eBay packages stolen - now what?

[dragonfly]

I have four eBay and one Amazon packages that were marked as delivered yesterday by USPS, but not received and not anywhere outside my house. I spoke with the post office, who spoke with the carrier, who insists that they were delivered and after a roundabout conversation, they said the packages were likely stolen and to file a police report. In my experience, police reports are pretty useless. I asked the post office if I file a police report, if they'll work with the police to locate my package and she gave me a non-answer.

I had called Amazon about the one package last night; they said it's still on the truck and will be delivered today, but my post office says it was delivered yesterday for sure. They didn't forget to leave a key in the parcel locker, the carrier is positive it was delivered to my front porch.

I know this isn't the seller's fault, but is there a way to get reimbursed through Paypal or USPS insurance claim? These added up to a couple hundred dollars and I am very upset.

This has never happened before - what now?

[Loa]

What about House & Contents insurance? Would that work?

[LadyMoondancer]

If Amazon says one package is still on the truck, I think the first thing to do would be to give it a few days.  Maybe the postal carrier is simply incorrect.

As far as filing with Paypal, the sad truth is that the odds of winning a claim are slim.  First, because they don't know if you're lying about receiving the packages.  (I mean, everyone HERE knows you aren't lying, because we know you.  But to Paypal you are Random User #1983548989, you know?)  Second, because after a package is delivered, they consider the contract between buyer and seller (and Paypal) to be fulfilled.  Delivered as in "left at the doorstep", not "brought inside."

Really really sorry this happened to you.     Also sorry if what I wrote sounds harsh.  I know it is not comforting, but I am just trying to be honest about how Paypal is likely to respond.

But I do think Amazon saying their package is still on the truck is very hopeful.  My PO seems to sometime "stockpile" my packages for a few days and then deliver them all at once.  Maybe that's what happened.  Also, check with your neighbors, maybe they brought the packages inside for some reason.  Check in the bushes, under the porch, anywhere where they might have dropped / been kicked / whatever.

If you DO think they were stolen, then do file a police report.  The chances of getting your packages back is very slim.  But it will alert the PO and they will start looking for a pattern of thefts in your area.

[Galactica]

This is exactly why I get my packages delivered to my office- not front step. I have had a package from Nordstrom stolen- and I think maybe either Amazon or TRU-  I was able to get replacements but it really was the vendor that made the call.

You might try contacting ebay to find out whether they would cover the loss if the package was stolen off your step, but my impression is that once the package is scanned as "arrived" your buyer protection basically ends (unless item received not as described- which is not the case here)

Sorry about your stinky luck- I would be careful in the future if I were you as it may mean you have someone watching your front step or walking buy who could very well do it again.

[flying_narwhal]

What an incredibly frustrating situation. I am so sorry this happened to you.  I know that the PO and eBay tend to be less than useless in these situations.

Unfortunately, even if the packages shipped through USPS had insurance, my experience is that if the tracking shows "delivered" then they will refuse your claim and will not reimburse.

Like LadyMoondancer said, it is important to file a police report if you suspect theft since it may show a pattern of theft within a certain area and might help prevent future problems.

I wish I could provide more assistance, I know from experience how infuriating this can be.

[Duenia]

A friend of mine managed to get a refund on her Amazon package when this happened to her. No idea on the ebay stuff though.

[bluerose9978]

I would file a police report in case this happens with your carrier often or a mistake was made. They have been hiring holiday help and if your carrier delivered to the wrong address or kept the boxes (there have been some stories in the news about this happening) then it'll be easier for USPS to figure out who is doing it if a report is filed.

[Thunderwing]

Shouldn't you still be able to file an item not received claim? Your ebay sellers should have insurance. (And yes, as BlueRose said, still file a report).

Edit to add: I had this happen last year, only I was the seller. My buyer received a package that should have had three MOC ponies in it, and it only had two. The parcel had been tampered with. I took pictures, filed a report with the post office, filed an insurance claim, and got money from the claim. So even though it shows as 'delivered', you can still file an insurance claim. (I am in Canada, and sent via Canada Post).

[Taxel]

When I hear about this happening with small Etsy shop packages on Facebook everyone always tells the seller to have the buyer submit a police report. With that you (or the seller? I'm not sure which side handles it) can file a claim with USPS, at least according to what they say. The police report is less about expecting the police to actually help and more about proving you're not lying to try and get free or extra items since filing a false report is a crime.

I've never been in this situation from either side so I'm not entirely sure if it works quite this way but its worth a shot.

[flying_narwhal]

Shouldn't you still be able to file an item not received claim? Your ebay sellers should have insurance. (And yes, as BlueRose said, still file a report).

Edit to add: I had this happen last year, only I was the seller. My buyer received a package that should have had three MOC ponies in it, and it only had two. The parcel had been tampered with. I took pictures, filed a report with the post office, filed an insurance claim, and got money from the claim. So even though it shows as 'delivered', you can still file an insurance claim. (I am in Canada, and sent via Canada Post).

