TEXAS, USA — A Salado homeowner reached out to 6 News wondering who is responsible for a lost package. She said her package wasn't stolen from her porch and it wasn't lost in the mail. Instead, the carrier accidentally gave it to someone else, she said.
THE QUESTION
Who is responsible for a lost package?
OUR SOURCES
- Professor, Engineering Technology & Industrial Distribution
- Industrial Distribution
- Director, Manufacturing & Logistics Innovation Initiatives, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
- Harvey Hubbell Professorship
- Affiliated Faculty, Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy, The Bush School of Government and Public Service
- Affiliated Faculty, Multidisciplinary Engineering
THE ANSWER
Each scenario is different, but Iakovou says it is best to contact the seller, especially in the Salado woman's case, because they typically have insurance policies with carriers.
WHAT WE FOUND
Iakovou says it's crucial to understand the difference between large and small businesses.
"For larger organizations, there's the plan for lost packages," Iakovou explained. "What they have is automated systems. They can pretty much reduce the risk. With the smaller organizations, that we always strive to support, there is a discrepancy there."
Iakovou still describes how most businesses, whether that are large or small, have insurance policies that cover claims with carriers, so he urges buyers and consumers to reach out to retailers as opposed to the carrier.
"The seller has to make adjustments based on the service policy as the head with the carrier," Iakovou said. "At the end of the day, you and I, we order from the retailer and not from USPS or UPS or FedEx."
Buyers must be cautious, however, since some businesses might not always have insurance policies with carriers. That's why it's important to do your research.
"Nothing negative about the smaller retailers, but let's do our due diligence before ordering from them," Iakovou added. "Let's make sure that we can confirm in advance there's an easy way to contact the tailor if something bad happens."
It's also important to send something over in a written format, so there is always record of what has happened before.
6 News reached out to multiple carriers about this Verify segment.
Adam Snyder with FedEx sent the following statement:
"The security of our customers’ shipments is a top priority and we apologize for any inconvenience caused by this situation. As always, customers with questions can visit fedex.com to check the status of shipments, engage with customer service, or initiate the claims process if they suspect their shipment has been lost or damaged."
Becky Hernandez, spokesperson for USPS says this link explains the process to follow for “missing mail” and gives all the steps on what to expect during the process.
If you have something you would like verified, email verify@kcentv.com or sdishon@kcentv.com.
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