Any point to buying signature-required delivery when drivers aren't even bothering?

[onnius]

I don't usually ship Fedex/UPS, but due to the unmitigated disaster that is the USPS, I've had to start. Problem I'm having is trying to protect my high value items with signature-required delivery, and Fedex/UPS happily take the fee, but then the driver just leaves the package and never gets a signature - "COVID release" or "ID Verified". I've received signature-required packages this way too - status shows "ID verified" but box was left at door and driver never even knocked.

I called UPS and asked what exactly I'm paying for with signature-required if signatures are not being required. Response: "a COVID release is at the driver's discretion" - huh?

What am I missing? Is anyone else bothering with buying signature-required? 

[simba6]

You need it to support your case with the payment service. It puts you in a much stronger condition for filing an insurance claim with the shipper.

[onnius]

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@simba6 wrote:

You need it to support your case with the payment service. It puts you in a much stronger condition for filing an insurance claim with the shipper.

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Yes, that's the entire point of this thread, and to gain clarity on paying the signature-required fee when delivery can be 'ambiguous' and 'up to the driver' to not get a signature. Unclear how that's going to bolster a seller's defense against a fraudulent claim by a scammer or bad faith buyer.

[fab_finds4u]

Pay for Signature Delivery. At least with USPS the tracking will show it was a signature delivery and other services whether or not a signature was actually collected.  Due to COVID-19,  to llimit contact and keep social distancing the carriers have been signing.  Signed or not, eBay is looking for signature delivery added to the package if it costs $750 or more.

Be sure you insure valuable items or send them registered mail. Registered mail is slower but safer because everyone that touches it has to sign off on the package when it's registered.

[a_c_green · Accepted solution]

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@onnius wrote:

What am I missing? 

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It's the Signature Confirmation service that's required; a legible signature is not. You need to use SC on sales of $750 or higher in order to maintain eBay Seller Protection against an Item Not Received dispute. However, no one is actually going to squint at a signature on-line -- after all, what would they compare it to?

The requirement is just to have SC purchased and to show a Delivered status at the address provided with the payment. What the signature actually says doesn't matter. Consider that this is not Restricted Delivery Signature Confirmation; it's just regular SC, which can be signed for by any adult at that address. It does not have to be the addressee himself, and thus it doesn't matter how legible it is, because it doesn't matter who signed for it.

[onnius]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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It's the Signature Confirmation service that's required; a legible signature is not. You need to use SC on sales of $750 or higher in order to maintain eBay Seller Protection against an Item Not Received dispute. However, no one is actually going to squint at a signature on-line -- after all, what would they compare it to?

The requirement is just to have SC purchased and to show a Delivered status at the address provided with the payment. What the signature actually says doesn't matter. Consider that this is not Restricted Delivery Signature Confirmation; it's just regular SC, which can be signed for by any adult at that address. It does not have to be the addressee himself, and thus it doesn't matter how legible it is, because it doesn't matter who signed for it.

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This was the info I was after, thank you. Wanted to for once get ahead of what seemed like yet another one of those ebay gotcha situations you only learn by first failing and losing money - I could fill volumes on this topic as I'm sure many others could.

[lja440]

I'm a mail carrier. Though I can't hand my scanner over for the customers signature  the carrier should still be making contact, knock on the door and ask if they will accept the package. I then sign with my code LA (my initials), R4 (my route) and C19 (the reason I am signing and not the customer). And yes this should carry the same weight, insurance wise, as an actual signature.