Posted By:
T206CollectorI agree with Gil. If I pay for insurance and he does not actually buy it, I assume he has chosen to self-insure the item, that is, if it gets lost in the post he'll reimburse me, which is the purpose of insurance. It doesn't really matter if he actually purchases the insurance from the post office. Why is it any more shady when a seller self insures to make a buck, versus the post office insuring articles to make a buck?
Moreover, it is very important to factor shipping costs into the final bid on an item. There are lots of 99 cent CD's out there on ebay, but shipping is like $12.99 for each of them. That's why I don't buy 99 cent CD's.
As a seller, I charge a flat fee of $2.50 for the first card won, and free shipping for each additional card won. When the price goes over $50, I insure the package myself without any additional cost to the buyer. That way, if an under $50 package gets lost in the mail, I'll cover the cost. But if it's over $50, the USPS will refund me the value of the cards lost.
Finally, I am not sure why sellers put the onus on buyers to insure goods. You're just asking for a fight. I try to make the ebay experience as friendly as possible -- send me the money for the item that you won, plus a minimal charge for shipping and I will make sure you get your item or your money back, no questions asked. Many of my auctions have been bid up by previous buyers who want to take advantage of the free shipping on additional cards won.