>>most readers of this board think that the seller is MORE responsible for problems with the USPS than the buyer. If the seller can prove that the item was mailed and has the receipt, why is he responsible for non-delivery by the Post Office?

A couple of reasons

1) Most of the time it is the Seller who chooses the method of delivery . . . therefore he is most responsible for that choice.

2) Sellers are the ones responsible for packing and labeling the package -- which is often the source of delivery problems.

3) Sellers rarely can provide proof that they mailed the item in the condition they claim. If the item arrives broken, USPS receipts don't prove what the content or condition was on mailing, and unless speciall services are purchased all the receipts show is that postage was paid for to a certain zipcode which might be convincing when mailed to an obscure place.

4) If a buyer mailed cash and it got lost I would say that he was more responsible for that loss than the seller was.