But there are dishonest folk who will lie and say they didn't receive it. Seller has no way to show that the buyer did receive it or should have received it.
My feeling is you got the coin, so you're "whole". That's the important thing as far as I'm concerned.
I must admit, I'm not too impressed with his packing materials, but at least it arrived in one piece.
I've shipped things uninsured a few times (even though I had asked for insurance), not so much to save the money, but just because it would have been difficult to get to the P.O. on the day I had promised to ship the item. But in doing so, I felt I was assuming the risk. If my buyer claimed they never received the goods, I would have refunded him/her fully.
Dave
Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
You receive your coin in good shape! Since Insurance was not needed are you going to refund my $2.60 I paid for insurance?
No, I am not going to refund your $2.60 in insurance. It is the seller who bears the risk if an item is lost in shipping. Accordingly, insurance protects the seller, not the buyer. Thus it makes perfect sense for a buyer to request a refund when insurance is paid for, but not used, whereas it makes no sense for the buyer to refund insurance, because the insurance never protected the buyer in the first instance.
In fact, buyers should revolt en masse against the current paradigm of Ebay shipping and insurance. "Shipping and handling" have, for some sellers, evolved (or devolved) into enormous profit centers having no rational relation to actual costs.
Similarly, if sellers want insurance protection, they need to pay for it and work that into their cost of doing business, instead of the false presentation that the buyer is insuring for the buyer's protection. Too many buyers fail to understand that insurance doesn't protect the buyer -- it protects the seller. So why are buyers voluntarily insuring against a risk borne by the seller? You've got me.
If I'm a buyer, what do I care whether the seller has insured herself? In point of fact, I don't care. If I'm the purchaser and the coin is lost, too bad for you. Oh, you didn't insure? Well, that really sucks for you, because your lack of foresight is going to cost you the sale and the coin. Now refund my loot, or the marshall is going to be on your front doorstep with a written invitation to have a cordial discussion with me and the civil servant in black robes.
in response to just your question (didn't read any responses), your forgetting, like most people who fly off the handle do, that many sellers are SELF-INSURED.
the $5 is still needed to pay they're insurance fund.
<<"in response to just your question (didn't read any responses), your forgetting, like most people who fly off the handle do, that many sellers are SELF-INSURED.">>
But how is a buyer supposed to know that? He pays $5 SHI and when he gets the package he sees that it cost less than $1 to send it and feels that he has been shanked! I would too!
I wish that one of the legal beagles on this board would or could tell us just who is legally responsible for what in these very common simple everyday deals. I go to the PO to mail a coin that Joe paid for. I send it to Joe with nothing specified as to FOB origin or FOB destination. In this case when does my ownership or other responsibilty end? No opinions or bull$hit please; just the facts from someone who knows!
stman & I come from the old school where we expect a somebody to stand what they say. If they charge us for a service we expect to see a sticker saying that we got the insurance that we paid for. So maybe we're wrong in our thinking but stman & I make good money in what we do and don't have to squeeze every single cent out of our deals while sleazeBay coin dealers whine & cry about not making enough profit unless they shank their buyers in some way. So next time one of you "self insured" LOL!! sellers wants to charge us $5 for insurance and take a gamble on the coin getting lost and since the coin didn't get lost and you are asking what stman's complaint is let's do this: Since you're not actually buying insurance with our money & don't have to pay anything unless there's a problem, we won't actually pay you for insurance unless the coin does get lost. Then we'll gladly pay you the $5. That's the same thing, huh?
Maybe I should start charging shipping and to save time & money instead of reusing bubble wrap & boxes like I do I'll package my coins while I'm in the crapper, and at work too (I'm so cheap that I only crap at work that way I get payed for it) and I'll use toilet paper to wrap your coins in and since the important thing is not the packaging but rather or not it gets in your mailbox you wouldn't mind if I use used toilet paper either huh?
Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
Dog97, but self insurers do pay something. They (me) must put some money aside on each transaction to cover the rare case where a coin gets lost or damaged during delivery.
