noob REDIRECT SCAM, INSURANCE, and (restricted) SIGNATURE DELIVERY question for high dollar items

[22cerberus]

hi all.

i've been trying to study up and never quite nailed this issue. i am occasionally selling high dollar items and this redirect scam has me a tad confused. so i am hoping an experienced seller can advise me on how to ship high dollar items.

0. should i ship through ebay in all cases as i currently believe? should i be using USPS or FedEx or any specific selections?

1. should i put a signature deliver on all high dollar items? and if so is there such a thing as my being able to put a "restricted" delivery signature where i list the actual buyers name?

2. do i get insurance in all cases and put the actual value of the item on the insurance? is this a no questions asked process if the buyer states they did not get the item and i don't find that i received it?

3. can i do something to stay out of this redirect scam? is there an option to check a DO NOT REDIRECT option in Ebay? in USPS? in FedEx? can i print DO NOT REDIRECT on a package and photograph it and save myself from this scam this way?

THANKS for any advice.

[mam98031]

0.  You need to ship all items sold on Ebay via an approved carrier and with online tracking, this is in your best interest to do this.  If you print your labels through Ebay, the tracking number will automatically load onto the order.  If you use a method outside of Ebay you will need to manually upload the tracking.  

1.  Signature confirmation is required by Ebay and PP for all products sold that are $750 or more.  I wouldn't advise using the "restricted" service.  It costs more and it won't gain you anything.  Well it may gain you an very upset customer, but it doesn't gain anything in Ebay or PP.  A regular signature required is just fine.  The reason your buyer may get upset by the restricted signature is they may not be the one at hope to accept packages.  It could be their spouse or significant other.  And if it is restricted, they can't sign for it.  That could cause someone to have to take time off from work to go to the PO to sign for and retrieve the package.  I know I'd be mad about that.

2.  Insurance is optional.  Personally I would, but it is completely your call.  If you are willing to risk losing all the money because you don't want to pay for insurance, you can do that.  You can self insure.

3.  Always, without exception ship to the address on your PP payment notification.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  If you do ship to some other address no matter how many emails you have from your buyer asking you to do that, you will lose your Seller Protection in Ebay and in PP.

[myboardid]

I know I don't have a problem with that because I won't sell high value items here or those that attract scammers. 

You cannot prevent a re-direct scam at all as far as I know.  You also can't prevent an empty box claim or an Item Not As Described claim where the buyer "returns" an empty package or something other than what you shipped.

To me it is just too risky. 

[luckythewinner]

---

---

IMHO "noob" and "high value item" are a dangerous combination. 

That aside ... 

i've been trying to study up and never quite nailed this issue.

Generally speaking, any buyer can steal any item from any seller at any time by using a fraudulent "not as described" dispute. As a regular reader of this board, these are far more common scams than "redirect" scams.  

do i get insurance in all cases and put the actual value of the item on the insurance? is this a no questions asked process if the buyer states they did not get the item and i don't find that i received it?

No, it is not a no questions asked process. The USPS, UPS and FEDEX are not in the business of granting a license to steal.

And it may require the cooperation of the buyer to take the item and the packaging to the USPS for inspection, which they are not inclined to do because eBay will refund them without any work whatsoever.