"Lost in the Mail"

[gr82bart]

Hi Folks,

Over the years, I have come across the situation where a print was sent, but not received - yes, folks, it was "lost in the mail". Assuming everyone is truthful, what is the expectation of the sender? Is the sender obligated to send another print, even if it's not their fault the print was lost? The cost of the print and the mailing could be expensive. Or is the recipient out of luck here. Want to get people's thoughts on this.

Reason is that I want to update the 'rules' for the blind print exchange so that, for future rounds:

Senders understand that if their print is lost in the mail, they need to send another one.

OR

Recipients understand that if their print is lost in the mail, they are SOL.
​

It's not pretty for either party one way or another. Thoughts? Advice? Wisdom of the sages only. No wits from the peanut gallery

Regards, Art.

 

[Travis Nunn]

I voted that the recipient is SOL.

My guess is most folks wouldn't mind sending another print (at least I wouldn't mind), but I don't think one should be obligated to send another.

 

[dbonamo]

If the print was of value, in fact anything of value, should be ship with tracking and insured. In that case I would send another print provided you can recoup your cost of the lost print from the insurance.

If the recipient does not want to pay a little extra for insurance then I vote SOL

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I don't envy you, Art. I think it would be the right thing to do, to send a replacement, all things being equal. If the first replacement doesn't show up, then the recipient is definitely SOL. I don't know if I'd make it mandatory though - if the print exchange theme is "oversized prints" or "labor-intensive alt-processes", where it could take multiple days and/or cost a small fortune to reprint and remail, then I wouldn't make it mandatory. If you set a rule that all print exchange prints must be smaller than 11x14, then the replacement cost and mailing cost would not be as steep, and you could mandate 1st replacements.

 

[kraker]

I voted that the recipient is SOL.

My guess is most folks wouldn't mind sending another print (at least I wouldn't mind), but I don't think one should be obligated to send another.

I agree with that 100%.

(Still learning new acronyms every day... Had to look up SOL first, then voted for that one, even if only for lack of a better choice.)

Things get lost in the mail. That happens. Bad luck. For the Postcard Exchange, I always print a few spares for such cases. I think most APUGers wouldn't mind sending a print again, but I don't think you should make that obligatory. (For example, if I run out of spare prints, I may not have the opportunity to create some more prints at short notice...)

By the way, Art, your Ode to Polaroid print seems to be lost in the mail... (Sorry, I just couldn't resist this reminder... )

 

[Barry S]

How about--

If a print is lost in the mail, it's the sender's option whether to send a replacement print.

If the print was actually sent, it just the luck of the draw for the recipient, but if the print was never sent--it's doubtful that a "second" print would be sent. So if a good faith effort was made by the sender, it should be up to that photographer to make the decision--based on availability/amount of work/postage.

 

[bdial]

Generally, the risk of what happens in shipment of goods is the responsibility of the recipient. But, usually the recipient is paying for the shipping, and has the option of adding insurance or tracking to reduce the risk, but this is not the case in our exchanges.
I think it might be resonable to request that people sending prints add whatever tracking service is available. For U.S. domestic mail, delivery confirmation is only $0.65, and I think it's safe to assume that the sender values his print by at least that much.
The tracking doesn't guarantee delivery, but at least the recipient, or the sender has a way of getting the Post to figure out what happened.

 

[Ray Heath]

what is SOL?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

How about--

If a print is lost in the mail, it's the sender's option whether to send a replacement print.

I think that's reasonable. I suspect most people would be willing to send another print. The unfortunate cases will be one of a kind things like Polaroids, particularly if one runs out of Polaroid material, very large prints, and expensive/difficult processes like carbon.

 

[Paul Cocklin]

S**t Outa Luck.

 

[Ole]

Insuring and tracking adds an unreasonable cost to international shipping, especially as tax may be demanded of the recipient.

This far I believe I have received everything that was actually sent, but a few have arrived rather mangled.

If possible I would think it is reasonable to send a replacement print if it gets lost or trashed in the mail.

 

[Steve Smith]

Unless it was a complex, obscure alternative process print, I think a replacement should be sent. As I don't do complex, obscure alternative processes, that is what I would do.

In the UK print exchanges I typically send two prints at a time anyway.

Also, the cost of a replacement print is probably less than any insurance and tracking and the tracking doesn't stop it getting lost anyway, it just let's you know about it!


Steve.

 

[keeds]

I would suggest send another one, but with contact and agreement from the recipients. The trouble is getting to find out whether they have received their print or not. I sent out my prints for the last Lith exchange months ago but despite PM and forum messages not one of the intended recipients have said yeah or nah as to their arrival. I don't mind if they don't have any complimentary comments and I'm sorry if they don't like them, but at least let me know if they have arrived or not....

 

[kraker]

(..) despite PM and forum messages not one of the intended recipients have said yeah or nah as to their arrival. I don't mind if they don't have any complimentary comments and I'm sorry if they don't like them, but at least let me know if they have arrived or not....

My sentiments exactly!

 

[BWKate]

Agree with Kraker 100%! Post when you have received your print esecially in the BPE.
That has happened to me when I sent a print and it was never received and the expense was considerable. What I neglected to do was put the value of the print at $0 and say that it was a gift otherwise it will be in the Customs Abyss and never see the light of day!
Also Steven Frizza sent me two postcards from Australia when the first one didn't arrive and the second one never arrived either! Making the resending of a print voluntary instead of mandatory is a good idea too. Most people wouldn't mind but sometimes the cost might be too much and should be an option.

 

[dschneller]

It should be optional to resend based on circumstances (time, expense, and if the receipient or sender is still active on APUG). I would have no issue resending a print. I don't believe Art should be held accountable to police this though. Perhaps after a certain point in time Art can let the receipient know who the sender was and the two can work it out themselves.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

It's an "Exchange", and the sender needs to realize that they need to print extras just in case something gets lost, or even damaged in shipping.

After all, the choices made when packaging and sending the print can have huge effects on the condition of the print. If I recieved a print that had merely been slipped into an envelope and mailed with no protective padding or a stiffener added to keep the print from being folded, and the print was severely damaged, I would not find that acceptable for an exchange.

If it had been well packaged, and it was still damaged, as the sender, I would resend another copy to the recipient. If it never made it, well, I would send one again, with tracking to make sure it did get there.

 

[Stephen Frizza]

I say resend. kate have you gotten my post card yet?

 

[BWKate]

Not Yet, Stephen.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Me neither Stephen... ;-)