be careful selling stuff on Ebay or even selling using Paypal

I just had a case where I sold something on ebay and got paid through paypal. I shipped the item, provided tracking number. Now the post office lost the package (tracking shows the package being stationary at a sorting facility for the past 16 days). Naturally the buyer opened a claim against me (he knows it's the post office's fault but there's nothing he can do) so I understand that. I contacted paypal, showed proof of tracking, and paypal told me I have to refund the money because it's still my fault because I couldn't get the package to the buyer. I told them it's the post office's fault, but they said I should've gotten insurance (which cost extra that most buyers won't pay for). So now I'm pretty much screwed cause not only do I lose my stuff that I sold, I also lose money. All in all, I'm just really mad that a mult-million dollar company like paypal can't protect the seller and take it up against the post office. Be warned sellers, include insurance in your price so you don't end up like me, getting screwed.

it's really unfortunate for you, but the post office will just say they have no business with Paypal. They have business with you. So it's up to you to sort it out and claim the damage at the post office.

It's pretty obvious if you don't insure a package and it gets lost you will not get refunded. PayPal always sides with the buyer anyway. They offer 'buyer protection' not a postal insurance service. Did you expect the buyer to just walk away?
If someone isn't prepared to pay extra for insurance don't sell to them.

ebay and paypal offers "seller protection" also, so I thought I would be ok since I showed proof of my shipping the item, that I would be covered. But obviously I was wrong. How many of us selling on here actually purchase insurance when they ship? Not many, I'd bet.

Depends on the value if the item. If it's above a hundred bucks I get insurance every time, and I include it in the shipping quote and make this clear in the listing. As CollectorCol says, if the buyer takes issue with it, don't deal with them.

That's not to say it doesn't suck that circumstances went against you. Chalk it up to experience, an expensive lesson learned. I hope it didn't sting too much.

Very unlucky that the item got lost.
Unfortunately the package is your responsibility until it reaches the buyer. Put yourself in their position, totally out of his/her control.
The package may still be found? Good luck.

If I remember correctly the Post Office provides 100 dollars of free automatic insurance and a tracking number with every delivery ? I just read on the USPS website you do get a automatic 100 in insurance so ask them about that

Did you expect the buyer to just walk away?

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of course I don't blame the buyer for filing the claim. I'm mad at paypal and ebay for not protecting against the seller against things that are out of their hands. But no point in crying over spilled milk now. Just live and learn I guess.

Only priority mail get the $100 insurance for free. All other service have to pay extra insurance.

I'd be feeling more burned by the PO. On a tracked parcel they go and lose it? That's amateur hour right there. Or thieving hour, one of the two.

playboy409 said:

of course I don't blame the buyer for filing the claim. I'm mad at paypal and ebay for not protecting against the seller against things that are out of their hands

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That's what postage insurance is for my friend.

I always ship all of my items via priority mail, which usually comes with free insurance for up to $100, I think. Insurance is really for the person selling/shipping the item than it is the buyer, imo. You get it to ensure the package arrives undamaged to the intended party. Even if you sell on message boards, where the buyer can't really do anything if the package gets lost, you end up getting hit with bad rep, which hurts your selling ability in the future.

Moved to General Collectibles Discussion & Questions.

FYI, Ebay owns Paypal and it's a Muli-Billion dollar company. Ebay's greed knows no bounds . Definitely follow up with USPS if they loose a package, they can be very slow about finding a package because it may have been sent anywhere by mistake. And I agree with others when saying insurance is a must for peace of mind. Also, photograph the item before shipping to have proof of an undamaged item in your possession.

I insure EVERY package I send, regardless of the value, even if I have to pay a few bucks out of pocket. Priority Mail provides $50 of insurance automatically, so if the value of the item is low, that's a great way to get automatic coverage.

Also, over the 10+ years I have been selling over eBay, I have never had a Priority Mail package get lost. It's worth the extra money for peace of mind and to know that you are covered should they lose the package and eBay/PayPal support the buyer in the event of a case.

Sorry, but you really put yourself in this situation by not taking advantage of all of the available options to protect yourself. Just factor the cost of insurance into your shipping costs and don't make insurance an option for buyers, make it a requirement. Buyers that REFUSE to pay insurance costs for high dollar items know how the system works.

Just echoing what others have said, I will frequently pay for insurance on packages sent. Certainly anything over $100 or so.

I always buy insurance if it isn't automatically covered. Not that there is anything wrong with the post office but I also only ship Fedex. Office just down the road, much better tracking and just better service IMO.

Back in the day when selling on ebay was still a bit decent for a private seller. I had a unhappy customer and ebay refunded them and let me keep the money as well. So at least then the seller protection worked a bit lol.

Lejuan said:

I'd be feeling more burned by the PO. On a tracked parcel they go and lose it? That's amateur hour right there. Or thieving hour, one of the two.

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Make sure you build the postal protection into your pricing, either through the delivery price, the item price or spreading it between the two.. it's for your protection not the Buyer.. as others have said, Buyers who don't want to pay the extra, will be the first to walk away, if it goes missing, knowing they are protected by PayPal..
Because I live in a block of flats, I will ask for shipping to be upgraded to a 'signed for' mail service, if its not already included.. and over approx £20, I will want insurance as well.. although many buyers cheapskate on shipping because they are protected by PayPal, that will not help if you are being sent a rare item.. who knows when you will get another opportunity to snag that grail, especially if you got it for a good price.

Hope the OP's parcel eventually finds its way home.

Lost packages are rare, probably an act of theft. I have sold at least 1,000 things on eBay all time and had exactly one domestic package lost and that was by the Royal Mail. The USPS may have misdelivered something once and have damaged two posters, but no lost packages (knock on wood).

Lately I only insure mailer boxes that announce what the contents are.

Sorry to hear that playboy409.

I don't get it. Isn't it your job to take this up with the post office and lodge a claim ?

If it clearly shows no their own system that they have lost it (that it never made it to buyers home and there is no signature proof it was delivered), then won't the Post Office refund you ?