Should eBay "encourage" sellers to offer insured post option for goods over a certain value?

[thecatspjs]

eBay have really pushed the express post option through TRS plus, however choosing to get it faster, does not reduce the risk of a parcel being lost or damaged in transit.

Given paypals policy changes and their backing off from any form of buyer protection if a seller can demonstrate proof of post and addressee no matter the value of goods, and given that under legislation in Australia it is the buyer to "carry the risk"  for goods being damaged in transit or lost, shouldn't eBay "encourage" or even mandate that sellers must offer an insured post option for goods over a certain value, say $100 ? 

Whilst as a seller I insure items over a certain value, regardless of post price paid, I still think that eBay should operate to promote not only consumers rights, but consumers responsibilities as well, and when they purchase goods they need to be aware that they will not be covered by buyer protection if the seller provides proof of post and addresse.

If a seller can provide this information - the buyer will be out of pocket, unless the seller takes the hit themselves, which is also unfair.  An option of insured post, at least gives puts the decision making back with the one taking the risk - the buyer.

[bigbrickshop]

I think it should be available as an option.

It is only a couple of years ago that eBay removed it "to help meet buyer expectations". Not sure what expectations eBay thinks they are meeting by removing the option.

Buyers expect to receive their items and expect that PayPal will offer complete protection for all purchases. I doubt that many buyers (or sellers for that matter) read the changes to the PayPal user agreement and are even aware that they may not be covered.

https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/ua/useragreement-full#Schedule_1_PayPal_Seller_and_Buyer_Protecti...

S9.9 If the seller presents Proof of Shipment to your address, we may find in their favour even if you did not receive the item.

http://pages2.ebay.com.au/News/InsideSelling/Simplified_Postage_Services

[thecatspjs]

It is a real worry, the changes were not promoted broadly, and the spin is still very much focused on "protection" - yet the change is a significant reduction of any protection that was in place prior.

I am not seeking to create a furphy but the cynical side of me wonders if Paypal have reduced the coverage to prepare for the introduction of "additional" buyer protection that can be purchased direct from Paypal (or eBay) at checkout.

[haolove13]

I have been involved in Ebay for about 12 years now.

Prior to Paypal I had one item go missing.

Since the introduction of paypal I now lose up to 5 % of parcels.

Since the change to feedback I now struggle to keep my rating at 100% and DSR mean that buyers seem to victimise certain people on a regular basis.

I have become quite cynical about changes to policies as all it seems to do is reduce seller protection and increase costs.

There are so many parcels going missing now that I wonder why it happens. Is it the thin edge of the wedge for us to become Americanised and litigous rather than cooperative?

[digital*ghost]

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@thecatspjs wrote:

I am not seeking to create a furphy but the cynical side of me wonders if Paypal have reduced the coverage to prepare for the introduction of "additional" buyer protection that can be purchased direct from Paypal (or eBay) at checkout.

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Technically, they haven't exactly reduced their coverage, it's more a matter of the options for proving postage without insurance options attached to the service used have increased and the options for compensation for unregistered / uninsured articles has decreased. 

The main difference is that there used to be a (written) provision for possible discretionary payments back when registered was the primary form of POP, but typically a seller would refund the buyer and claim back from AP (registered/insured or not), so the instances where a seller could prove postage and a buyer didn't receive an item, nor a refund/replacement from the seller, were probably quite negligible.

For PayPal or eBay to offer additional protections, which - at least for PayPal - do nought but enforce consumer rights (in theory anyway, not always in practice), would probably involve some very different logistics, as it could technically be insurance and they are not licensed as insurance providers. (There are probably ways around that, but not too many that would ultimately offer more than what PP do now). 

I think, anyway - quasi-educated theorising in some of the above. 

[digital*ghost]

Just another thought - I don't think it's in eBay's nature to charge buyers for anything.

I think they'd much prefer a common, blissful unawareness of any risk of purchasing online, so if they have any plans about offering some form of insurance or guarantee, you can be almost sure the seller will be the one to pay for it...

[thecatspjs]

I would agree with eBay taking that approach.

But it may appear as another arm of the business like Paypal or through a deal with another "party" like the Global Shipping rip-off

[thecatspjs]

Cats Pjs posted: "But it may appear as another arm of the business like Paypal or through a deal with another "party" like the Global Shipping rip-off"

Cats Pjs should have posted:    I imagine that if there were to be any developments like this area it may appear as another arm of the business like Paypal or through a deal with another "party" like the Global Shipping rip-off.  Of course all of my comments on this are purely speculation. ,

*CatsPjs pops on tinfoil headgear*

[digital*ghost]

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@thecatspjs wrote:

*CatsPjs pops on tinfoil headgear*

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Mine's currently in storage (as far as I know, anyway), but I've had a few eBay-inspired sneaking suspicions that brought it out. 

[peridot55555]

I just posted a parcel which was near the $100 mark, but when I asked for extra cover insurance, the postal manager told me it was a waste of money.

Evidently AP has a special 'hush hush' offer on until Xmas - Sign on delivery includes insurance up to $300.

I found out today if U ask for extra cover insurance U have to have sign on delivery anyway, but it does not say that on the AP website.  

I would have prefered the insurance cost instead of the signing, as I am now out of pocket (but I can see the point, even if it doesn't say U have to have sign on delivery to get extra cover insurance).

By the way, today I watched the AP contractor truck driver throw every package into his truck.  Probably I was lucky as mine had stickers saying glass & fragile on it & it was sitting nicely on top of a plastic box of letters.  I didn't see him put it in the truck, but I think it would have fallen off the letters if the box of letters had been thrown (probably it was slid with a great push).