Dear Animanga forum,

Hi, I need some advice and insight.  I just got a
package in the mail today that looks as if it
were run over by the mail truck a few times @~@!
The contents, a mook (art made for a book
illustration) cel setup for one of Richard
Scarry's books was also damaged ;_;!  The
colorful background of a grocery store was also
bent, and the cel itself with Scarry's Busytown
characters got dented and damaged in the mangled
box.

I don't blame the seller at all for the damage
since she packaged the item VERY well in a sturdy
box with insulating bubble wrap, sponge, and
extra cardboard inside as well for further
protection.  I do blame USPS for their LACK of
handling care for the package >8(!  The package
was even INSURED and marked FRAGILE to boot, and
USPS still had the GALL to deliver it to me in
that condition!  You would think they would at
LEAST apologize or try and compensate for the
damage, like those "We're sorry," torn envelopes
(usually of JUNK mail) you get in the mail
sometimes >=/!

Well, I called the seller and told her the news.
She called her post office to see what could be
claimed, but they couldn't really give her an
answer other than for me to visit my post office
and ask.  I went to my post office with my mauled
and mangled package to ask and file a claim.
Unfortunately, the only way I can file a claim is
for me to SURRENDER my package along with the
contents 8(!  Since the artwork is one-of-a-kind,
I'm left with the quandry: Get compensation and
lose the art, or keep the art which is now
devalued by the heavy damage --; and live with
the loss!

The seller was very sympathetic and offered to
compensate for the damage if I kept the art.
However, I don't feel right asking her for
compensation since it was NOT her fault for the
damage in the first place >=(!  If the art were
only worth $20.00 or something, I wouldn't care
less either way.  Since it was worth a pretty
penny, I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a
hard place.  I bought the piece since I loved the
artwork itself and not for investment purposes.
Now that it's damaged, the art on the piece
hasn't changed, but it's overall value has!

Does anyone here have any advice on what I should
do in this situation ;_;?  Any help would be
greatly appreciated.  Thanks.


Sincerely,

Sonia ;_;