Hmmm, I don't think I'm going to change anybody's mind. I guess I better buy a "INSURED" stamp or stickers so buyers feel they are getting their money's worth.
I received two slabs in the mail today that I won on Ebay. They were in one package and I was charged $9 S&H. Total amout of postage on package 83¢!!! Was I ripped or what? He gets a neutral feedback!!!!
<<"Dog97, but self insurers do pay something. They (me) must put some money aside on each transaction to cover the rare case where a coin gets lost or damaged during delivery.">>
By self insuring are you actually buying another policy from another underwriter or are you going to write a check from your account to cover the loss? As I said before, you are easily setting yourself up for getting shanked by a dishonest buyer if you don't have some means to assure yourself that the buyer got the package. Also the first impression most buyers would get is that you bought NO insurance with the money they sent to you and we all know that first impressions are everything. A statement in your auctions that you self insure would be helpful.
I don't understand this whole "self-insured" thing. What's the difference, the BUYER is paying anyway. What if they claim they never received the coin when they actually did? What if the coin is lost in the mail, you pay out to the buyer, and a few months later the coin turns up in his mailbox? Hopefully the buyer is honest enough to send it back. Too many chances, I'd rather take a few seconds to fill out the extra USPS insurance form.
I also feel the seller is obligated to inform the buyer ahead of time that he "self-insures" so that when the coin arrives they don't immediately think they got shafted out of the insurance fee they paid.
I did not read the whole thread, but I will say this:
I find it funny that RELAYER does not like spending over $5.00 to ship a coin, but yet, he charges $6.50 when he sells.
Secondly, I would be mad if I did not get my coin with insurance on it. It has happened to me several times before though. If the seller self-insures, then he/she should state as such to save future headaches.
If the seller said it would be insured it should have been insured. Period. Anything put in the sale description COULD have effected the sale. Another words STMAN may NOT have bid if he knew it wouldn't be insured. It is the sellers responsibility to do what he says in the sale OR contact the buyer and tell him he is not going to pay for insurance and let the buyer decide if he still wants the coin.
Next time my company remodels a self insurer's house I'm doing to charge them $10,000 for general liability insurance & add that to their bill. Then when they ask me what did you do with the $10K you didn't buy any insurance with it I'll say"So what? I didn't need it did I and your house didn't fall down so what's your problem? After all contracting is a cutthroat ratrace and I run a smallprofit margain. LOL!!! Well I trust CarlWohlforth to pay me if something happens to a coin he sends me but what about everybody else's "self insurance" company? What about all these other "self insurance" companies? Is there a 25% deductable and they only pay ½ the value? They only pay off if you buy the coin on Tuesday? Any other day of the week their insurance isn't in effect? Will they subtract the time they spent going to the bank to get the money from the cost of my coin they lost? Will they charge me for having to take the time to write a check and dedict the cost of the stamp from my payoff? Will they charge me for gas & tires again like they did when they shipped the coin to me? After all, they did when I bought the coin the first time. I submit a claim & wait 6 months? 6 years? So cheap they don't even have any fine print to read. Get neg feedback that says <<<buyer didn't pay for Postal Insurance-I can't control the Post Office.>>>
Like Outhaul say just let us know so we won't be surprised when we get a 83¢ sticker for our $5.
Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
... If they charge us for a service we expect to see a sticker saying that we got the insurance that we paid for. ... But how is a buyer supposed to know that? >>
it's a valid point. if i'd been the seller, i'd of said in the auction listing itself that the item is shipped self-insured.
on a side note, i think the insurance w/ the po is a sham anyhow. i've only been burned twice in, say, 20 years, but both times i definitely got burned - no merch, & no $ either. i'll admit that i also HAVE collected $$$ on lost packages, but to this very day, the couple times i got burned still gets my goat.
<< <i>Next time my company remodels a self insurer's house I'm doing to charge them $10,000 for general liability insurance & add that to their bill. Then when they ask me what did you do with the $10K you didn't buy any insurance with it I'll say"So what? I didn't need it did I and your house didn't fall down so what's your problem? >>
LMAO and good point. So what I'm hearing is this "self insured" thing is just an angle to get away with charging for the insurance and keeping the money. Then if something goes wrong I'm supposed to trust YOU? LOLOLOLOLOLOL.
