If you do a search in the archives, you will see that this issue has been discussed a few times before. Sales law says that the seller is responsible until the risk of loss transfers to the buyer. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the risk of loss transers when the chips are delivered. If the loss occurs before then, it is the responsibility of the seller to make good on the loss by delivering replacement goods or refunding that portion of the sales price. This is general black letter sales law, and not necessarily the law of every state (though, without research, I believe it is), so you should not take this as legal advice.

Michael Siskin