Question about Chargebacks for Delivered Items

[markw10]

I am located in the US and recently shipped an item to another area of the US. The person claimed they never received it although the delivery confirmation said they did. When they contacted me I told them to contact their local Post Office which they did. They simply said that the post office stated that maybe it was delivered to the wrong mailbox and to check with their neighbors which they said they did not want to do.

Then I contacted my local post office to start an investigation. At this time the customer got upset saying simply ship another item to them (video game). I told them I can't do this since an investigation was on. They then stated that tell the post office to just send the item back to me when found. I stated that I could not do this since the post office stated if the item is found it most likely will be delivered to them. They stated that I had 24 hours to ship another game or the credit card company will be called and they'd dispute it.

Sure enough a couple days later (about a week after the item arrived) I get the chargeback. Out of 460 items shipped this was my first chargeback. I contacted the credit card company to dispute it. I gave all email correspondence to them including proof of delivery. Unfortunately I was told that the delivery confirmation does no good and I need a signature or I will lose any chargeback where a person claimed they did not get the item.

I was puzzled because I had the idea that a delivery confirmation is fine and that a signature confirmation is only needed on items of $250 or more so that is how I handled it, only signatures on $250 or more. I think a signature confirmation is around $1.85 so I can't afford it on all items. I think anything of $100 or more I'll put it on and not the others figuring it's a cost of business.

I just am posting this to get opinions from others. How have you done with chargebacks such as these? Do you usually ship another item or is there another way to fight it? I am concerned customers will get upset if every package, no matter how small, requires a signature plus some may simply not accept the pkg (for example if they are not home) and I may get too many returns.

[Blaine Moore]

I'd have just refunded the person and taken the loss, hoping that eventually the game comes back in resellable condition. Less stress, better customer relations, and in the end costs less in both time and resources if things don't go in my favor.