carolinetyler
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posted on August 12, 2009 05:02:59 PM new
So, under this new plan of Ebay's - if I sell a $500 item to Joe in Montana, I shell out the $6 to insure it. It arrives broken. Joe gets his money back from Paypal. How do I get Joe to cooperate with the insurance claim process? His signature and a statement is necessary, and sometimes photos for a claim. He also needs to retain the packaging material for some insurance claims.
If he doesn't, now I'm outta luck? I've had it happen with international shipments, they get their refund and refuse to answer emails. What do you do? Take the loss? Why even bother with insurance then?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Caroline
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hwahwa
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posted on August 12, 2009 05:42:32 PM new
you should ask Paypal if they will ask him to forward photo and testimony to you before they release the fund?
I am afraid we are asked to behave more and more like professional retailer,do a good job packing so it would not break which means no more newspaper and dumpster dive boxes.
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
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hwahwa
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posted on August 12, 2009 05:43:26 PM new
you should ask Paypal if they will ask him to forward photo and testimony to you before they release the fund?
I am afraid we are asked to behave more and more like professional retailer,do a good job packing so it would not break which means no more newspaper and dumpster dive boxes.
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
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carolinetyler
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posted on August 12, 2009 06:12:47 PM new
I use good packing supplies - 1/2 inch bubble, peanuts & new boxes - breakage isn't usually an issue, the package that disappears in transit usually is. I can afford the smaller losses - but I don't think any of us could afford a $500 loss.
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Caroline
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hwahwa
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posted on August 12, 2009 06:34:17 PM new
We have to start thinking along the line of the professional retailer,what do they do?
They use UPS and they insure the package to protect themselves,they do not dumpster dive for boxes and they have taken packing course 501 and passed with flying colors!
Their profit margin is fat enough for them to absorb occasional losses and they dont sell things they dont understand .
If you have a $500 package,then you will have to determine what is the best way to ship and what is the best way to insure it and what is the best way to pack it.and what if you have to eat the loss,will it topple your business?
A retailer selling an item at 500 dollars,their cost is usually half of that-250 dollars.
And since they sell more than one of these 500 dollars gadget,all they have to do is to sell another one and they breakeven.
which is not the case with Ebay seller who sell one of a kind item.
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
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merrie
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posted on August 12, 2009 06:37:19 PM new
I agree with Caroline. No matter how well you package an item there is always a chance of breakage or disappearance. Large retailers can afford a loss here and there but many Ebayers cannot. Even when the item is insured, it requires cooperation on the buyer's part.
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ebabestreasures
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posted on August 13, 2009 01:31:25 AM new
Excellent point Caroline!
I want to believe that most buyers would try to help the seller out but I know that some won't care what happens to the seller as long as they get their money back.
I hope ebay/paypal will do something to address this problem but I'm not counting on it.
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hwahwa
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posted on August 13, 2009 05:36:40 AM new
I dont understand what you mean by item lost in transit?
You mean the package just disappear?
With USPS registered mail,they track the package at every station so they can trace when and where the item 'disappear'?
I used to buy books from E R Hamilton,a discount mail order bookseller and they ship USPS media mail .
Sometimes when a package does not arrive,they always tell us to be patient,a large package does not disappear easily,and they are right,it shows up days later.
With USPS,you can call and ask if there is any reason why mail is delayed like rerouting due to weather,construction work or closing of some distribution center.
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
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merrie
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posted on August 13, 2009 06:02:54 AM new
hwahwa, I have had packages "disappear" using USPS. I don't know whether they were misdelivered and the wrong person kept them, it was due to theft either in the ranks of the PO or elsewhere, but packages do go missing.
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LtRay
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posted on August 13, 2009 08:12:48 AM new
I have had packages disappear too. When it happens, I contact the USPS via the 800 number and open a missing mail claim providing the DC numbers. So far the packages have always been located and delivered.
The key when you have missing packages is to keep your customer informed of the situation and what you are doing to resolve it. So far my customers have been willing to work with me but with the increase in irresponsible sellers, I am not so sure customers will be willing to do so in the future.
Caroline brings up a good point though about insurance. It does take the cooperation of the buyer to get resolution on an insurance claim. So far I am not aware of a process or policy in place at PayPal to guarantee this compliance by the buyer.
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hwahwa
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posted on August 13, 2009 10:24:46 AM new
Well,how do the big boys handle 'missing package'?
I just visited Blue Nile website and they accept Paypal and Google check out?
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 13, 2009 12:57:45 PM new
Why even bother with insurance then?
Excellent question. That's the conclusion I reached years ago.
