what is the proper protocol

When I shipped a parcel and it was lost, I payed immediately, without being asked to do so by the buyer, and was reimbursed by the carrier at a later date. Two parcels have been lost coming to me. In the first case, the seller sent funds immediately, without my asking. In the second the seller sent the refund after being paid by the carrier; I considered it shabby form and informed him so.

Nhtran, the exact quote from the FAQ is, "In cases in which the shipping company has lost the item, the seller must offer a refund to the buyer immediately and then file his loss claim with the shipper." Nothing aspirational about the use of the word "must" here. I agree, the transaction is goverened by both federal and state laws, however many have had their accounts closed on this site for not living up to the agreement upon signing up which says that you must agree to the rules of the site. And the word is maybe, not "may be".

Tvad, try signing up like you are a new member, you will be asked to agree to the rules of Audiogon as a condition of membership. Please, just try it.

Sincerely,
Your friendly local heretic.

P.S. This may be known only to me, but it seems that there is some agreement by other members who must not understand my motivations either ;^)

Does anyone actually bother to read the FAC on this site? It clearly states that the buyer must be paid immediately upon the loss of an item. Nhtran, you should not be selling on this site if you cannot bother to understand the rules of our community and abide by them. This is not a matter of interpretation at all, but a requirement of the use of this site.

Tvad, with all due respect, I find the "I will do it because it was done to me." justification to be without merit. And no, the guidelines are not a contract but are requirements for the use of this site. In the Seller FAQ under "Problems" click on "If A Buyer Does Not Receive A Shipment", it says "In cases in which the shipping company has lost the item, the seller must offer a refund to the buyer immediately and then file his loss claim with the shipper." Note the use of the word "must". That is what we are required to do as sellers on this site.

Tvad, you left out one small bit when you paraphrased me, "with all due respect." That is important, I have only the greatest respect for you from our postings here on these forums.