I sold a firearm with valuable accessories to someone who has very, very, good feedback. Packaged it beyond careful and mailed to their FFL. They claim that they didn't receive some of the accessories. I think maybe their FFL took them but obviously I can't prove it. Anyone ever have this problem? How did you resolve the situation?
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Buyer Claims Didn't Receive Some Items.
- Thread starter FNHFAL
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fencer
NES Member
That sucks. I would call the FFL and tell them that you put the items in the box and ask is it is possible that they have been misplaced. I would tell him exactly how the items were packaged.
I know it does not help now, but in the future, a quick picture of the items in the box would go a long way.
I know it does not help now, but in the future, a quick picture of the items in the box would go a long way.
greencobra
NES Member
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I think fencers reasoning is solid. The ffl would have to unpack the box to get at the numbers for log in, he may have just put them aside and forgot to replace them in the box. Did you send along a detailed packing list so you can show him what's amiss?
wow that sucks
first (and I hate to point this out but I know someone will) NEVER send anything through an FFL that doesn't absolutely have to go through an FFL. Yes, you'll pay extra for two shipments but FFLs can be a disaster when it comes to incoming and outgoing transfers. same for repair service btw, especially a factory repair.
second, did you call the FFL and talk to them? forget email/text msg, call them during an off hour and ask them to look really hard. it's not uncommon for FFLs to have boxes and boxes of guns coming and going and accessories piling up.
lastly if after giving the FFL some time and calling them a few times, I guess the best you can do is offer the buyer a reduced price and if he doesn't want to accept that then have them send whats left back to you. If the FFL agrees it's "missing" then I'm not sure how you can hold the buyer responsible. only option left I see is to plead his forgiveness and hope he cuts you a sympathetic deal.
good luck
first (and I hate to point this out but I know someone will) NEVER send anything through an FFL that doesn't absolutely have to go through an FFL. Yes, you'll pay extra for two shipments but FFLs can be a disaster when it comes to incoming and outgoing transfers. same for repair service btw, especially a factory repair.
second, did you call the FFL and talk to them? forget email/text msg, call them during an off hour and ask them to look really hard. it's not uncommon for FFLs to have boxes and boxes of guns coming and going and accessories piling up.
lastly if after giving the FFL some time and calling them a few times, I guess the best you can do is offer the buyer a reduced price and if he doesn't want to accept that then have them send whats left back to you. If the FFL agrees it's "missing" then I'm not sure how you can hold the buyer responsible. only option left I see is to plead his forgiveness and hope he cuts you a sympathetic deal.
good luck
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johnN
NES Member
the shipper should have and it will be on the slip.
Contact the dealer. They could have it and legitimately not know or not know who it belongs to (package gets open, gun gets separated from accessories, don't get put back in one package, now they have a bunch of stuff they don't know who should be getting). If the buyer didn't realize he/she was missing something, this could be the case. If they did and the dealer still couldn't come up with it, then there could be some malice at play.
If they still can't find it, try and make contact with other people who have sent stuff through this FFL to see if anyone else has had issues with them.
If they still can't find it, try and make contact with other people who have sent stuff through this FFL to see if anyone else has had issues with them.
mikeyp
NES Member
Also let them know you'd hate to have to get the USPS involved for mail fraud if you have the weight that was shipped out(although if sent via UPS or FedEx, they don't really cover it, right?)
dcmdon
NES Member
Me too. I lay the gun and stuff on the box with the shipping label and take a pic. Then I wrap the stuff and take another pic. Yo get my point.
There is lots of good info here. From an FFL's perspective, he doesn't want all those accessories. They are a hassle and sometimes they legitimately get lost or misplaced.
$12 gets you a medium flat rate box. Enough for 50 Pmags. Its cheap insurance.
At this point, I'd look into the weight angle.
jaypap
NES Member
What does the F.F.L. say he received or conveyed to the buyer?
Someone is lying. It may be hard to prove who.
I hate being ripped off and it sucks more not knowing who did it.
The F.F.L. should know exactly what he gave the buyer.
Call the F.F.L. and see what he says. If he is lying out him.
It is doubtful the UPS guy opened a package took the accessories and delivered the gun.
It looks like a F.F.L. problem, like I said this sucks.
Someone is lying. It may be hard to prove who.
I hate being ripped off and it sucks more not knowing who did it.
The F.F.L. should know exactly what he gave the buyer.
Call the F.F.L. and see what he says. If he is lying out him.
It is doubtful the UPS guy opened a package took the accessories and delivered the gun.
It looks like a F.F.L. problem, like I said this sucks.
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the only thing a picture is going to prove is you own a camera, the weight thing is where it's at.
