# Shipping issues and loss



## mikeyriz1024 (Nov 2, 2011)

Hey all,

So i usually ship all shirts for my clothing line via USPS with tracking. Over the past month 2 orders are confirmed delivered by USPS but customers never received. 

Has anyone ever ran into these issues. Do you work with customer service? Which has not been helpful or do you just take it as a loss and reship. 

Does anyone use signature required shipping?


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

This has happened to me twice (though to give USPS credit, I've shipped over a thousand packages and had no problems...)

In my experience, they will do what they can to find it, but if they can't they are just going to apologize and that will be the end of it.

Before you contact USPS, check their website. They recently made changes to Priority Mail and I believe some insurance is now included with the postage. I don't know how that works if they say they delivered it and you say they didn't...


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## diyrob (Feb 4, 2014)

Shipping scams are the new trend. I'm not saying your customers are doing so, but it is easy for customers to claim they never received an item and demand replacement/refund. The USPS is not very good at helping you file a claim. It must be done online and it is near impossible. The best solution is to ship Priority, with a signature required. Insurance alone doesn't protect you for the scenario you describe. Postal insurance is only for damages and loss that you can PROVE are the result of the USPS handling your items. Signature confirmation is rather inexpensive (about $2.50?) and provides an indisputable record of delivery!


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## Liberty (Jul 18, 2006)

And most importantly, make sure you are building in enough margins on everything you do to cover the occasional loss. It will happen, it is aggravating and not just shipping loses but orders with errors etc. If you build in 1 or 2 percent it makes it a lot easier to deal with when it does happen.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I do not insure or get signatures for anything any more.....I have had a few issues over the years but they have been quite minor....

In Canada for Canada Post it costs 1.50 per signature plus 2.05 per 100.00 for extra insurance.....Last year I shipped 300+ package with no issues....By not buying these extra services I saved about 1,700.00....If I would have had a claim, I would have been able to pay it and still be way ahead of the game...

As far as the customer experience, their package are insured and will be replaced if damaged and/or lost......They have no need to know that I "self insure"....

As far as what I charge for shipping, it is 5.99 flat rate for any size order......As part of my pricing I have built in about 1.50 per item of extra margin into my prices.....So after 3 or 4 shirts, my I am covered....On smaller orders I am in the hole but on "average" it all works out....


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## diyrob (Feb 4, 2014)

royster13 said:


> I do not insure or get signatures for anything any more.....I have had a few issues over the years but they have been quite minor....
> 
> In Canada for Canada Post it costs 1.50 per signature plus 2.05 per 100.00 for extra insurance.....Last year I shipped 300+ package with no issues....By not buying these extra services I saved about 1,700.00....If I would have had a claim, I would have been able to pay it and still be way ahead of the game...
> 
> ...


My wife, who is from Mississauga, Ontario, says this is a very "Canadian" way of doing business. Thanks!


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

Well, since USPS says it was delivered, I would assume that your customer is trying to rip you off, OR that someone ripped them off before they could get home and bring the package inside. This **** happens. Neither one of those is your fault (or USPSs), and only one of them is your customer's fault (unless you want to blame them for living in a skank hood).

The best stance in terms of customer service and business is to take the loss and make the customer whole. However, you might reconsider how you are marketing your shirts (and whom to). In similar threads I have seen people say that they run into lots more scamming customers on e-bay, and other low-end marketing tools like that--so if this continues to be a problem, you might want to consider some marketing changes.

As a customer, I always find it annoying when a package requires a signature. That is a hassle for most working people, and only expected on seriously expensive items, so I would not inflict that on your customers. However, I would require a signature on the replacement package to these customers to ensure that someone isn't stealing their stuff. Apologize for the inconvenience, but say that USPS confirmed the delivery, you can only assume that some low life came along and stole the package from their doorstep. I would require a sig on any future orders to that address, too.


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## mikeyriz1024 (Nov 2, 2011)

Thanks for all the comments. I think building in that margain is a great idea because it seems these issues may come up and we just have to eat the loss.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

royster13 said:


> As far as what I charge for shipping, it is 5.99 flat rate for any size order......


For preprinted designs I do this too. If I sell a shirt for $12 and charge $5.99 for the shipping and they order two shirts, I can absorb the extra dollar or so of postage out of the extra $9 of profit I make on the second one.

Advertising a flat rate on shipping regardless of quantity sometimes encourages customers to order more than one shirt, and it makes it a lot easier to set up your shopping cart.


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## treefox2118 (Sep 23, 2010)

This Christmas around 0.1% of orders said they were delivered but the customer said they never got it. We just reprinted and re-shipped.

We "bake in" about 1% into our prices for losses, and we're far ahead on our hold-back for reprints and ships.


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