http://reviews.ebay.com/Item-Lost-in-the-Mail-Your-Seller-IS-Responsible_W0QQugidZ10000000004889867

After reading this article, I may never sell anything again without charging insurance as part of shipping and handling or self-insure. Someone awhile back posted the link to where you can buy personal insurance that covers your deliveries, maybe it can be posted again. Maybe all "bigger" sellers should strongly consider this option and maybe having said insurance can be considered another layer on top of being a member that will add to a seller's reputation.

Before reading this article on ebay, I did not side with Rick because I felt he should have insured the package. I considered that inaction to be a mistake. Now, my gut tells me if anyone selling any decently-priced item does not insure your delivery, you may not want to choose to deal with him/her for this reason. For many reasons, buying a cheap $1 chip may not be worth the hassle of paying for insurance, but it may be a good idea not to deal with anyone who won't guarantee your delivery in advance in writing. Dealing with strangers certainly makes that easier to insist on. Dealing with another club member - this should never be an issue.

The seller - especially from member to member - should charge whatever he feels is necessary to insure a safe delivery. Since the post office is not 100% reliable, adding the cost of postal insurance or a surcharge to cover part of your personal self-insurance (thru a 3rd party as mentioned above) is almost a necessary part of the cost of doing business these days. Also, for any decently-priced merchandise, adding delivery confirmation is also a good idea for any seller to cover themselves. Now, sellers may not choose these options, but if they choose not to add these extra costs-of-doing-business charges to their selling procedures, "the seller" need to recognize their responsibility when a shipper such as the post office fails to deliver.

Just my 2 cents fwiw.

Steve

P.S. There are obviously a few facts that muddy the waters in this particular case. (1) The auction was intended for a sale to a US customer as was the invoice; (2) Seller apparently agreed to ship to Canada anyway, but did not change the terms of the auction to accommodate for this fact and for the fact delivery confirmation is not always possible; however, seller agreed to this risk without any additional cost required; (3) insurance listed in auction was for to the US, but was this really an option to Canada? (4) is shipping of non-registered-mail items of monetary value thru customs insurable? The last two times I shipped out of country - to be fair to Australia and Italy - I was not allowed to be truthful in claiming I was shipping items of monetary value. If the answer is not cut and dry, does a buyer from Canada not assume some risk knowing this fact if no actions are made to insure a delivery? (5) Frequent buyers from Canada may know significantly more about shipping from the US to Canada since they do it much more than most sellers from the US. Do they not have a obligation to make it clear how the process works and what the risks are? Since it costs more to ship for a US buyer and requires a trip to the post office and the completion of a customs form, is it not incumbent on a buyer from Canada to make sure they make clear what needs to be done for a successful transaction? Is asking "do you ship to Canada?" sufficient considering the ramifications of the added difficulties, costs and procedures as completely known to the buyer from Canada?