I agree with Dog if it's somebody like CarlWohlforth I know him and have had a few transactions with him so I'm confident he would make good. But Carl I don't agree with this and yes to be honest this WOULD stop me from doing any business with you. Say I buy a 5k coin from you, you ship "self insured" you have the big one (heart attack) or whatever, the next day. Now I'd feel bad for you but life goes on buddy and now maybe I'd have to hope your family would pay me or the estate? I don't think so. That's a worst case deal but I'm trying to make a point.
Another point is yes the PO insurance rarely do we ever need to file a claim. Same thing with my business insurance, Bond, Vehicle etc. etc. But I pay it because I tell and advertise to my customers as such.
These ebay sellers say they are "Business People" and running a business? Then start acting like a business and pay your dues or get on to something else if it doesn't work for you. But NO, you guys need to be disingenuous about how you do things. You state you insure, I'm supposed to believe a stranger is gonna make good? I don't think so. The 5.00 I could care less about it's all principle here. And to say the word you all love SCAM, FRAUD, I've been RIPPED OFF.
Please... Save The Stories, Just Answer My Questions, And Tell Me How Much!!!!!
People keep bringing up self insurance... what about private insurance?
When I charge someone (albeit I tell them it's private insurance), I log the item and I pay for the insurance--I have a good deal where I pay less than USPS prices... now, it's conceivable that this seller did just that, but felt that shipping should just cost more... you never know.
I'm glad I note in my fine print that I self insure for items under $50 and use USPS insurance for items over that. I must admit if I know the buyer I sometimes don't buy USPS insurance if the item is $70-$80. So, Stman, feel confident to buy all the $5,000 coins you want because I will insure them with the USPS and ship via Registered mail
Thank you Dog. I am tired of eBay Sellers who try to rip off Buyers for a few more cents or dollars - especially the Power Sellers who have GIANT profit in their shipping charges. I call this INFLATED SHIPPING CHARGES, and it runs rampant on eBay. I personally state in my auctions, that I do NOT inflate shipping charges - Nor will I buy from those people ..... unless I have to. I may round off to the nearest 50 cents, but never rip my Buyers - and when Buyers read my feedback, they will see that I am an honest Seller.
I would email the Seller and ask for a refund for $3 and if he doesn't refund, I would leave a Neutral feedback to warn the other Buyers. Then when I (or you) read it, we won't buy from them --- then those kinds of people will not be able to rip people off anymore, and will leave the eBay scene because they won't be able to sell anything. I think more people should leave Neutrals in situations like this ...... it could eventually take its toll. However, I would wait until that Buyer has posted a good feedback, so he can't retaliate. Retaliation on eBay is another big problem.
BTW 83 cents is a standard cost to mail a specific weight. I often have my shipping come to that amount. Regarding private insurance - that remains to be seen. I would question that when requesting the refund AND regarding the paper towel .........sounds like a good idea to absorb humidity, as long as it is clean! What with the big chill going on in the North, and the heat in other states, the condensation could get into the package. Maybe the Seller was thinking about this? However, I would have put more padding in the envelope.
I agree that MANY sellers on eBay overcharge for shipping and insurance, and quite often, if it's an item I'm interested in, I'll email the seller and question the costs. I have a business that mails inventory out every day, and I know the shipping costs and insurance costs for all levels of weight/ins coverage. (of course anybody can find the same info @ USPS.gov) Also, eBay provides a drop down box when setting up your auction which allows insurance to be purchased at the discretion of the buyer. If a buyer doesn't want to pay $1.30 or more for insurance, then I send the item w/delivery confirmation, which costs 0.55 and provides a tracking # for both buyer and seller. That way, they can't come back & say they didn't get item. (altho, if they chose NOT to insure they SHOULD be SOL, not me - I offered the service for my exact cost). I also always point out the low shipping costs on my auctions - it doesn't bother me at all to go to the p.o. - I can usually incorporate a couple other chores at same time, and the branch I deal with is rarely very busy. And, if I do get an item that is poorly packaged, I will leave positive feedback, but also a reference to the poor packaging - and make a note to myself not to buy from that seller again.
