Insure an Item - Who Pays; Buyer or Seller?

[4N2NR]

It is pretty much an ecommerce industry standard that the merchant is responsible to safely get the product to the consumer. Even eBay has that policy (http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/faq/index.html#1-10) and removed optional or required shipping insurance paid for by the buyer. They state "Sellers are responsible for their items until they are safely in their customers' hands. Offering insurance to a buyer (optional or required) gives the impression that the buyer is responsible for the safe delivery of the item and can reduce buyer confidence in the marketplace." I see it listed in many sale threads as a buyer responsibility. I see in some threads sellers have priced their goods to include shipping, delivery confirmation and insurance. What do you think is the correct way to handle insurance (or not) on an item and the seller's responsibility to get it to the buyer?

[toolittletoolate]

As a general rule I do not shell out the $$ for insurance unless the item is worth more then $600. Also, if a buyer requests insurance we agree on who pays it(usually they do). Insurance really isn't too much more when it comes to shipping. But its also hard to collect it to if something happens.
And you're 100% right, it is the SELLERS job to insure SAFE DELIVERY into the customers hands.
You buy something from BLAST, if gets lost or w/e. Then you call, what do they do/say?
"sorry we shipped it out, so you're SOL"? or is it "sorry it got lost, etc, we'll get a new one out to you ASAP". Are we really any different here then BLAST?

[4N2NR]

Insurance protects the shipper/seller really. They are the ones who start the claim. Any credit card company will give a chargeback and even PayPal will side with the buyer for an item that is not received. Especially if there is no Delivery Confirmation (which again is a shipper tool that many try to use as tracking) or no signature service for items over $500 (I may be off on the exact value here but at a certain point a signature is required). I believe it is the shipper/sellers responsibility to insure and add Delivery Confirmation (USPS only (because DHL, FedEx, UPS have minimal insurance and tracking) and a USPS signature service on higher value items) if they cannot afford to lose the item and refund the buyer in the event the package does not get delivered. That's not to say the seller can't price-in the cost of these fees. I think it is total bull**** to try and buy something and then, as a buyer, have to add for PayPal fees (or gift - what? I don't know you), add more for shipping (fair enough if I want it overnight or international then yeah, I see where I pay more than standard shipping), then I have to add extra for delivery confirmation and on top of all that I am responsible to buy insurance to protect the shipper/seller in case they need to give me a refund because the item did not arrive or was damaged in shipment. Price in the additional two bucks these services cost to cover your shipper/seller cost and stop nickel and diming me on an item. Most buyers want to know what it will cost to get an item to their door and in their hands. So, yeah, in my opinion, the shipper/seller needs to protect themself because if I do not receive an item (or it arrives in a condition that is significantly different than described or inoperable) I am filing for a refund and shipper/seller is getting negative feedback. I understand that if it is lost or damaged in transit that it may not be the sender's fault but as a buyer it surely isn't mine either and I spent a specific amount to get that item in my hands and in the condition I expect it to be in.

[Raymius]

Seller is responsible for the item getting to the buyer unless they have had a converstaion to the contrary. Therefore it is the sellers decision based on mt previous statement.

Personally I send everything with delivery confirmation, and I only add insuurance if It is over abut $200 or I know I can not replace the item.

I have done over 300 deals over bulletin boards and have had little issue with items getting lost. I also run an ebay business and have sold thousands of items. I would say items get lost less than 1% of the time. Again if they get lost I make it up, or expect the seller to do the same. Paypal expects the same, which is the more important part since 99.9% of my trasnactions are through them. The key is delivery confirmation. USPS sometimes scans the package before dleievry so you can see where it is and now it is progressing. Again my experience is I have lose items less then 1% of the time when I use delivery confirmation.

[crankwalk]

All of this in my opinion is on the seller. As a good and reputable seller you have to be ready to replace anything that does not arrive to the customer. If I am sending something of a high value, I always will shell out those extra few bucks to insure without hesitation. Delivery confirmation is a given in almost all cases.

The seller needs to protect themselves rather than be out the money and the product if something happens and a paypal dispute arises.

[Ryan10]

I picked "neither" I always pay for delivery confirmation for my security and sake. Just a $1 But with big purchases, I advise the buyers to pay for insurance. That's it.

[mttb730]

I agree with Ryan. Confirmation should always be the seller's responsibility, but insurance is on the buyer. Seller gets it to the postman, and has no control from there. Seller tends to negotiate to get a lower price, why should the seller be responsible for covering extra charges on top of that? Big ticket items just make sense for the seller to insure, but it should still be negotiated with the buyer.....

[battlechaser]

I have to disagree. 100% of the time getting the item to the buyer, in the advertised condition, is the seller's responsibility. Granted, as a seller I'm not going to pay for expedited shipping to get guaranteed insurance for a $10 item, so there is some middle ground when it comes to price, aka I'm not going to spend $15 in shipping on the previously mentioned $10. That's lunacy. But if it gets lost, that's my responsibility to replace or refund.

Which is why I don't sell very often.