ebay invoice

[cantabile]

I use optional insurance in my auctions. When I list, if I want to do that I have to give an amount or ebay does not accept it. As you all know, there is no one insurance amount that fits every sale so I give the basic amount that insures up to $50 of value and I try to send the invoice quickly at the end of the auction so that I get a chance to change the insurance amount to fit the winning bid. I just got off the phone with an annoying ebay representative who told me that I cannot stop the automatic invoices sent by ebay and I cannot enter a scale of insurnace amounts so I am in catch 22. I can't stop them from sending it and I cannot make them adjust it to the winning bid. Does anyone know if there is a solution? I end up paying for some of the insurance myself and I don't like it.

[itzbruce]

I end up paying for some of the insurance myself and I don't like it.
Use calculated shipping instead of flat.

Remember, though, that insurance is designed to protect you, the seller. If the buyer purchases something and it does not arrive (or arrives damaged), you will have to replace it.

Can you imagine buying something from, say, QVC and having it arrive damaged. You call QVC and they tell you..."sorry, you did not purchase insurance, not our fault."?? You would reverse the charge on your credit card faster then they can say "have a nice day"!!

JMHO

*****************
Bruce

[biggfredd]

Sure. The easy solution is to estimate the final price and charge insurance based on that. If it goes higher enough into the next bracket, you should be tickled to eat the extra insurance cost. You don't have to insure for $200 just because the item was bid in at $101. In fact, postal insurance is a sucker bet anyway.

[cantabile]

Insurance doesn’t really protect the seller. Even with insurance, if the buyer wants they can demand a refund and refuse to wait for the postal service to end their investigation. Both ebay and PayPal will support that.
I don’t have a problem with the shipping charge, only with the insurance amount. How is shipping calculator going to help me with that? Everything is OK if I am on top of it and send my invoice as soon as the auction ends but I don’t always have the time for it.

[biggfredd]

If you're working so close that it matters, you're not charging enough S&H.

[oldstufftwo]

add a handling fee.

[cantabile]

I charge enough and add handling fee. I am trying to find a way to get the correct amount of insurance into the invoice.

[doublv]

USPS insurance sux. There are plenty of cheaper, better & less 'spensive Alts.

ViVa

Life is a dream.

[Floridachickadee]

How is shipping calculator going to help me with that?

Because then it also calculates the insurance based on the final bid price as well.

though I agree with the others in that usually if I have a flat rate ship charge and I don't expect the item to go over $50 so I put $1.65... if it goes over a bit and they opt for insurance then I decide how much over it went... if it's $53 then I just cover the $3 myself... if it goes quite a bit over then I'm happy to cover myself and get the insurance anyway and generally don't worry if they've paid for it or not.
I definately don't insure all packages if the buyer hasn't opted for it, but when an items goes over more than I want to stand to loose I will kick in the extra bit to insure it.

[itzbruce]

As said above, USPS insurance is no good.

You should look into DSI or UPIC.
I used to use UPIC, but switched to DSI last year.

Way cheaper than USPS and they actually pay a claim promptly, even if the buyer is a pain in the a$$.
Insurance doesn’t really protect the seller.
Not true. If you suffer a covered loss, then the insurance pays you. If the buyer does not cooperate, it will take longer, but you will get your claim paid (although I am not sure of this statement with USPS insurance...from what I have heard, they are a real pain to work with).

*****************
Bruce

[cantabile]

Hi Bruce,
As far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong) if you use another insurance service you have to insure all your items. I don't want to do that. It will cost me much more than the damage that I seldom have. I don't believe that any insurance will pay if the buyer refuses to cooperate and will not agree to have the item examined. Again, correct me if I'm wrong.

[becky24343]

As far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong) if you use another insurance service you have to insure all your items.
You have to figure how many packages you have in a month to decide if it's worth it. I pay $15.00/month for insurance and we've easily shipped over 50 packages during the "slow" summer! That's 30 cents a package or less. If we ship 100 packages in a month, it only works out to 15 cents each. Now, if it cost me $100 a month, I would probably not buy it.

My one claim so far was for over $30 (2 months of premiums), which they paid promptly. It was a loss, not damage, so it was simpler. (USPS with DC and it was never scanned anywhere, and the buyer was very cooperative in doing his part) I haven't had an international claim yet, but I'm hoping that would work out OK--time will tell.

I only ship to countries that are not on the insurance company's excluded list. The only country I've had inquiries from which is on the list is Brazil. I tell them that the shipping will be by a insurable mail method like Global Express (? I think that's the one--haven't had one lately) and quote the exorbitant cost (plus repeat what it says in my listing, that I won't lie on the customs form) and they usually don't get back to me! http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/tongue.gif

It's like any other insurance, I guess--I don't want to go to the hospital or wreck my car, but I go ahead and pay my insurance every month. And when I go to the hospital or wreck my car, I may find out that everything isn't covered, but maybe it helps.

Just my thoughts, I guess! http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/grin.gif
Becky

[cantabile]

Hi Becky,
What insurance company do you use?
Thanks,

RS

[becky24343]

I went with DSI. Sorry for the delay--been gone all evening!
Becky

[cantabile]

No delay. If you look at the times of my message and your message, they are 9 minutes apart. Pretty good service....
Thanks!