Marlith wrote:I was wondering if some of the resellers here could give me some insight into something I have wondered about. I often see comments like "We are NOT responsible for any items lost or damaged if insurance isn't purchased" in auctions. Is this accurate or enforceable? I was under the impression that it is the responsibility of the seller to get the item to you. Is this one of those blanket disclaimers that can not be enforced and is added more as a bluff? Thanks for any responses. Not an urgent or even currently relevant question "for me that is" but I was looking at an auction and got to wondering.

It depends. If you have paid by Paypal, the seller has to prove that the item has arrived to you in the mail via Delivery Confirmation.  If not Paypal automatcally finds in your favor and will charge back against the sellers account all of the money you paid or at least as much as they can.  Now if you pay some other way, then it becomes much more complicated.  To be honest I am not sure what EBay's policy is in regards to proving delivery.  Being that they are really the same company, I would imagine that the rules would be the same, but being on EBay for over 6 years, I have learned to not expect anything to make any sense.   Even if EBay's policy is the same there really isn't much they can do to get you your money back outside of hitting the seller with a non-performing seller strike.

If you take payment through PayPal the entire transaction is the responsibility of the seller, regardless of whether or not the buyer managed to convince you to ship M-bag or Donkey & Camel Express.

The only way to guard yourself against having to give the buyer his money back in a PayPal transaction is to ship recorded delivery from a confirmed PayPal address to a confirmed PayPal address. Then you are covered by PayPal's Seller Protection Policy.

Reindeergamez wrote:cheaper if you print your own postage

You can do that?  Here I've been a sucker all these years buying stamps!  :lol:

For my own sales, I package items so they WON'T get damaged.  I feel that is the seller's responsibility.  Likewise I add delivery confirmation.  If something still didn't arrive and it wasn't the buyer's fault (incorrect address) or my fault (screwed something up) and there was no insurance . . . I'd probably still make it up to them.  But this could be a hard decision . . . what if it was a $100 item and the post office just lost it . . . (hopefully, I'll never be up against that).  

As far as the original statement - it can be taken in two ways.  The seller could just require you to get insurance in the first place.  End of story.

However, it can basically be interpreted as:  You can save $1.30 (or $2.20 or whatever), but don't come complaining to me if it doesn't work out.  In a way, you can sort of side with the seller.  Rather than making you fork over money that is most likely going to be wasted, they are letting you opt out and take a risk.  It's not really a risk if you don't accept the consequences . . .

Of course, this isn't how I would treat one of my own sales, but I can see their point of view.  Insurance is a rip off (so are extended warranties on appliances, but we all know that . . . right?  :D  )

I have never had anything lost in the mail or significantly damaged.  I just took a quick look at the feedback I have received from sellers - it's 489.  I very seldom get multiples from the some seller, so let's say I've received 450 different packages from ebay transactions.  If they were all insured for the minimum amount ($1.30) then I would be out $585 !!!!.  Almost $600 straight down the toilet!  Hell, I could buy a PotVQ and have it completely shredded into confetti during transit and I would still be ahead!

That's why I don't buy insurance.  Someday, I may have something never arrive and the seller refuse to refund.  Perhaps, I even paid with a check or money order . . . I can find some solace in the fact that in the long run, I am still ahead for making a blanket policy to never buy insurance.

harami2000 wrote:

deimos3428 wrote: You can do that? Here I've been a sucker all these years buying stamps!

USPS.com® - The Page You're Looking For Has Moved or equivalent; not any amateur cougarish effort, I'm sure, reiny? [ Image ]

Ah yes, I use Endicia http://www.endicia.com just for the added features of them keeping a searchable postage record for me.  (I'm actually horribly unorganized, and without all of my little tools I'd have chaos going on with my ebay sales)  It easily pays for itself for me.  =)

If I ship an item and the person doesn't buy insurance, then they're SOL. Sorry, but I know I shipped it, and have no idea if it actually arrived or not.

Most items get shipped with $100 insurance for free, so it's unlikely to be a concern most of the time. The only stuff that doesn't get shipped with insurance is stuff that goes oversized lettermail ($3 shipping). If that goes missing, that's unfortunate, but not my fault, and thus not something I feel I should pay for.

I've had a few packages dissapear, and have (so far) always given refunds or replacements. The only thing I haven't given a full refund for is a package I sent to Italy that came back after 13 attempted deliveries. I sent it with tracking, so PP can't come after me. That guy is (once he bothers to reply to the eBay complaint he filed) going to get a refund equal to whatever he paid, minus shipping and my fees (which'll be something like $70). I shipped it to the address he provided, so it's his mistake. I'd feel bad for him, if he wasn't such an idiot.