Auctions Won. Insurance Paid and Not Received.

Clementefan · January 12, 2004 6:13AM

I'm sure that alot of you have had the same problem as I have on this. You pay seller for insurance on item less than $50.00 in the amount of $1.30 and when you receive package there is no insurance on item. I know that sometimes the seller just made a mistake but most times it's deliberate. I am getting more and more sellers not placing insurance on the items that I paid insurance on. This adds up when you do alot of buying on auctions. I know that one way to solve this is to not pay for insurance but then you don't have a prayer on recovering your payment if item is lost. What have you done to get your money back if seller refuses to refund money?

boggs301012 · January 12, 2004 6:25AM

I have had this issue many times, on all sorts of items. And a few never made it to me. One seller offered to refund me the 5.20 for insurance this is after the item was a no show. There is now way to prove it wanst isured some guys around here claim the PO doesnt always stamp it. Although my PO always does. I always include in the notes section in paypal DELIVERY confirmation and send .55 extra . It helps quite abit and if youinsure it over 200 and deliver confirmation you must sign for it.

james

DeutscherGeist · January 12, 2004 12:06PM

This is a good question. Unfortunately, ebay and paypal have inherent loops and flaws that slightly favor the sneaky scam artists.

I am not sure how you can defend yourself against sellers not using the money you sent them for insurance. Generally, as these kinds of discussions have come on the board before, know who you are buying from. Make sure they have no negs, if they do, then make sure they were just retaliatory in nature.

I know this limits your buying power on ebay, but things like you describe have turned me off somewhat from buying more.

If a seller is so greedy that he does not insure the item like you wanted and has no tracking number/delivery confirmation either, then he cannot prove he ever sent it, and no one could prove you ever got it. Catch my drift? That might give you the edge with paypal and credit cards. Its screwed up, but that's what the seller did to you and you are only educating him the hard way, as Arnold would say "Don't do that!" That ought to teach the seller a lesson. I don't advocate any of this, but, seriously, if one does not spend time thinking of all possible loop holes, there is no way we can figure out how to protect ourselves from the loop holes out there.

I, personally, have bought exclusively from jtcards, Maraya, DSL, and krukcards the past months---they are straight forward sellers. I don't buy insurance for graded cards under $50, especially from the likes of jtcards, who packages them very well. There is a risk of getting an empty box from a seller and then there is nothing you can do about it. Jtcards won't send an empty box. You can trust Powersellers more.

thejd99 · January 13, 2004 2:07AM

I have to disagree on this. I think the only time this is a "scam" is if the package is lost, or damaged and the seller doesn't give you a refund. It amounts to the seller "self-insuring" the item. If the seller is willing to take the risk for whatever you paid for insurance, what difference is it to you whether the seller takes the risk or the USPS takes the risk? Now if you pay for insurance and something happens to the item and the seller doesn't make good on it, THEN you have a gripe. Just my 2 cents.

Basilone · January 13, 2004 2:11AM

The problem is if you have "gripe" then there is no third party to resolve the issue (ie. the Post Office issuing the refund).

DeutscherGeist · January 13, 2004 9:15AM

The post office will good on any legitimate claim, but you don't know what seller you are dealing with. I understand the whole thing about the seller self insuring, but his word of honor is only worth as much as a piece of paper, nothing more. He can pay, or he can ignore you---its all in his hands. At least with postial insurance, you have recourse without depending on the seller.

Dhjacks · January 13, 2004 11:39AM

If I pay for insurance, I don't care if it's self-insured or not. But if there is a problem, I'd better get my money back. My wife sells little stuffed animals for about $10 and the majority want insurance. I am very tempted to just replace if lost and keep the insurance money but I'm sure I'd get angry buyers who want to know where the insurance money went.

thejd99 · January 14, 2004 1:14AM

<< <i>The post office will good on any legitimate claim, but you don't know what seller you are dealing with. I understand the whole thing about the seller self insuring, but his word of honor is only worth as much as a piece of paper, nothing more. He can pay, or he can ignore you---its all in his hands. At least with postial insurance, you have recourse without depending on the seller. >>

You could say the same thing for the auction itself---the seller can ship the item or rip you off. You have to trust them to a point and if you don't trust that they'll make good on getting the item to you then you probably shouldn't be dealing with them in the first place.

DeutscherGeist · January 14, 2004 2:52AM

Thejd99,

In all do respect, I do accept your point, but sometimes a seller looks legitimate and trust worthy, but their behavior may say otherwise (it could have been a stolen account, or the account does not have negs because many of the buyers feared retaliation). A real good scam artist will put up a good front and then bite you when you least expect it.

It is important to trust the seller, that is why the power sellers will have the best reputations on ebay. Guys like DSL, jtcards, krukcards are easy and trustworthy to do business with. Its just that dealing with the occasional seller has become more and more high risk.

habs71 · January 14, 2004 3:11AM

<< <i>...that is why the power sellers will have the best reputations on ebay >>

I can see the eBay propaganda has won you over!

ctsoxfan · January 14, 2004 11:54AM

<< <i>that is why the power sellers will have the best reputations on ebay >>

Not always! Who gets this "Power Seller" tag anyway? I have seen some sellers with low feedback and low sales being designated Power Sellers, and it doesn't impress me at all. Some of my best buys have come from fellow collectors, not dealers. But, I agree that DSL and the others you mentioned are reliable and trustworthy on most occasions.

DeutscherGeist · January 14, 2004 1:11PM

Correction to my post: by "power seller" I really meant sellers who have sold a lot on ebay specializing in one type of product, whether it be automotive, sports cards and memorabilia, tupperware, etc. Guys like jtcards and krukcards. The designation "power seller" is an ebay creation and that was not what I was referring to.

cavalier · January 14, 2004 8:41PM

Insurance is tricky. Primarily because insurance is for the seller as much or more than the buyer.
I have a current situation where a guy won a Tom Brady card and paid for insurance. We missed insuring the item. It has now been three weeks and he claims he never got his card. From his feedback I have my doubts, buy I'm stuck. I will have to issue a refund. I think the situation above that someone mentioned happens a lot more than any of you realize. Where persons pay for insurance and then any time something comes in without they get a free card.

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