Seller's Not Protected by Ebay shipping policies.

[jforsher]

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.

[kensgiftshop]

@jforsher 

Buyer doesn't need insurance, they have the MBG to cover them.

Insurance is to cover the seller.

USPS provides $50 worth of insurance with Priority Mail.

[nobody*s_perfect]

USPS Priority Mail automatically includes $50 of insurance coverage.   Top Rated Sellers who purchase Priority postage through eBay get $100 of coverage.

If you want more coverage than that, you have to purchase it.

The buyer doesn't need insurance, it's for the protection of the seller. eBay's buyer protection policy, which they call the "Money back guarantee," ensures that the buyer will get a full refund if the item arrives "Not as described" which of course would include a broken or damaged item.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

[albertabrightalberta]

Actually, Priority mail comes with $50/$100 insurance, NOT $5K!

But as a seller, it's YOUR responsiblity to pack, ship and insure that items arrive safely. You could have purchased insurance if you'd wanted to. 

This is on you. BTW, I rarely find parcel select much of a savings over priority mail. Generally, for a couple of dollars more, items get to buyers in <4 days (vs. over 1 week or more for PP).  

[buyselljack2016]

As an aside:

Shipped in that box, most likely USPS insurance would only have paid if the item was "lost".

[titipeo]

If you send an expensive $700 item to your friend/family/loved one, do you get insurance on it? Same thing as if send it to a total stranger. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

"Ships in original box"

That's directly from your listing.  That's why it broke.

That is a regular retail box, not meant for shipping. It's meant to be stacked and palletized, not thrown around on conveyor belts and falling 10 feet to the concrete floor with 50 lb boxes falling on top of it.

No carrier's insurance would even touch this one.  This loss is entirely on you.

[buyselljack2016]

I have found that there has been quite a change in the Parcel Post vs. Priority rates on item that are going to travel greater distances.  That was not true with the 2021 rate fold prices, but checking the Jan 2022 Notice 123 the numbers are much different.

6# to zone 8 was $24.35.  Now 6# to zone  8 is $14.22

[duffy4444]

  Am I missing something here? I've read the OP's post many times, and my jaw is still open.

   This is what happens when a $700 item is not insured.

   Yes, the OP is out hundreds of dollars without recourse. It's a slam dunk because it's not up to the buyer to make sure his purchase arrives safely and is properly insured. The Money Back Guarantee protects him. Insurance protects the seller. It is up to the seller who ships its value, and the seller is the one on the hook until the item reaches the buyer in a safe and undamaged manner. The buyer is to be made whole because he did not receive the undamaged item he paid for and rightly expected to be delivered undamaged.

    No, not all items shipped thru eBay have to be insured. It's ridiculous to expect a $5 item to be required to have an additional nearly $3 charged to insure it.

   Insurance of high-value items is a cost of doing business.

 Cheers,  Duffy

[albertabrightalberta]

---

@buyselljack2016 wrote:

I have found that there has been quite a change in the Parcel Post vs. Priority rates on item that are going to travel greater distances.  That was not true with the 2021 rate fold prices, but checking the Jan 2022 Notice 123 the numbers are much different.

6# to zone 8 was $24.35.  Now 6# to zone  8 is $14.22

---

I'm seeing economy shipping at $97.85! For that price, I'd have expected it to be packed with care and get to me in one piece. . 

[buyselljack2016]

I agree, but that is not what "my" post was referencing 😊

[vintage-camerastuff]

If it arrived in pieces, maybe you should have packed it better.  Just a thought.

[luckythewinner]

The buyer chose 'parcel post' USPS.

Because you offered 'parcel post' USPS

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

The seller is the one who purchases insurance, not the buyer. You could have done so if you wanted to. 

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

There's no need to demand this. Sellers can already purchase insurance, and they have the ability to charge any shipping fee they want. You could have bought insurance if you wanted to. 

[annadryl]

If the cost of insurance is baked into your price (a few dollars) then the customer DOES pay for it. It is then your responsibility to purchase the proper insurance to cover yourself. Don't expect a lot of hand-holding. Selling high priced items online takes a lot of diligence and being proactive. Good luck~

[stainlessenginecovers]

I can tell you 3 things that are typical with any selling venue and/or selling on the internet and then shipping

1.) The selling venue NEVER covers a seller since a.) The selling venue is not at your house packing your item b.) the selling venue does NOT decide HOW you will ship things

2.) Buyers don't pay for insurance and are NOT insured. The SELLER is insured and the SELLER buys the insurance.

3.) USPS does NOT have $5000 insurance on anything. No idea WHERE you got that from.