eBay frustration!!

15 years ago

I won an auction. Dummy me didn't check first to see if insurance was an option.

Nope.

So I ask seller to modify the check out process to include the option for me to purchase insurance. I have asked this before of sellers and they've complied. (I thought I was wiser about checking first, guess not).

The guy just keeps sending me an invoice, no option for insurance.

I just received another invoice, and he wrote that he'd send my item out when he received payment.

I wrote back, yet again, stating that I'd pay when he modified the checkout to include insurance.

I don't know if he is really reading my emails or not. He never mentions anything about insurance.

This item is $65 and I want insurance.

Arrggghhh I wish I would remember to check for the insurance option.

Besides...why don't all sellers make it an option? It doesn't cost more...or it didn't used to when I've sold things in the past.

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Comments (13)

williamsburgjane
15 years ago
If you are paying thru pay pal they should be able to help you. Just go to their email site and let them know whats going on.
maryanntx
15 years ago
When setting up the Ebay sale you have an option of whether to make insurance available or not. It does cost to put insurance on the item, which is paid for, in most cases, by the buyer.
So obviously the seller set his sale up without the insurance option. You are still obligated to finish the deal. If he listed that insurance was available and then didn't have it as an option, then you would have a leg to stand on.
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diane_sw_mich
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes, I know that insurance costs money. Generally it is $1.70. My thing is I know he could modify his checkout to include the insurance option.

I also wonder why all sellers do not make insurance and option, rather than put none, like this guy did.
I really wish I would have noticed that he put none for insurance. I would not have bid on it.

I will risk a negative rather than have it shipped without insurance. A lesser priced item, I'd take the risk of no insurance, and have.
But not $65. Not when I am living on unemployment. DD & her family are moving out, and I will be stuck with all the bills myself.
carla35
15 years ago
The thing is you bid on the item and insurance wasn't offered. Yes, it would be nice if he could add it for you, but it sounds like he doesn't want to go through the trouble. It's more time for him and you're not paying him any more. You should have asked your question about adding insurance before you bid.

He may already have his packages tagged and set up to be picked up by USPS, and doesn't want to bother with changing his system or having to stand in line at the post office this time of year or something so that you can have insurance. What seems easy for you, maynot be so for the way his system is set up. Sorry, but you bid on an item without an insurance option, it's your error, not his.
diane_sw_mich
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes carla, I do realize it is my error. I thought I have been clear about that. :)
If he would only acknowledge the fact that I am asking about insurance, I may feel differently.
diane_sw_mich
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes carla, I do realize it is my error. I thought I have been clear about that. :)
If he would only acknowledge the fact that I am asking about insurance, I may feel differently.
carla35
15 years ago
"I wrote back, yet again, stating that I'd pay when he modified the checkout to include insurance."

To me that sounds like your giving him an ultimatum, not really an option open for communication and he keeps sending you an invoice with his answer. You won; you pay.

To answer your question about why some don't offer it... I think if you do some research, you'll find often the stuff that you think insurance covers isn't covered etc. so it's kind of a waste of money on many things. Some of the electronic items I know actually require and ask that you buy insurance through a third company that will cover more things.

Plus, the amount of allowable compensation back to you can get confusing with the way many people bill the shipping and handling fees. Also there may be a lot of extra work involved for the buyer if in fact a claim has to be put in. The buyer may actually only be making $10 or so and having to put in the extra time just may not be worth it so he doesn't offer insurance.

Lastly, if you paid through PayPal, you may want read the PayPal Protection Plan... I've never read it, so I could be wrong, but from what I understand, they'll usually side with the buyer - so in some cases, the buyer purchasing separate insurance is kind of unnecessary and mainly just beneficial to the seller.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ebay
cbtexas
15 years ago
Plus I think EBAY gets a percentage of the final cost which includes shipping and insurance. Same with Paypal, they get a percentage of the final price. So what is no big deal for you may be a big deal to him. Plus if you ship it UPS it is automatically insured up to 100.00 with standard shipping. Just pay the 65.00 like you agreed to and you will know better next time. This time, I think you should suck it up, complete the transaction, and take your chances.
socks
15 years ago
I bought insurance once through the post office. I never got the item. Insurance did not cover at all because they had a record of delivering it to my front porch. It must have been stolen off the porch.
cheryl_ok
15 years ago
IMO the insurance isn't worth the money unless the item shipped is glass...and then they check the box and in most cases, claim the shipper didn't box well enough.
wildchild
15 years ago
I am just the opposite. I will never bid on an item that requires the buyer to pay mandatory insurance. I never use the option either.

Insurance is for the seller's protection,not the buyer's. The seller is already obligated to see that your item is as described and is packed to arrive undamaged. Paypal covers the buyer. Insurance covers the seller. Why would you pay to protect the seller?
sjarz
15 years ago
Diane, this is what I would do in this situation -
Sign on to ebay and click on the live help link. When you get a live person, ask them about Paypal insurance and if this purchase would qualify for it. If this purchase does qualify then you are covered and can go ahead and pay for your item.
If you do not qualify under Paypal insurance, then ask for the seller's phone number. Phone the seller and see if you can get him/her to add the insurance on - if he/she does not want to then you don't have a lot of options left, but check with your postal service and see what coverage is included with the shipping service the seller is using.
Alternately you could try adding a couple of bucks onto the amount you are sending with a note in the additional comments section that you would like him or her to add insurance when they take it to mail.
Despite all this advice, I tend to agree with Wildchild - the insurance added on to an ebay item protects the seller in case you don't receive the item or it arrives damaged - not so sure it is going to help you in the long run.
Hope this advice will give you something to work with.
Suzan J
User
15 years ago
I made a $300 purchase through eBay from the US and it never occured to me to have it insured. I just look for 100% positive feedbacks. (which mean squat..DD did that and got fake perfume. When she went to leave a negative feedback the guys feedback dropped to 80%. Apparently he screwed over a lot of people all at once and his account was closed by eBay. What a shame!)

eBay frustration!!

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