2. misc-audio
  3. 176266-7191

Decline or accept upon receipt of damaged gear

I'd appreciate the forum's opinion...

I recently purchased a used amplifier from an online seller.  Payment was sent and the amplifier was shipped via common carrier.  Upon arrival, the package and amplifier inside was visibly damaged.  An inspection through the holes in the damaged box found no packing materials.  After taking photographs, was it more appropriate to decline or to accept the shipment before working with the seller for resolution?

allison2

Showing 3 responses by cleeds

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,682 posts
 

Refuse the shipment. Always.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,682 posts
 
 

 

carlsbad
I have never refused shipment on a package.  Never been in a situation where i had an option to.  So tell me what happens when you decline a damaged package?

A refused package is returned to the shipper.

The refusal frees you from any obligation or expense because it is the shipper's obligation to have the package delivered to you safely. You lose a lot of leverage in negotiations once you accept the package, and open yourself up to potential claims against you, such as the product wasn't really damaged but was misused or mishandled. When you refuse the product, the outcome is mostly between the shipper and the carrier.

The recipient is never under any obligation to knowingly accept damaged goods.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,682 posts
 
 
 

 dweller

The best thing to do, while negotiating the sale, is to specify what will happen if package arrives obviously damaged.

Oh no, that's a terrible approach. It's the shipper's obligation to deliver the goods in the condition described in the terms of sale. If the goods arrived damaged, the shipment should be refused and all burden rests between the shipper and the carrier.

More to discover