Who is responsible for a damaged item in a return?

Question

Through eBay, I sold and shipped a game console. It arrived, working, without incident; the customer was not happy with it, so he returned it through UPS. (To my knowledge, he did not buy insurance.) However, the buyer did not put my apartment number on the package and it sat in a hot room at the UPS place over the three-day weekend. Now it is completely gone--not working. If this individual wants his money back, should I refund his money? After all, his error probably destroyed my console.

Answer 1

Something smells fishy.  

Electronic devices are able to withstand the heat found in a warehouse, even in the hottest parts of the US, as long as they are not in use.

If you have ever unloaded a trailer that has been standing in the sun for an hour or two you will know how much heat electronics are subject to while being shipped from manufacturer to dealer and from dealer to consumer.  

Since your customer says the device was working before it was shipped to you and it is no longer working and he/she is the shipper tell him/her to file a claim with UPS.

Hope this helps

Jerry-the-bookkeeper