You could file a claim with USPS if you have a package that is obviously damaged/tampered with. The problem is that there is no package at all. In my personal experience, USPS will not let you file an insurance claim for an item that you say has not been delivered when tracking says otherwise (I can see why in some ways, since this would open up a huge gate for scamming). In their eyes, if it says delivered, it has been delivered. They generally won't accept responsibility for possible mistakes made. Maybe they would consider reimbursement if there was proof of a police report. eBay will discount "item not received" claims on the same grounds since tracking says delivered which is all the proof a seller has to provide (however, see my below comment).

When I hear about this happening with small Etsy shop packages on Facebook everyone always tells the seller to have the buyer submit a police report. With that you (or the seller? I'm not sure which side handles it) can file a claim with USPS, at least according to what they say. The police report is less about expecting the police to actually help and more about proving you're not lying to try and get free or extra items since filing a false report is a crime.

I've never been in this situation from either side so I'm not entirely sure if it works quite this way but its worth a shot.

^This is true. I had one instance where I purchased something from someone on eBay who was a scammer (a very clever one in some ways), packaged showed "delivered" in my zip code and ebay said they wouldn't do anything unless I filed a report with the police. I filed the report with the police (which I have to admit was so awkward). Then I had to go to some other building to get a copy of the report to send to eBay. Where I live they will not release police reports even if you are the one who filed but they did give me a document proving I had filed a report with the name of the officer, date, etc. This was enough for eBay to finally give me a refund. I will say it was a huge hassle though, it took a lot of time and frustration. I probably wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been such an expensive purchase.

[dragonfly]

I'm so annoyed and upset. My local post office recommended I file a police report for stolen mail, which I did.
However, I think it's very unlikely the mail was actually stolen. I think it's much more likely it was delivered to the wrong address and the carrier wants to cover his butt. This has happened before. In the past, my package has showed up after a couple of days, even after the carrier swore to God he delivered it to my porch and described the chairs on my porch and everything very specifically. It was the original tracking number (Amazon had offered to send a replacement overnight but it wasn't that). That was a couple years ago but super weird.

My neighborhood has 3 roads with my same street name and they are in different areas of the neighborhood, and there are homes on other streets with different names with my same house number - plus all the houses look alike, so you see why I wonder.

The police officer I spoke with said there have been zero recent reports of mail theft in my area. A lot of people in my neighborhood get packages...why would my house be the ONLY house that has packages stolen? Time for a security cam.

I filed a research claim for all the packages, which was closed last night by my local post office who said "the carrier says it was delivered." I asked them to check the GPS but no info back on that yet. I'll want to see any GPS information they have.

I called the USPS main line and they re-opened the case and escalated to consumer affairs. I really hope they find the package and that it was some type of mix-up on their end, not that it was actually stolen. Because my local post office seems to want to say "sorry, you're SOL, it was stolen" without actually doing any meaningful investigation and basically believing the carrier without question.

One of my sellers has been really, really nice. The product I ordered can't be replaced (by him) but he offered to send other items in their place which is IMO way above and beyond of him. I told him let's wait because I'm still hoping the packages show up.

[tulagirl]

This has all happened to me before several times. I would wait about 3 days to a week.  I have noticed that they marked things as delivered and they were not.  These items eventually showed up as they were miss marked and rerouted somehow.  This may be the case for you as well.  Also sometimes when they are at the wrong address, the person takes them to the po and then they will just re-deliver them.  Take heart it is not hopeless yet that you may receive your items. Also the Post Master General is the way to go with complaints.  It has worked for me better than dealing with the post office directly. 

[DazzleKitty]

I would also wait and see if they show up. They could very well have been delivered to the wrong address, as you suspect. Do you trust your neighbors to take your parcels to the post office for re-delivery?

Then when they show up I could call the post office again and make a serious complaint that it was delivered to the wrong address and it's on them. I don't like the attitude they showed you. If it was their mistake, they should own up to it.

I hope your packages show up. Keep us posted.

[goddessofpeep]

I hope your packages make it to you safely.  It could be a lazy or careless delivery person.  Goodness knows I've had those!  However, package theft is a BIG thing, *especially* this time of year, and I just wanted to give a warning out to everyone.  They even came up with a name for what's been going on - "porch pirate".  Some are crimes of opportunity - they see the package while walking/driving by and go for it.  Others are deliberate - they drive behind the delivery trucks and snag the packages as soon as the delivery guy leaves.  It's a growing crime, and it peaks during the Christmas season since so many people buying expensive gifts online now.   Last year they busted a ring of porch pirates in my area.  These people had stolen tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff.  They were stealing so much, they followed the delivery trucks in a rented Uhaul truck!

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/10/21/lapd-busts-sophisticated-ring-of-porch-pirates-in-san-fernando-valley/

http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/217983052-story

Hopefully your package will show up, but I just wanted to give a warning for everyone: it's the season to be careful with your packages!

[dragonfly]

I spoke with a guy at the sorting annex Friday who said the GPS tracked delivery to a nearby street.

But I got an email from a different guy this morning who said the GPS tracked delivery to my front door and so they must have been stolen. 

So, conflicting information. FIND MY PACKAGES, POST OFFICE.