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Not enough info until you've talked to the FFL.
I'm an optimist, so I'd hold off on any hard feelings until they've had a chance for "I'm glad you called - I've had those things sitting on the bench for a week trying to figure out who they belonged to!"
If they were the ones to unbox it, and it was there when you sealed it up but they claim it wasn't when you opened it, then it goes down a different road. You're not doing business with them regularly, and if there's no alternate explanation but theft, dedicate some time to it.
I'm an optimist, so I'd hold off on any hard feelings until they've had a chance for "I'm glad you called - I've had those things sitting on the bench for a week trying to figure out who they belonged to!"
If they were the ones to unbox it, and it was there when you sealed it up but they claim it wasn't when you opened it, then it goes down a different road. You're not doing business with them regularly, and if there's no alternate explanation but theft, dedicate some time to it.
Dealer was hard to get in contact with. It's not like here in MA I have found that FFL's around the country have some weird combo stores. Cameras, dental equipment, laundromat, mortgage company. Lots of opportunity to misplace stuff,
Anyway buyer admitted that FFL has a history of throwing away / misplacing accessories and not to worry about it. On more than one occasion he has had to go through FFL's trash to find items. Not sure why he still uses that FFL but that's his business.
There was some good advice in this thread. Going forward I will ship accessories separately.
Anyway buyer admitted that FFL has a history of throwing away / misplacing accessories and not to worry about it. On more than one occasion he has had to go through FFL's trash to find items. Not sure why he still uses that FFL but that's his business.
There was some good advice in this thread. Going forward I will ship accessories separately.
glad it worked out.
I guess the other thing to consider here is if the buyer didn't want the item less the accessories they should have refused it upon inspection and not taken it from the dealer.
I guess the other thing to consider here is if the buyer didn't want the item less the accessories they should have refused it upon inspection and not taken it from the dealer.
Maybe this guy has great feedback because he regularly tells people that expensive accessories are missing, then after the person freaks out and gives him a kickback on price, they are so grateful that they give him good feedback. Just being cynical here, but if you shipped the guy a gun, and he tells you the ACOG scope was missing, then tells you not to worry about it, that's fishy.
my .02
my .02
dcmdon
NES Member
The dealer has to open the box. Unless you meet him the same day the UPS guy drops off the package. A dealer has a legal requirement to enter any firearms received into his A/D book by the close of the next business day following the day of aquisition. So if its received on Monday, he has to have it booked in by EOB on Tuesday.
This is why people are suggesting that any valuable accessories are mailed directly to the buyer in a separate package.
Most likely misplaced. Every FFL I know of seems to work in some sort of organized chaos and its possible they opened up the box and not everything made it back in.
I hope its not a case of the FFL seeing that something was valuable and thinking this wont be missed.
I hope its not a case of the FFL seeing that something was valuable and thinking this wont be missed.
Probably the other parts were tossed out with the box / packaging material.
While it is hopeful that the FFL would inspect the contents of the box, more likely is that the box comes in, the "primary" thing they are looking for is removed from the box, and the box and other contents are discarded.
While it is hopeful that the FFL would inspect the contents of the box, more likely is that the box comes in, the "primary" thing they are looking for is removed from the box, and the box and other contents are discarded.
one-eyed Jack
Manufacturer
It happens. I once almost threw out a set of scope rings for the rifle in the box. They were just loose in the bubble wrap. Jack.
EJFudd
NES Member
This, without question. No exceptions.
Didn't realize that. Does the FFL need to verify the SN on the firearm or can they log it in using a bill of material/packing slip which is on the outside of the box?
it also would be a good idea to include a packing list and tape all items together even though they are wrapped separately. possible leaving SN visible.
Most dealers open the boxes pretty quickly because they want to get the gun logged in their books. They can't have guns hanging around their shop not logged in the books for a long period of time, otherwise, this becomes a problem if BATFE was to stop by for any reason.
-Mike
- - - Updated - - -
An FFL that doesn't verify the SN on the gun is just asking for problems or a ****ed up bound book with errors in it.
-Mike
gasaman
NES Member
A similar event happened to me but I was the receiving party that got shorted a couple mags. It turned out my FFL threw them out accidently. I made him go dumpster diving for the discarded packaging. He found it after about 20min digging. He apologized to me after he cooled down and admitted it was his fault for not being observant.
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+100
I have an FFL that I like and trust, but they do tend to lose the little things that come in the package. More than once I've had to ask them to look around for extra magazines that came with a gun, and they find them someplace in a cabinet or on the floor.
boilermaker
NES Member
I have only had to ship one thing to an FFL, but I did write up a packing list so that the buyerFFL had an idea of what to look for in the box. Might be a thought for next time.
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