Ebay insurance

[IanM]

Hi guys

I want to import a piece of electronic equipment with ebay. It's worth about R3000 and I'll rather insure it for a couple of $ extra than lose R3000. It will be shipped with USPS by a "top-rated seller" (99.1% positive feedback). When I want to check out there'es no option for me to buy insurance on the item. Is it the seller's responsibility to purchase insurance? How does it work?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[IanM]

Just found this in the comment section of a ebay forum:

eBay sellers cannot make insurance optional to the buyer or charge separately for it.
eBay sellers can include the cost of insurance in the shipping & handling charge amount that is stated in the listing.

eBay buyers do not need insurance.
They have Buyer Protection to cover lost or damaged items.

Is this true? So then I, as a buyer, don't have to worry about insurance?

 

[Totempole]

Just found this in the comment section of a ebay forum:

eBay sellers cannot make insurance optional to the buyer or charge separately for it.
eBay sellers can include the cost of insurance in the shipping & handling charge amount that is stated in the listing.

eBay buyers do not need insurance.
They have Buyer Protection to cover lost or damaged items.

Is this true? So then I, as a buyer, don't have to worry about insurance?

Technically it's true, but don't count on it. If you don't receive the item, you're 100% covered.
However, If the item arrives damaged, you will have to send it back (fully tracked) to the seller
at your expense. Our postal service is significantly more expensive than the US.

Also, only USPS Express mail offers tracking. Priority Mail is about as fast as express, but no
tracking is offered. USPS First Class is only recommended for lower cost items.

Hope this helps.

 

[dj_jyno]

Technically it's true, but don't count on it. If you don't receive the item, you're 100% covered.
However, If the item arrives damaged, you will have to send it back (fully tracked) to the seller
at your expense. Our postal service is significantly more expensive than the US.

Also, only USPS Express mail offers tracking. Priority Mail is about as fast as express, but no
tracking is offered. USPS First Class is only recommended for lower cost items.

Hope this helps.

Agreed. Ask the seller to ship with a tracking option. SAPO workers tend to keep their hands off packages that have a tracking number.

Received a package from Germany today labelled "car parts" (two uncut key blades), no tracking number, and the package had a nice yellow tape wrapped around with "Found opened or damaged" printed on it. Thankfully the seller hid the items quite well (or the thieves didn't have a use for it).