Pack securely, use Signature Confirmation on anything over $100, don't ship internationally and figure you're going to lose perhaps one out of every 200 packages. (Or however it works out for you.) Factor in enough s/h on the remainder to cover the loss. If you're free-shipping, raise your price enough to cover it.
I don't even offer insurance. I recently cancelled four eBay purchases where the buyer was insisting I pay for insurance on his items that were shipping for free.
fLufF
--
Come see the JCEarrings music videos!
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sthoemke
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posted on August 13, 2009 02:06:42 PM new
I think Joe needs to file the claim with his mail carrier, and they will pay the claim directly to him, if the claim is approved.
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merrie
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posted on August 13, 2009 04:02:21 PM new
fLufF is right. You send the items the best you can and you hope for the best. The incidence of problems are few and far between and the insurance claim process is not very friendly. I had a claim denied from UPS years ago for insufficient packaging on an electronic item that was in original packaging that was standard for shipping and that all of the other vendors used as outside packaging and I put that box into a larger box to be safe and they still denied my claim.
You really have no protection.
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wgonzales
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posted on August 13, 2009 04:59:23 PM new
My husband often comments that he finds it unbelievable that we have to pay extra to "insure" that the USPS does it's job.
I can't say that I disagree with him.
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hwahwa
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posted on August 13, 2009 06:57:21 PM new
But Joe the buyer needs the seller co-operation,Joe is not in the business of filing claim and getting his money back,he wants his merchandise,not his money back.
But Caroline brings out a good point,overseas buyer often does not co-operate,they may not have a fax machine handy and does not want to pay intl long distance fee for faxing you a document.
You will have to decide if it is worth selling international!
Yoi may want to look into having an account with U-PIC,if you have an account,you dont have to enter each shipment,you settle with them every month,but I dont know when it comes to settling claim,how does it work,do they just take your word for it?
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
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LtRay
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posted on August 13, 2009 09:25:50 PM new
UPIC's claim form requires a statement from the buyer so it is a hassle if you sell internationally.
I have pretty much stopped selling internationally. I do not trust ever getting an insurance claim settled on an international shipment and those customs inspections greatly increase your risk of damage exposure. I self insure most items I ship and I do not mind taking a merchandise hit every now and then but my stomach churns when I think about eating the cost of international postage.
As for buying insurance or self insuring, do the math. If you have had few claims, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that you would be better off banking the insurance money and paying a claim out of your own pocket. Insurance companies are not running a charity. They know they can make money selling policies because so few of them actually get paid out.
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carolinetyler
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posted on August 14, 2009 06:34:33 AM new
I started self-insuring for under $50 - I rarely have claims - when I do, they are for more expensive items for some reason - which get packaged even more carefully. I usually have two claims per year at the most. I'm phasing out international shipping all together - I had one claim that lasted 2 years and was still denied.
Ebay needs to address the buyer participation in the insurance claim process - i.e. no paypal refund until requirements are met. I still need insurance protection for items over $50 - and stamps.com has an easy process - but I need the buyer to cooperate with an emailed statement and signature (five minutes on their end) otherwise I'm outta luck.
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Caroline
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merrie
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posted on August 14, 2009 10:08:07 AM new
Question: If you self insure, packing carefully, etc. Do you put FRAGILE labels on the packages??
I was once told that that made them a target if uninsured. May be an urban legend.
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LtRay
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posted on August 14, 2009 03:31:52 PM new
I rarely write Fragile on an item any more. It does seem to make them a target for some reason. Seriously, my damage claims dropped after I stopped using FRAGILE tape and my FRAGILE inkstamp.
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carolinetyler
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posted on August 14, 2009 03:46:46 PM new
I still write Fragile, it makes the buyer feel better and I mention it in my statement if I have to file an insurance claim. I had a postal employee take one of my fragile packages from my hands at the counter and throw it over 10 feet into a bin. At least she could have waited until I wasn't looking!
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Caroline
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niel35
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posted on August 14, 2009 03:49:06 PM new
The guy at the local Pak and Ship sez don't put FRAGILE stickers on. He said the guys from the carriers say that those are the ones they treat the worst.
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merrie
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posted on August 14, 2009 04:54:27 PM new
Hmmm, thanks, that is what I thought re Fragile.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 14, 2009 05:33:12 PM new
(Mr. Parker reads a side of the box with the prize that he won)
Mr. Parker: Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian.
Mrs. Parker: Uh, I think that says FRAGILE, dear.
Mr. Parker: Oh, yeah.
fLufF
--
Come see the JCEarrings music videos!
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