eBay

jforsher · ‎06-05-2022

I recently sold a new Canon top of the line printer for nearly $700.

The buyer chose 'parcel post' USPS. I shipped the item and it arrived

in pieces.

USPS will not take the claim since no insurance was selected by the buyer. Ebay

said its USPS problem.

I think all sellers should demand that all items shipped thru Ebay must have insurance. USPS Priority

automatically has $5000 insurance. Parcel Post should have it added too.

I am out hundreds of dollars with no recourse.

donsdetour · ‎06-06-2022

Your job as a seller is to get the item to the buyer in the same condition as it was stated in the listing.

This includes shipping as well.

You the SELLER are responsible for ever action including damage a shipper does.

You agree to eBay's many back guarantee by selling on eBay: so even with no returns, you will refund em or eBay will do so and charge YOU.

If you do not desire to insure it is still on you.

Even if insured the buyer does not have to cooperate for a claim with the shipper.

Just facts of selling on eBay that all should know.

jforsher · ‎06-06-2022

Thanks. Sorry for the incorrect USPS insurance amount. Definitely a big difference.

I believe I read it was up to $5000, assuming you bought the insurance.

a_c_green · ‎06-06-2022

@jforsher wrote:
Thanks. Sorry for the incorrect USPS insurance amount. Definitely a big difference.
I believe I read it was up to $5000, assuming you bought the insurance.

Right; the default (free) insurance included with any Priority mailpiece is $50, but you can pay extra for high-value shipments to a maximum of $5,000.

Ref: https://www.usps.com/ship/insurance-extra-services.htm

As noted, though, the USPS tends to push back on damage claims by declining due to insufficient packing. In the case of a heavy printer, double-boxing would have been the minimum required, since the rigid styrofoam of the factory shipping box was designed for palletized shipping, like bricks in a cube, and was not intended for loose shipping that would need shock protection with surrounding padding.

umoraski · ‎06-06-2022

I agree - Priority is just about the same as Parcel Select. Even though you packed it carefully, you never know what might be thrown on top or on the side. Anything over $100, I would definitely buy extra insurance and always ship Priority Mail. I did send an expensive ring First Class, but purchased Insurance and Signature Confirmation.

calntom · ‎06-06-2022

@yuzuha wrote:
@jforsher wrote:

I think all sellers should demand that all items shipped thru Ebay must have insurance. USPS Priority
automatically has $5000 insurance. Parcel Post should have it added too.
I am out hundreds of dollars with no recourse.
Heck no. I have never had a single package damaged. I don't buy insurance because there's no need for it; I simply put away a few cents from every sale I make into a "cookie jar" fund to cover any case of damage.

Now, if I were shipping something worth $700, you'd better believe I would buy insurance, but I don't need eBay to tell me that's a good idea. It is the responsibility of the seller to decide what level of risk they're willing to take with their items, NOT eBay.

The bottom line is to ship the product appropriately to avoid damage. Has to be able to be drop kicked, dribbled, punted and able to tear up any other packages it might come in contact with on a conveyer. The only chance insurance has is if the buyer can be talked into dealing with the carrier for the seller, as in taking the parcel to the USPS counter.

bashort · ‎06-06-2022

@jforsher wrote:
I recently sold a new Canon top of the line printer for nearly $700.
The buyer chose 'parcel post' USPS. I shipped the item and it arrived
in pieces.
USPS will not take the claim since no insurance was selected by the buyer. Ebay
said its USPS problem.
I think all sellers should demand that all items shipped thru Ebay must have insurance. USPS Priority
automatically has $5000 insurance. Parcel Post should have it added too.
I am out hundreds of dollars with no recourse.

USPS Insurance is totally worthless. Be glad you did not waste your money on it.

calntom · ‎06-06-2022

@albertabrightalberta wrote:
@calntom wrote:
I would never buy insurance unless the buyer requested and paid for it.
NO!!! this is a huge violation and NOT allowed.

Insurance is to protect the sender and unless the seller builds the cost of insurance into the shipping price, they can't force a buyer to pay extra for it.

And based on what I'm seeing as the shipping charge in @jforsher 's, insurance could easily have been purchased and paid for with money left over for the seller!

"NO!!! this is a huge violation and NOT allowed."

Now, that is funny. Where did you get that a buyer cannot request insurance and have it added in to the price of Shipping?