Don't you know that it's worth every treasure on Earth to be young at heart? And as rich as you are, it's much better by far, to be young at heart!
So, my question to all you customers who think they are getting ripped off; I sell books [ some coin books] and charge $4.00 per book. It cost me between $2.60 and $4.00 to ship a book. [I charge $1.00 extra to ship an extra book]. Am I cheating a customer who paid $4.00 and it only cost $2.60 to ship???Any BIG company charges shipping and handling charges. By the way, I am not going to have a different rate for every book. I charge one rate across the board. I FEEL it is fair. I'm talking about $10.00 to $25.00 books. So there is not a huge profit built in, and I can't afford to pay the shipping ou of the profits. As one board member said they do. Some of you people seem to nitpick. One person said they paid $9.00 for 83 cents postage. That's a legitimate complaint, and I would complain about it. I insure if they want it, but once in a great while I forget to mark the box as such, so it goes self-insured. If it got lost, I would pay out of my pocket. And i believe anyone with feedback over 99% would do the same. And most dealers just under 99% too. JMHO. Steve
Route66 - I don't think that $4 is a whole lot for a book, and sounds reasonable - books are heavy........ however, did you know that you can ship them cheaper via USPS "Bound Printed Matter" rate - it is often cheaper than Media Mail, which is also another economy rate. They even allow you to insure those options. Personally I don't charge any more than the postage costs me. Buyers appreciate the low shipping charges, especially with rates always going up. Even half.com uses media mail.
Sloppy shipping especially @ $5.00 Shipping, I'd be angry. Email seller for partial refund, if no answer, not worth fighting over. Of course, never bid on another auction from this seller and mention this.
PCGS sets under The Thomas Collections. Modern Commemoratives @ NGC under "One Coin at a Time". USMC Active 1966 thru 1970" The real War.
Neptune. I know about printed bound mail. But it is slower and I do like my customers to get their books quickly. And they do, 2-4 days [except for California, about 6 days]. Priority is very expensive. From about $4.50 to $7.00 per book. And a lot of board members get upset about the added expenses, boxes, tape, etc, but it is part of the equation. Like it or not. I also have an extra part of the equation. We had 6-7 inches of snow here in Appleton, Wisconsin, overnight. Since my office is directly across the street from the post office, I shoveled a path ACROSS their lawn to their front door. For my convienence, of course. Since I'm there every day. When I buy, I don't begrudge an extra dollar, but I TOO get a little upset when I pay $5. for 83 cents postage. [Like the 2 slabbed lincolns I got in the mail today. Steve
This is a little beyond the original post/question but still within where it has grown to.
If I receive a shipment that is poorly packaged by the shipper, then that shipper gets added to my do not bid list - I actually wish that eBay would allow bidders to block themselves from bidding on certain sellers so that I would not have to consult this list or count on memory- corespondingly if I am really pleased with a sellers service I add that person to my favorites list.
I will take a person at his/her word. If the seller says the item is insured then it is insured no matter what the package says. If there is a problem and it is not dealt with correctly then I will decide an appropiate response at that time.
there is a guy listing items on EBay who charges $19 shipping for a two ounce package ~ he lists a $20 item at .99 cents and makes out very nicely with just one bid...EBay won't suspend him for violating the fee avoidance policy for some odd reason despite many reports...by the way, he is a power seller
If a buyer doesn't want to pay $1.30 or more for insurance, then I send the item w/delivery confirmation, which costs 0.55 and provides a tracking # for both buyer and seller. That way, they can't come back & say they didn't get item. (altho, if they chose NOT to insure they SHOULD be SOL, not me - I offered the service for my exact cost).
No, the seller should determine whether the item should be insured. The seller bears the risk if the item is lost, not the buyer. If the item is lost in transit, it is the seller's loss, not the buyer. So why do you ask buyers whether they want to insure against a risk that is borne by you, the seller? Makes no sense to me.
