotinued...
and if you read tomorow in paper a postman is been shot(it wasn't me)
 

Gemsetterchris

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If you can wait a day or two do so..sometimes things happen & the tracking may not be updated.
It MAY still turn up.
Check the tracking, be patient & don`t panic..yet.

Good luck.
 

Ray Cover

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Yeah, Arnaud is 100% correct about what you put on the outside of the package. I had student here one time who worked for a major private shipping co. His job was in security, not to keep packages safe en route but to keep employees from steeling while it was in his companies hands.

HE told me point blank, Never put anything on the label that will give even the smallest hint that there is something valuable inside. He told me to label my packages from "Ray Cover" not "Fine Art Engraving Studios". If you are shipping to a jeweler or collector of expensive things label it to that person individually not to the business name. HE also said that you should never put the insured value on the shipping label because that is a red flag that the contents are valuable. Basically label everything as if it were a stack of papers or a sweater going to your kid in college.
 

tim wolf

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Thanks for the tips.
i don't want this experience again so i sure will remember when i do another shipping.
Tim.
 

James Roettger

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I once lost a diamond trough UPS, a private shipper here in America. I bought their insurance for the full amount of the value but was told when the package was lost that the item was not covered by their code of tariffs which can be found at their web site and it says so in very fine print on the back of their receipt. I had presumed their insurance to be good because all my gem suppliers used them. I later learned that people actually bought their own private insurance which covered UPS. I had assumed they were using UPS insurance. Long story short you may need to actually buy private insurance for your shipments. My insurance company now covers my shipping with some rules attached that I must follow. Your supplier is responsible to get the package to you unless you waived insurance requirements and you are responsible to reimburse your client.
 
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GTJC460

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Do yourself a huge favor, sign up for an account with G4SI. They are a shipping insurance company that covers shipments of high value items for the jewelry industry. Mostly using FedEx and UPS. I use them for all my shipping needs. Very easy and peace of mind!!!

Here in the USA we have something called jewelers block insurance that pretty much covers Jewelers for all possible liabilities. Unfortunately, the fastest way to get a huge insurance premium is to file claims for lost or stolen packages!!! It's a lose-lose situation. This is where G4S comes into play. The rates are very good and the system is very easy to use.

A large percentage, if not a majority, of the diamond cutters and wholesalers use them.

The rates are so competitive that I even send wax prototypes to customers and I still can't beat the price by going direct through FedEx.
 

Gemsetterchris

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The problem here is your dealing with sentimental value rather than actual material value, so it`s abit difficult tp put an insurance price on.
Best thing to do in future is figure a way of getting a matching stone without sending the thing off.
A good clear photo for colour matching along with stone dimensions sent by email might be a better idea.
 

TGenDS

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Chicagoland
I think the supplier should have known better than to ship that type of package without the proper coverage and should therefore take SOME responsibility. You should suggest splitting the cost with him for the new item. After all, you were sending him business. If that doesn't work, you'll have to eat this one and, as you said, just be careful not to make the same mistake twice.

Oh, and I know it's about "sentimental value," but everything has a price... I'm just sayin'. --You run a business and have to protect your bottom line, so it MUST have a price--at a minimum, current market value.

Good luck with that.
 

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