Company lost my package. Can I get a refund?

[matrix86]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MI

I ordered a battery for my netbook from an overseas dealer as only overseas dealers sold them at the time. I waited an waited and waited for my package very patiently. I was told by others who had ordered from overseas that sometimes it takes 22 days to receive the item. After a full month, I was ready to start yelling.

That's when I found out that someone at USPS had taken my name off of my mailing list without my permission. Anything I had ever gotten from someone was sent back to them.

After very calmly dealing with USPS, I contacted the main headquarters to find out where my package was. They said that it was sent back and that I needed to deal with the company who sent the product.

I have done so and been very patient up until now. The company can't find my product. If USPS has enough information to tell me that it is in Hong Kong, then I feel that the company should be able to find it.

If the company can't find the item, am I entitled to get my money back? Me not receiving the package was neither mine nor the company's fault, which I was sure to let them know that that is what I think. However, the package is in Hong Kong (where their company is located) so they should be able to find it. I've been dealing with this company for a month now and my niceness is starting to wear off. So am I entitled to a refund? It was them, not USPS that lost the package.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by matrix86

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MI

I ordered a battery for my netbook from an overseas dealer as only overseas dealers sold them at the time. I waited an waited and waited for my package very patiently. I was told by others who had ordered from overseas that sometimes it takes 22 days to receive the item. After a full month, I was ready to start yelling.

That's when I found out that someone at USPS had taken my name off of my mailing list without my permission. Anything I had ever gotten from someone was sent back to them.

After very calmly dealing with USPS, I contacted the main headquarters to find out where my package was. They said that it was sent back and that I needed to deal with the company who sent the product.

I have done so and been very patient up until now. The company can't find my product. If USPS has enough information to tell me that it is in Hong Kong, then I feel that the company should be able to find it.

If the company can't find the item, am I entitled to get my money back? Me not receiving the package was neither mine nor the company's fault, which I was sure to let them know that that is what I think. However, the package is in Hong Kong (where their company is located) so they should be able to find it. I've been dealing with this company for a month now and my niceness is starting to wear off. So am I entitled to a refund? It was them, not USPS that lost the package.

Call your credit card company and dispute the charge.

[Stevef]

Originally Posted by matrix86

I was told by others who had ordered from overseas that sometimes it takes 22 days to receive the item. After a full month, I was ready to start yelling.

It sounds like you may have waited too long to start yelling, depending on how you paid for it. I don't remember the exact timeframe, but with an ebay/paypal transaction, you have a limited time to open a complaint. When I ordered an item from Hong Kong, the listing showed a delivery time that exceeded the time to open a complaint. I waited until the last day, and opened a complaint. The item arrived a few days later, so I simply closed the complaint, and left positive feedback for the seller.

I realize this doesn't help in your situation, but you should still check the terms from your payment method. As Wirelessany1 alluded to, you have more protection if you use a credit card. Even when I pay with paypal, I fund it with a credit card rather than my bank. That gives two layers of protection. Also, on the one dispute I had handled through paypal, they did not refund their fee, only the net to the seller.

[matrix86]

Thanks guys. I was just basically wondering if I was entitled to a refund. There was no shipping charge. I paid exactly $59.00 through paypal. The company does have return restrictions based on whether or not you ordered the correct item, and whether or not you gave them the correct address. They also state that items lost in the mail are not their fault. However, USPS has told me that the item is indeed in Hong Kong, which means that it had to be signed for when it was unloaded. This means that the item should be in the company's hands. USPS did a great job keeping track of it (as did the company, which I think actually did a MUCH better job then USPS) up until it was received in Hong Kong.

I just want to be sure I have the right to request my refund as the loss is neither mine nor USPS's fault (although if USPS hadn't screwed up in the first place, I wouldn't be in this mess, lol). I guess me trying to be nice, mature, and reasonable with them has drug things out too long, lol. I will be talking to my bank/credit card company to see if there is anything that they can do. I don't really feel like taking a company several thousand miles away to a small claims court over $60. I don't see it as just $60, but it seems like an amount not worth going to court over with a company several thousand miles across the ocean, lol. I'd end up having to sue for court costs as well...it'll all just be one big legal mess and I couldn't afford it in the first place.

[Stevef]

Originally Posted by matrix86

Thanks guys. I was just basically wondering if I was entitled to a refund. There was no shipping charge. I paid exactly $59.00 through paypal. The company does have return restrictions based on whether or not you ordered the correct item, and whether or not you gave them the correct address. They also state that items lost in the mail are not their fault.

I don't think paypal allows sellers to blame it on being lost during shipping, but you may be too late to file a paypal dispute.

Check their website, and see if you can dispute it.

[matrix86]

Would I have really needed to involve paypal? I don't see why. This is the company's fault for losing my package in their own backyard. They either refund me by sending a payment to my paypal account (which I would hope they still have a record of) or send me another package. I just don't see a reason to have tried to involve paypal...in the end, isn't it the company that decides whether or not to send me a refund? Keep in mind that i'm new to paypal. Still haven't got it completely figured out yet, lol.

[Stevef]

Originally Posted by matrix86

Would I have really needed to involve paypal? I don't see why. This is the company's fault for losing my package in their own backyard. They either refund me by sending a payment to my paypal account (which I would hope they still have a record of) or send me another package. I just don't see a reason to have tried to involve paypal...in the end, isn't it the company that decides whether or not to send me a refund? Keep in mind that i'm new to paypal. Still haven't got it completely figured out yet, lol.

The main reason to use paypal is to protect yourself from situations like these. You paid $59 for a piece of merchandise that you didn't receive.

Yes, the right thing is for the company that sold it to you to make you whole. It appear5s they aren't working with you on it. In this case, your recourse is to contact paypal and tell them that you never received the item. Paypal will refund the money and then go after the company for the money. If the company ever wants to sell to someone who uses paypal again, they have to pay the money back.