I always decline optional insurance -- it's not my responsibility if the item is lost or stolen. I have no risk. What do I care if the item is insured? In truth, I don't care -- not my risk.
Further, the solution is quite simple for sellers. First, you can self-insure, or you can incorporate mandatory insurance into your shipping costs, in which case buyers will determine if they want to pay these mandatory fees. Or, if you don't want to bear the risk of shipping loss, you don't have to. Cancel your online auctions and instead conduct transactions face-to-face.
I would not deal with him again. I would ask him to refund the cost for the $100.00 worth of insurance, even if it were a nickel. It's the principle of the thing. If he did not, I would likely add a comment to feedback that he charged for insurance and did not insure the item.
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
<<"I always decline optional insurance -- it's not my responsibility if the item is lost or stolen. I have no risk. What do I care if the item is insured? In truth, I don't care -- not my risk.">>
Could you please cite some legal code to support your statement or is that just your opinion?
It depends on where in the chain the item changes ownership. If its your item then you should insure it. I know from experience what it costs to ship stuff. On a single slabbed coin I figure at most $2 including the padded envelope. If I expect it to sell for $200-$300 I add the $4.20 so I would round to $6 or maybe $6.50 tops. Its in the seller's best interest to insure it whether buyer agrees or not. Just figure it into your S.H.I. Whenever there is a dispute over loss, etc. the CC companyies will favor the buyer over the seller almost all of the time. Guess they figger the seller has deeper pockets.
Comments
I must admit, I'm not too impressed with his packing materials, but at least it arrived in one piece.
I've shipped things uninsured a few times (even though I had asked for insurance), not so much to save the money, but just because it would have been difficult to get to the P.O. on the day I had promised to ship the item. But in doing so, I felt I was assuming the risk. If my buyer claimed they never received the goods, I would have refunded him/her fully.
Dave
Since Insurance was not needed are you going to refund my $2.60 I paid for insurance?
No, I am not going to refund your $2.60 in insurance. It is the seller who bears the risk if an item is lost in shipping. Accordingly, insurance protects the seller, not the buyer. Thus it makes perfect sense for a buyer to request a refund when insurance is paid for, but not used, whereas it makes no sense for the buyer to refund insurance, because the insurance never protected the buyer in the first instance.
In fact, buyers should revolt en masse against the current paradigm of Ebay shipping and insurance. "Shipping and handling" have, for some sellers, evolved (or devolved) into enormous profit centers having no rational relation to actual costs.
Similarly, if sellers want insurance protection, they need to pay for it and work that into their cost of doing business, instead of the false presentation that the buyer is insuring for the buyer's protection. Too many buyers fail to understand that insurance doesn't protect the buyer -- it protects the seller. So why are buyers voluntarily insuring against a risk borne by the seller? You've got me.
If I'm a buyer, what do I care whether the seller has insured herself? In point of fact, I don't care. If I'm the purchaser and the coin is lost, too bad for you. Oh, you didn't insure? Well, that really sucks for you, because your lack of foresight is going to cost you the sale and the coin. Now refund my loot, or the marshall is going to be on your front doorstep with a written invitation to have a cordial discussion with me and the civil servant in black robes.
the $5 is still needed to pay they're insurance fund.
if i were a seller, i'd self-insure too.
K S
But how is a buyer supposed to know that? He pays $5 SHI and when he gets the package he sees that it cost less than $1 to send it and feels that he has been shanked! I would too!
I wish that one of the legal beagles on this board would or could tell us just who is legally responsible for what in these very common simple everyday deals. I go to the PO to mail a coin that Joe paid for. I send it to Joe with nothing specified as to FOB origin or FOB destination. In this case when does my ownership or other responsibilty end?
No opinions or bull$hit please; just the facts from someone who knows!
So maybe we're wrong in our thinking but stman & I make good money in what we do and don't have to squeeze every single cent out of our deals while sleazeBay coin dealers whine & cry about not making enough profit unless they shank their buyers in some way.
