Is "I will not be providing a tracking number, please purchase this item at your own discretion!" Sufficient protection against lost items?

lifeisnbd
Community Member

Tracking numbers are very expensive and if included in the price will destroy my competitiveness on eBay. What can I do to protect myself against lost items during shipping? What messages or proofs can I provide?

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That's odd. Most of the time we can click on a poster's name to see what they are selling or get some idea of their track record, which allows us to target the actual problem.

Your ID gives me neither.

 

However.

No.

That's a terrible idea.

First because loss in transit is not common. Delay can be, but the postal system is very good at getting your shipment to your customer, even with postal employees off work with the pandemic, changes to the work environment (fewer planes and trucks, more spacing in terminals), sabotage by insane presidents, etc.

Remember that people come here with problems and that there are millions of sales made daily on eBay. 

Second is human nature. Your Terms of Sale should always be upbeat and seem to be for the benefit of the buyer.  Tracking is a Seller Protection, but gives the buyer to warm fuzzies. Insurance is also for the seller, but the buyer feels even more warm pink fuzzies. So when you do use tracking, you would not be saying "I will track this so don't go trying to scam me you lousy crook". You would say "Tracked and Insured Delivery" and let them live the dream.

Third is also human nature.

If you tell the customer that you are not tracking outright, some will choose to buy from you over a seller who does track, knowing that they can open a Claim and get your item free.

 

Tracking numbers are very expensive and if included in the price will destroy my competitiveness on eBay.

Some things are not suitable for mail order.

If the item is valuable enough to demand tracking, but not valuable enough to make tracking affordable, don't sell it online. That's an item for Craigslist or Kijiji.

 

How much does the item cost you? This, not what it might sell for, is what determines how you ship it.