eBay® PowerSeller Business Practices FOR DUMMIES®

Chapter 30. Understanding the Limitations of Package Insurance

Selling on eBay requires you to become an expert on shipping. I try to give you all the information you need in my books, but the rules change from time to time, so you need to stay updated. Shipping a few items or shipping a hundred items is all the same when it comes to insurance. Are you going to offer your buyers insurance against damage or loss? Bottom line: Whether you offer insurance or not, you (the seller) are ultimately responsible for getting the product to the buyer. The lostin- the-mail excuse doesn't cut the mustard, and having a Delivery Confirmation number doesn't guarantee anything either.

You may think that it's the buyer's responsibility to pay for insurance. If they don't, you say, it's their hard luck if the package doesn't arrive. This is far from the truth; a buyer who does not receive an item that she's paid for can legitimately file a fraud report against you. Buyers can also have the payment removed from your PayPal account if you have no physical proof that you've shipped the item, and you have no defense against this.

Tip

For PayPal to protect you under their Seller Protection Policy (by not yanking out your money when a buyer screams "fraud"), you must have proof that the package was delivered. A Delivery Confirmation that has been scanned on delivery will provide that proof. Occasionally, however, the letter carrier neglects to scan the item and there is no proof of your package arriving. ...