So next time one of you "self insured" LOL!! sellers wants to charge us $5 for insurance and take a gamble on the coin getting lost and since the coin didn't get lost and you are asking what stman's complaint is let's do this:
Since you're not actually buying insurance with our money & don't have to pay anything unless there's a problem, we won't actually pay you for insurance unless the coin does get lost.
Then we'll gladly pay you the $5. That's the same thing, huh?
Maybe I should start charging shipping and to save time & money instead of reusing bubble wrap & boxes like I do I'll package my coins while I'm in the crapper, and at work too (I'm so cheap that I only crap at work that way I get payed for it) and I'll use toilet paper to wrap your coins in and since the important thing is not the packaging but rather or not it gets in your mailbox you wouldn't mind if I use used toilet paper either huh?
Hmmm, I don't think I'm going to change anybody's mind. I guess I better buy a "INSURED" stamp or stickers so buyers feel they are getting their money's worth.
By self insuring are you actually buying another policy from another underwriter or are you going to write a check from your account to cover the loss? As I said before, you are easily setting yourself up for getting shanked by a dishonest buyer if you don't have some means to assure yourself that the buyer got the package. Also the first impression most buyers would get is that you bought NO insurance with the money they sent to you and we all know that first impressions are everything. A statement in your auctions that you self insure would be helpful.
I also feel the seller is obligated to inform the buyer ahead of time that he "self-insures" so that when the coin arrives they don't immediately think they got shafted out of the insurance fee they paid.
Just my eversohumble opinion.
Cheers,
Bob
I find it funny that RELAYER does not like spending over $5.00 to ship a coin, but yet, he charges $6.50 when he sells.
Secondly, I would be mad if I did not get my coin with insurance on it. It has happened to me several times before though. If the seller self-insures, then he/she should state as such to save future headaches.
jom
After all contracting is a cutthroat ratrace and I run a smallprofit margain. LOL!!!
Well I trust CarlWohlforth to pay me if something happens to a coin he sends me but what about everybody else's "self insurance" company?
What about all these other "self insurance" companies? Is there a 25% deductable and they only pay ½ the value? They only pay off if you buy the coin on Tuesday? Any other day of the week their insurance isn't in effect? Will they subtract the time they spent going to the bank to get the money from the cost of my coin they lost? Will they charge me for having to take the time to write a check and dedict the cost of the stamp from my payoff? Will they charge me for gas & tires again like they did when they shipped the coin to me? After all, they did when I bought the coin the first time. I submit a claim & wait 6 months? 6 years? So cheap they don't even have any fine print to read. Get neg feedback that says <<<buyer didn't pay for Postal Insurance-I can't control the Post Office.>>>
Like Outhaul say just let us know so we won't be surprised when we get a 83¢ sticker for our $5.
<< <i>many sellers are SELF-INSURED."
... If they charge us for a service we expect to see a sticker saying that we got the insurance that we paid for. ... But how is a buyer supposed to know that? >>
it's a valid point. if i'd been the seller, i'd of said in the auction listing itself that the item is shipped self-insured.
on a side note, i think the insurance w/ the po is a sham anyhow. i've only been burned twice in, say, 20 years, but both times i definitely got burned - no merch, & no $ either. i'll admit that i also HAVE collected $$$ on lost packages, but to this very day, the couple times i got burned still gets my goat.
K S
<< <i>Next time my company remodels a self insurer's house I'm doing to charge them $10,000 for general liability insurance & add that to their bill. Then when they ask me what did you do with the $10K you didn't buy any insurance with it I'll say"So what? I didn't need it did I and your house didn't fall down so what's your problem? >>
LMAO and good point. So what I'm hearing is this "self insured" thing is just an angle to get away with charging for the insurance and keeping the money. Then if something goes wrong I'm supposed to trust YOU? LOLOLOLOLOLOL.
I agree with Dog if it's somebody like CarlWohlforth I know him and have had a few transactions with him so I'm confident he would make good. But Carl I don't agree with this and yes to be honest this WOULD stop me from doing any business with you. Say I buy a 5k coin from you, you ship "self insured" you have the big one (heart attack) or whatever, the next day. Now I'd feel bad for you but life goes on buddy
Another point is yes the PO insurance rarely do we ever need to file a claim. Same thing with my business insurance, Bond, Vehicle etc. etc. But I pay it because I tell and advertise to my customers as such.