I have done it before. Buyer requested insurance. I added it into the price of shipping. Buyer paid for the insurance. I shipped. Buyer happy.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎06-06-2022

I would purchase insurance if a buyer requested. Long ago, it was a buyer option -- there was even a separate line on the invoice for it.

Once after a buyer chose to purchase insurance for a relatively low-value item, I asked them why they thought it was worthwhile. They explained that if the package was uninsured, then if nobody answered the door to receive the package, their carrier would leave it on their front porch, to get rained-on or stolen, whereas if the carrier saw that the package was insured they would leave a pickup slip and bring it back to the safety of the PO for pickup. This is totally against logic and USPS policy, but I had no reason to doubt them.

a_c_green · ‎06-06-2022

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
I would purchase insurance if a buyer requested. Long ago, it was a buyer option -- there was even a separate line on the invoice for it.

Oh, gawd, yes, I remember that. It led to endless confusion and arguments over whether the buyer was owed a refund for shipping damage if he hadn't purchased insurance... as if somehow the whole thing was his fault.

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
Once after a buyer chose to purchase insurance for a relatively low-value item, I asked them why they thought it was worthwhile. They explained that if the package was uninsured, then if nobody answered the door to receive the package, their carrier would leave it on their front porch, to get rained-on or stolen, whereas if the carrier saw that the package was insured they would leave a pickup slip and bring it back to the safety of the PO for pickup. This is totally against logic and USPS policy, but I had no reason to doubt them.

I think he might have some muddled recollection going on there. The carrier is supposed to ring the doorbell for a signature if the insured package is over a certain amount ($500 these days, less in the past), and leave a pick-up notice if there's no one there, but otherwise it's the carrier's discretion as to what he wants to do with it if he doesn't think the delivery location is secure.

(My record for lowest-cost item insured at buyer's request was a $5.50 vintage coin bank that was only going about 20 miles. The Shipping with insurance cost him more than that, but he was happy, so it's all fine with me.)

coolections · ‎06-06-2022

@calntom wrote:

Now, that is funny. Where did you get that a buyer cannot request insurance and have it added in to the price of Shipping? I have done it before.

@calntom

A fool and his money would do that. Buyers do not need extra insurance. If the item arrived damaged the seller WILL pay the buyer back.

calntom · ‎06-06-2022

@coolections wrote:
@calntom wrote:

Now, that is funny. Where did you get that a buyer cannot request insurance and have it added in to the price of Shipping? I have done it before.
@calntom
A fool and his money would do that. Buyers do not need extra insurance. If the item arrived damaged the seller WILL pay the buyer back.

Buyers can buy anything they want if it makes them feel secure. You would tell a buyer they a not allowed to purchase insurance on their shipment if they asked or demanded?

I suppose we all have our own sets of rules.

coolections · ‎06-06-2022

@calntom wrote:
Buyers can buy anything they want if it makes them feel secure. You would tell a buyer they a not allowed to purchase insurance on their shipment if they asked or demanded?

I would make them feel secure by telling them I already included the insurance amount into their purchase price and they can rest easy knowing their item will arrive safely.

coolections · ‎06-06-2022

.

southern*sweet*tea · ‎06-06-2022

@albertabrightalberta wrote:
@calntom wrote:
I would never buy insurance unless the buyer requested and paid for it.
NO!!! this is a huge violation and NOT allowed.

Insurance is to protect the sender and unless the seller builds the cost of insurance into the shipping price, they can't force a buyer to pay extra for it.

And based on what I'm seeing as the shipping charge in @jforsher 's, insurance could easily have been purchased and paid for with money left over for the seller!

It would have been wasted money because the seller didn't bother to box the printer, he shipped in the retail box. Any insurance claim would have been immediately declined for improper packaging.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

nobody*s_perfect · ‎06-06-2022

@a_c_green wrote: .... The carrier is supposed to ring the doorbell for a signature if the insured package is over a certain amount ($500 these days, less in the past), and leave a pick-up notice if there's no one there, but otherwise it's the carrier's discretion as to what he wants to do with it if he doesn't think the delivery location is secure...

And apparently the carrier in question based his decision on whether or not the package was insured. This buyer said that uninsured packages would always be left, and stolen, hence it was worth it to them to insure every package.