posted on May 26, 2005 07:59:56 AM new
I tried setting up a listing and chose I specify ebay shipping,then fixed shipping and then entered the shipping and when I went to the ebay preview it said I had to enter an amount for insurance. So I put in $1.30 and it still keeps saying invalid field for insurance. Why? Also Vendio is so slow when downloading the create listing page, why?
You have specified an amount for domestic insurance, however your international insurance says 'Recommended - calc'. Please either make international insurance as 'not offered' or put an amount in there as well. You will then be able to submit your item.
posted on May 26, 2005 12:17:54 PM new
Has anyone else but me realized that YOU CAN'T SPECIFY SHIPPING INSURANCE IF YOU """DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL SELL FOR""". May be fine for Buy it Now auctions, but is useless if it's a real auction. How do I know how much the final winning price will be??? Maybe it's just me, but I'm not psychic. If I have a auction I launch that I am specifying shipping for I just sellect not offered for insurance and when the auction is over race to beat the buyer to the checkout and then I recheck the offer insurance. Pain in the neck, but I don't know what else to do.
Mike
We appreciate all the feedback with the new (and even the old) checkout/shipping/insurance features. We've released a new product which offers a lot more functionality than the old system. There's always room for improvement and we'll never stop taking on those challenges.
For this specific case, if you and other users are often guessing at or don't have the price for the insurance, let us know so we can register the feedback appropriately. This registered feedback helps ensure that we're in sync with our customer's demands.
I'm logging this request for you. Unfortunately, I don't have a work around for this case. Feel free to write back and give specifics on what you'd like to see ... or how you hope it would work.
Best Regards,
If you use eBay fixed shipping, insurance cost must be specified in advance. With eBay calculated shipping or Vendio checkout, insurance cost can be set to use the price-based carrier rates.
posted on May 27, 2005 03:33:24 PM new
Ok, I'm getting slightly confused now. I still don't understand how I am going to figure out how much to charge for shipping if I don't know how much the item will sell for. I may know what the shipping is going to be because I may use a USPS flat rate box, that's fine, I know the shipping cost, but the insurance has nothing to really do with how much it cost to ship the item. It's a add on, option, if you catch my drift. If the item only sell's for $10 dollars the insurance is $1.30, but on the other hand if it sell's for $300 then it will cost $4.20. If I set the insurance low, and the item sell's high, my loss. If I set the insurance charge high and the item sells for next to nothing, then the buyer loose's. I don't like to overcharge buyers and I sure don't like to undercharge as that's money out of my pocket.
So who need's to change, eBay? Who would be a good person to contact at eBay to let them know about this problem? I understand that changes take time, it's just that this new system seem's to be more dificult with having to figure out how to offer insurance when I make a listing. Currently I am not offering insurance when I am specifying flat rate shipping, I just race to the checkout at the end of the auction and change it to offer insurance as a option incase the buyer want's it.
Unfortunately, because of a limitation on eBay's side you cannot specify calculated insurance rates. They will only allow you to specify fixed rates in the listing. However, the insurance rates are not super-granular - ie. the rates adjust to prices in $50 to $100 increments. You should be able to reasonably guesstimate the range in which an item will sell. There may be cases where you're off a bit, of course, but until eBay allows calculated insurance in payment and shipping details, you're a bit limited if you want this displayed in your listing.
I'm not sure who you would contact specifically at eBay, but anyone in their Customer Service department should be able to pass along your request.