These ebay sellers say they are "Business People" and running a business? Then start acting like a business and pay your dues or get on to something else if it doesn't work for you. But NO, you guys need to be disingenuous about how you do things. You state you insure, I'm supposed to believe a stranger is gonna make good? I don't think so. The 5.00 I could care less about it's all principle here. And to say the word you all love SCAM, FRAUD, I've been RIPPED OFF.
When I charge someone (albeit I tell them it's private insurance), I log the item and I pay for the insurance--I have a good deal where I pay less than USPS prices... now, it's conceivable that this seller did just that, but felt that shipping should just cost more... you never know.
Jeremy
I'm glad I note in my fine print that I self insure for items under $50 and use USPS insurance for items over that. I must admit if I know the buyer I sometimes don't buy USPS insurance if the item is $70-$80. So, Stman, feel confident to buy all the $5,000 coins you want because I will insure them with the USPS and ship via Registered mail
I would email the Seller and ask for a refund for $3 and if he doesn't refund, I would leave a Neutral feedback to warn the other Buyers. Then when I (or you) read it, we won't buy from them --- then those kinds of people will not be able to rip people off anymore, and will leave the eBay scene because they won't be able to sell anything. I think more people should leave Neutrals in situations like this ...... it could eventually take its toll. However, I would wait until that Buyer has posted a good feedback, so he can't retaliate. Retaliation on eBay is another big problem.
BTW 83 cents is a standard cost to mail a specific weight. I often have my shipping come to that amount.
Regarding private insurance - that remains to be seen. I would question that when requesting the refund AND regarding the paper towel .........sounds like a good idea to absorb humidity, as long as it is clean! What with the big chill going on in the North, and the heat in other states, the condensation could get into the package. Maybe the Seller was thinking about this? However, I would have put more padding in the envelope.
IMHO
every treasure on Earth
to be young at heart?
And as rich as you are,
it's much better by far,
to be young at heart!
If I receive a shipment that is poorly packaged by the shipper, then that shipper gets added to my do not bid list - I actually wish that eBay would allow bidders to block themselves from bidding on certain sellers so that I would not have to consult this list or count on memory- corespondingly if I am really pleased with a sellers service I add that person to my favorites list.
I will take a person at his/her word. If the seller says the item is insured then it is insured no matter what the package says. If there is a problem and it is not dealt with correctly then I will decide an appropiate response at that time.
No, the seller should determine whether the item should be insured. The seller bears the risk if the item is lost, not the buyer. If the item is lost in transit, it is the seller's loss, not the buyer. So why do you ask buyers whether they want to insure against a risk that is borne by you, the seller? Makes no sense to me.
I always decline optional insurance -- it's not my responsibility if the item is lost or stolen. I have no risk. What do I care if the item is insured? In truth, I don't care -- not my risk.
Further, the solution is quite simple for sellers. First, you can self-insure, or you can incorporate mandatory insurance into your shipping costs, in which case buyers will determine if they want to pay these mandatory fees. Or, if you don't want to bear the risk of shipping loss, you don't have to. Cancel your online auctions and instead conduct transactions face-to-face.
I would ask him to refund the cost for the $100.00 worth of insurance, even if it were a nickel. It's the principle of the thing.
If he did not, I would likely add a comment to feedback that he charged for insurance and did not insure the item.
Could you please cite some legal code to support your statement or is that just your opinion?
It depends on where in the chain the item changes ownership. If its your item then you should insure it. I know from experience what it costs to ship stuff. On a single slabbed coin I figure at most $2 including the padded envelope. If I expect it to sell for $200-$300 I add the $4.20 so I would round to $6 or maybe $6.50 tops. Its in the seller's best interest to insure it whether buyer agrees or not. Just figure it into your S.H.I. Whenever there is a dispute over loss, etc. the CC companyies will favor the buyer over the seller almost all of the time. Guess they figger the seller has deeper pockets.