eBay

skylarstuff · ‎05-08-2019

I recently discovered that all international mail including Europe has an automatic $100 liability coverage. I used to think that only surface mail had some sort of coverage. But I just now check Canada Post's web site and it indicates automatic $100 coverage. Is this true? I currently thought only Tracked pak or expedited express had coverage.

reallynicestamps · ‎05-08-2019

I'm shocked that Surface has any sort of coverage at all.

Ah-- Small Packet Surface does not.

International Packet Surface has the $100 coverage but costs $47.89 (for a small paperback, what I have to ship today) compared to $43.44 for Tracked Packet International, which gives Confirmation of Delivery and 8 day delivery.

It's Confirmation of Delivery that eBay and Paypal want if there is a Dispute about delivery.

ExpressPost (5 day delivery) and Priority Post (fast delivery but no actual time given) also have the $100 insurance, at much higher cost.

Of the four, International Surface Packet is the slowest, by months not days, and offers no advantage in a Dispute.

What do you find you need insurance for? Damage?

The best insurance in my opinion is excellent packing.

Non-delivery? Or slow delivery?

Tracking should help with that.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-08-2019

Small packet does not have insurance included.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGpsus_int-e.asp#1395540

reallynicestamps · ‎05-09-2019

I was surprised that Small Packet Surface-- with no insurance and slow delivery was actually more expensive than Tracked Package International, which included Confirmation of Delivery and Air Mail speed.

This was for a 250 gm paperback going to Italy-- which actually went LetterPost for $10.90.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-09-2019

That can’t be right as small packet surface would be $8.81 to Italy and tracked packet would be $30.50 with level 1 small business discount. I think that you were looking at surface international which apparently has tracking even though it isn’t mentioned on the website. The cost for that is $45.87 so it is more than tracked packet but it is probably used more for heavy items.

wmlkelley · ‎05-10-2019

It is not automatic coverage unless you select it.

skylarstuff · ‎05-10-2019

The $100 insurance included is for parcels, not small pack. I was looking to see if the $100 insurance could be a cheaper substitute for tracking. I know Ebay is only interested in tracking. My thoughts were at least if the buyer said the package was lost I could file a claim to get my money back. My shipments seem to be too light to fall in the parcel category so this will not work for me.

clemowbooks · ‎05-10-2019

What does the insurance insure against?

Non-delivery? How do you prove than without tracking?

Damage in transit? There's a good chance you will be told the damage is your poor packing, and in any case, it's not going to be fast since you will be dealing with two postal systems, possibly in two or more languages.

And the longer the package is in the hands of the postal system, the more chances of something going wrong.

So when your customer complains that he didn't get his package, you have to refund him immediately.

And then fight for your insurance payout.

With tracking, you refund if tracking shows the customer is in the right and don't if it shows delivered. No fuss.

And your customer is not waiting impatiently.

But what it comes down to is, some things are not suitable for mail order.

Some things are not suitable for international mail order.

And if the customer really really wants it, he will pay for the shipping cost. It's not your problem how deep his pockets are.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-10-2019

@wmlkelley wrote:
It is not automatic coverage unless you select it.

I’m not sure what you mean by that. If he insurance is included with the service such as tracked packet which ncludes $100 insurance, there is nothing to select..it’s automatcally included. If you want more than $100 then yes you do have to check off the option and indicate the insured value.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-10-2019

What does the insurance insure against?

Non-delivery? How do you prove than without tracking?

If there is no tracking the insurance company generally asks the buyer to sign a statement saying that they didn’t receive the package.

skylarstuff · ‎05-10-2019

My problem is that items shipped to Europe with tracking is $57. where surface parcel is $35.

I would be getting the insurance for non delivery or lost goods. I agree that I would need to refund immediately and then deal with a claim. But when sending say $100 items buyers do not want to pay nearly half for tracking. Even $35 surface which can take months is also not a great option. I wish there was a way for us seller to send air mail no tracking but only if the Buyer agreed to no protection in case of loss. They would take the risk, but get the lowest cost shipping. I know some here would argue that some sellers than would take advantage of buyers and not ship the goods at all. But I think long time sellers with thousands of feed backs would be more trust worthy of not doing that. But maybe I am naive.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-10-2019

You could send small packet air and buy insurance from a third party insurance company. It is usually a couple of dollars per $100 of insurance. If the service doesn't have tracking and you need to make a claim, you must have proof that the item was shipped. What I've done in the past is print an extra copy of the label and either get the po to stamp that label with an acceptance stamp or I attach the receipt that the po gives out after they scan the package.

reallynicestamps · ‎05-10-2019

Putting on my criminal hat (it comes with a mask and a big black mustache):

The buyer Disputes through eBay or PP that the item was not received, and the seller refunds because he cannot prove delivery.

Then to get his insurance payout, the sellers asks the buyer to inform the insurance company that they did not receive the item:

There is nothing the seller or the insurer can do to encourage the ~~scammer~~ customer to confirm that so that the seller is repaid.

Insurance is fine if there is good faith on both sides.

Unfortunately.... this is not always true.

Basically, if the buyer is not willing to pay the extra $20 for fast, tracked , shipping, the item is not worth selling to that customer.

Protect Your Assets.

From another point of view: if the customer is buying from Canada instead of in his own country, it's because he can't buy it elsewhere.

skylarstuff · ‎05-10-2019

Did not think that was an option. I usually use Shippo what third party insurance company would you recommend?

ypdc_dennis · ‎05-11-2019

@skylarstuff wrote:
Did not think that was an option. I usually use Shippo what third party insurance company would you recommend?

Shippo allows you to use 3rd party insurance for any amount over the basic Canada Post coverage. The company they use is ShipSurance.

https://goshippo.com/insurance/

hlmacdon · ‎05-11-2019

@reallynicestamps wrote:
Putting on my criminal hat (it comes with a mask and a big black mustache):
The buyer Disputes through eBay or PP that the item was not received, and the seller refunds because he cannot prove delivery.
Then to get his insurance payout, the sellers asks the buyer to inform the insurance company that they did not receive the item:
There is nothing the seller or the insurer can do to encourage the ~~scammer~~ customer to confirm that so that the seller is repaid.

Insurance is fine if there is good faith on both sides.
Unfortunately.... this is not always true.

How this works in practice is the insurer will ask the seller to ask the buyer to fill out an online affidavit. If the buyer fails to fill that out and you present proof of the transaction being refunded (ie documentation from a lost case, transaction record showing the refund, etc) and your claim rate is not deemed excessive they will reimburse the insured amount. The ones that are willing to insure non-tracked shipments are aware of the difficulty of obtaining communication from the receiving party in a disputed transaction and deal with this on a regular basis.

In my time of using untracked Canada Post with untracked shipments I had a handful of claims where the buyer wouldn't respond, all were paid out without issue. For the insurer they are simply scoring your potential life time value as a customer in view of how much you insure and your claim rate. I just selectively insure based on values and margins from sale. I look at as a cost of goods thing rather than trying to battle with it philosophically.