@cbuko1 wrote:
I am high risk and trying to avoid contact as much as possible. How do I narrow the search parameters to only show sellers who safe drop? I have never had anything go missing and have an excellent record.
There's no option for sellers to state safe drop - that might be seen as a possible avenue for scammers to buy their stuff and claim it was not received so I don't think eBay would go for that.
Your best bet is to message the seller first about postage, unless they do the right thing and clearly specify what postage methods they use in the listing....which in my experience a lot don't. Ask if the item will be sent with tracking only if the postage costs suggest tracking or tracking with signature. (A small flat item with only a couple of dollars for postage is unlikely to have either thank goodness).
I am housebound, with mobility issues and can't collect items from the post office so this is an ongoing issue for me.
I generally try to avoid sellers that have signature required as I can't be sure what Aust Post will do re the delivery. Recently I was lucky that one sig req parcel was delivered with untracked parcels so it wasn't carded - it was left hidden under the untracked items. LOL A second sig req parcel was delivered by my regular Aust Post delivery contractor who knows my circumstances so he left the parcel in my usual safe place. Mind you, I had left the screen door locked but the heavy door open so he knew I was home which no doubt helped.
I have a sign in the window near my safe drop spot setting out why I need a parcel to be left. Of course the AP delivery people don't always read it! Sigh. Maybe you could post a sign saying you are self isolating.
A point I will make about Signature Required is that in my experience many sellers who use this service don't seem to realise what version they have signed up for.
There's sig req only with no possible hope of changing it, and sig req where if the buyer can request it be changed to safe drop through their MyPost account (or an email from AP) and that can be done. If you ask for safe drop and the seller agrees he or she might write Safe Drop or whatever on the package not realising the service they have signed up for cannot be changed. I had this issue recently and it was very frustrating. The seller (not on eBay) even had info under their 'shipping' options that the buyer could change it to safe drop by contacting Aust Post. This simply wasn't true at all.
BTW, any welll known company that I want to order items from regularly goes in my Sellers list - the ones with tracking only or no tracking get a note about it. The companies that insist on Sig Req are also in my Sellers list - with a note in capitals NOT to buy from them! Many of these companies don't mention they insist of Sig Req especially when they also offer 'Free Postage'.
