posted on March 6, 2001 03:37:17 PM new
Sulyn wrote: If I am interested in bidding on an item, I will email to ask if it can be shipped Priority and insured through USPS. I will pay whatever the seller wants to charge for that. If the seller says yes, I bid. If they say no, I don't. If I pay for USPS insurance, I expect to get it.
Sulyn, I use U-PIC and I sure wish I could get people I buy from to use it instead of USPS. U-PIC offers better protection (pays partial claims which USPS does not, pays amt + ins + postage which USPS does not), AND is cheaper. Why would you want to insist I use an inferior service?
CG
fix ubb (maybe)
[ edited by CleverGirl on Mar 6, 2001 03:50 PM ]
posted on March 6, 2001 08:08:41 PM new
I would neg you to if my book arrived all wet !
I seldom sell books, but when I do I send them in at least a plastic bag taped up tight to prevent that type of damage.
It would not have cost any extra to ship with a Wal-mart bag taped around it and it would have prevented the book from getting wet (unless you tossed it in the river of course).
Now about the self insurance deal.
There is a very simple solution that will benefit you as the seller and make the customer feel better as well.
If you self insure, I recommend you do it this way.
Advise that insurance INCLUDES Delivery confirmation.
Adjust your cost to cover this extra charge.
Now all of the items that you are self insuring have DC for your protection. This is done just in case you get the buyer who paid for insurance, didn't see the INSURED stamp on it, and is now going to say they did not recieve their item and want a refund.
By having DC, you will know if and when their item was delivered. You can also keep the little green tags with all of the info on them for your records of the items you are self insuring.
When the buyer who paid for INSURED SHIPPING WITH DELIVERY CONFIRMATION gets their item, they will see the DC bar code sticker on their item and know they got what they paid for.
With a big green sticker like that, who is going to be looking for a little red oval with the word insured on it ?
posted on March 6, 2001 08:39:07 PM new
Cix, interesting suggestion. I have been reading this post today with great interest. I to have been negged in the past month over the post office "breakage", the customer was offered insurance but declined. I guess it then becomes the seller's fault when it arrives broken. Oh well.
My problem with postal confirmation is many of the less expensive items I sell, $10 and under, I send first class for 55 cents. My understanding is that these are not eligible for delivery confirmation unless I want to upgrade to parcel post, which defeats the entire purpose. Any suggestions??
Who notices the insurance stamp when there is a great big green label on the box. ME! and I get really peeved when I've paid for insurance at $1.10 and instead get .50 cent delivery confirmation which in my book consitutes fraud, protection for you the seller, but not me the buyer, which I paid for! Some sellers must have very low opinions of buyers i.e, we can't spell, I-N-S-U-R-A-N-C-E or remember what we bought & paid for. GET REAL!
posted on March 6, 2001 08:50:03 PM new
cix,
I like the idea!
I can still put "insurance" on the shipping label to show the buyer that the item is indeed insured(by me of course, through self insurance). I have a good enough reputation (963 feedback) that I think the buyer would know that I would make it right with them.
I also gaurantee my items to be as described.
If its a pricey item then I will let the PO insure it.
I just can't see paying the PO for an item someone paid only 5 bucks for. Its not worth the hassel of trying to collect it. They can pay me and I'll refund ALL their money with postage both ways.
posted on March 6, 2001 09:07:32 PM new
If a buyer gets a prompt refund when their item arrives broken from a seller who self insures, then it makes no difference who is actually insuring the item now does it ?
I for one, would rather deal with a seller who is going to give me a prompt refund without me having to go to the Post Office and wait in line on top of jumping threw hoops and filing forms. In some cases the Post office won't honor the insurance, THEN WHAT ?
If USPS handled insurance claims promptly, politely, and correctly I would insist on USPS insurance. BUT THEY DO NOT.
posted on March 6, 2001 11:44:56 PM new
oranthal: i sell alot of paper stuff. everything goes in a plastic sleeve taped shut. no water damage yet. it's worth the extra pennies.
posted on March 7, 2001 05:13:03 AM new
Oranthal -
"I just got a negative feedback because of the Post Offices error. ... I sold a $2 used book on ebay and when the seller got it she said her carrier had left it on her doorstep in the heavy rain."
NO, it was your error ... rain happens. It happens all over the world, and has been happening all your life. And you didn't take the slightest precaution.
"It had gotten wet and had some water damage so she could no longer give it as a gift (who gives a used $2 book as a gift)."
Maybe it was a $2 book with $2,000,000 worth of childhood memories to the giver and/or recipient.
"about 3 weeks later, I find she dropped a Negative on me about not packaging it properly. Now who among us ships our packages in waterproof containers?"
I do All it takes is a plastic baggie or a sheet of cheap plastic wrap to waterproof a book. And if the buyer had been me, you would have had a negative for crappy packing while the package was still dripping wet.
