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Insurance when you are the seller.

slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
edited November 2014 in Ask the Experts
Some sellers offer insurance only as an option paid for by the buyer. If the buyer chooses not to pay for the insurance and the gun disappears or is damaged then he is out the money. However the seller must buy the insurance when he ships it. The buyer can't do it. Sort of a catch 22.

Comments

  • CheechakoCheechako Member Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I suppose not all sellers are like me. But, if I send an item to a buyer and it is not insured, either by him or me, I feel I am obligated to refund the money and eat the loss myself. That's why I will send only low value items completely uninsured. If the buyer opts not to pay insurance I will ship higher priced items by a method that includes insurance, such as registered mail, so, in the end, he pays for it anyway.
  • mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited November -1
    Insurance protects the buyer and not the seller. I'll ask up front if the buyer wants insurance and it is his call. Some do, but some don't. When you send me the money, the gun is FOB to the shipper (almost always UPS for my M1s), after that I am finished with it. If it was lost and is insured then I'll see to it that you get your money back, but if it was not insured than you are in a world of hurt. I'll file a lost claim on the gun and keep you updated on any news, but you won't get your money refunded for a UPS mistake out of my wallet.
  • CapnMidnightCapnMidnight Member Posts: 8,520
    edited November -1
    I insure every fire arm I ship, just part of the shipping cost. All of my auctions state a shipping cost with insurance.
    W.D.
  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,723 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When I buy an item the seller will stand good for the item being delivered to me, or I take my business elsewhere, and I give the exact same kind of service. When an item is damaged or lost and I am the seller, I'll take that up with the shipper, and the only shipper I trust is the USPS.
    What's next?
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    I list a s/h cost (to include insurance) in my auctions so the buyer knows up front what his costs will be.
  • CheechakoCheechako Member Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One thing that always surprises me is how many guys have had bad dealings with buyers, sellers, and shippers. And, they seem to be the same guys over and over. I don't know if they are just snake-bit or exaggerating. I'm an old guy and have been dealing with other shooters and collectors for a lot of years. I've had only a very few bad transactions over those years and it's always been with low value items. I do not feel that my obligation to a buyer ends when I drop the package off at UPS or USPS. It ends only when he receives the item and is completely satisfied. Call me old fashioned but I would not do it any other way and I fully expect to be treated the same way when I'm buying.
  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I appreciate the input. I am usually a buyer, not a seller. Personally I would not ship anything that I am not willing to eat the loss on without insurance. If I buy I will definitely pay the extra for insurance if it is necessary. I would prefer to buy from a seller who includes insurance but I realize that I am paying for the insurance one way or the other. Only had a gun damage once and it was insured and they covered it but it was still a hassle.
  • golferboy426golferboy426 Member Posts: 969 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mark Christian's answer conflicts with what GunBroker told me. I was told by the GunBroker officials that as a seller I was responsible to assure the product arrives in as listed condition. Thus if I fail to insure it and it is lost, or damaged, it is on me. Buyer gets a full refund
  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    I sold a $260 knife on that other site. The buyer was from England and didn't want ins. It made it to the airport at Chicago but didn't get to customs there. PayPal refunded his money. But I'm out mine, unless I sue the PO [xx(]
    There are no more any expensive items going out unless they are insured [^]
  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 24,455 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If I sell it and ship it , I add the insurance cost to the shipping or pay it out of pocket too many chances if it does not make it , Its my * in the sling to cover it ,
    so I quit asking if they wanted insurance its a no brainer if your responsible for it ,
    same with delivery conformation , a small % kill it for the honest people as usual so I add that if needed
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