Seems easy enough, went to fedex.com created a "return" shipping label for the guy to print, he then drops off his package and label at a fedex location.... except I find fedex limits declared value to $1000...nothing in the fedex ship tool allows me to change that value with the shipping options it gives me. Actual value of watch is 3x that.

I don't want to create a separate shipping insurance account, like on parcel pro, as I think this will be a one time thing for me. I'm paying the guy with paypal using "good and service", so I have protection from paypal... is getting shipping insurance for full value even necessary?

Suggestions?

 

Yes, if you want the carrier to pay for any damage caused on transit. If there is damage then you will complain and the seller will respond and the carrier will say you didn't insure so they're not responsible and I'm not sure PayPal will find under those circumstances. That being said it is the responsibility of the seller, not the buyer, to get the package to your door, and it is incumbent on him to insure. If he decides not to you have to make clear that he is responsible should Anything happen.

Not sure why he has you making the shipping label, if I where you I would have him do it and decide.

Your ONLY responsibility is to pay for the goods. Nothing more.

 

This was my fault, he asked during negotiations if I could send him a ship label... the watch checks out, local folks took a look at it and he has ebay feedback that is good. I'm regretting this, so I'm going back and asking him to take care of shipping entirely.

 

I think that would be wise. Maybe it's a hassle for him, but he decided to sell watches so....

I'm sure he is honest, but honesty can be tested when 4g are at stake. All of a sudden fairness
Is a subjective term. Better to keep things simple so there is no room for interpretation.

 

Fedex insurance doesn't cover watches. I use Parcel Pro for insured shipping, you can create a shipping label online.

 

Thx for the feedback Sergio, I took your advice. I know we always say "you buy the seller, not the watch", but that needs to be constantly repeated... even I lost sight of that a little here. We had already agreed on the shipping cost, he just asked if I could print the label, so I told him I can't send him a label, that I will add shipping cost included in payment and if that doesn't work, we have no deal. There are just too many scammers everywhere, who look for any possible angle. I know enough to protect myself, but you can only do so much when dealing with remote sellers. I'll never send payment without some kind of protection, and now I'm wary of shipping as well. I can envision a scenario where I get an empty box. It's not worth it.

 

Good to know fedex doesn't cover watches. Thank you. I looked at parcel pro, but it looked like a big hassle to setup an account and you have to be a business... i'm not. I'll look again though

 

It's pretty easy to set up a ParcelPro account . The standard application form is intimidating, but you can just put your name as the business, and ignore the blanks that don't apply to an individual/hobbyist. If you want to ship/insure outside of the US, you will need a federal EIN, which can be easily obtained online in five minutes. Even with just a few transactions a year for me, the minor hassle was worth it.

 

Hmm, I had never thought of that angle ... interesting! Would it make sense to setup a Parcelpro a/c as a moderately frequent buyer if I live outside of the US, and buy from the US and from Europe? I've used PP before but only becos the seller has it.

How does it work? Does the seller send you the item's shipping details and you (as the buyer) insure it via PP? Has anyone here ever done that as a buyer?

 

I only know how it works in the US... may be different requirements for the EU or other parts of the world.

 

You must create the shipment through Parcel Pro's system. You can do that even if you are having someone else ship to you, but they must be able to follow the specific PP protocol (e.g. double boxing, etc.). You simply email them a pdf file of the paperwork and instructions.

I use PP to and from Europe, and have never had a problem. But again, you must have an account, and create the paperwork (including waybill) through the PP system. Their customer service is also excellent.

One other note: Unfortunately PP was recently acquired by UPS. They still offer FedEx at this time, but it is difficult to remain confident that they will continue to do so, and many users, including myself, would be unhappy if forced to use UPS.

 

I think parcelpro Wil insure any package as long as it meets some very basic requirements, like low declared value and marking as 'precision instrument' rather than 'expensive watch'.

You should get assigned to a sales support person once you have an acount. I've found these guys to be very helpful. Well worth the fees to use them.

 

Thanks guys for your responses - great info, and I will explore PP more.

 

I have shipped 2 watches from South Africa to the US without insurance using FedEX and both watches arrived at there destination. FedEX is very good

 

Now, that's customer service!

 

its the one time the package is lost or stolen that changes all the good experiences. Shipping an expensive watch uninsured is just a bad idea.
Parcel Pro rates are extremely reasonable and worth the cost.

 

Seller has agreed to handle shipping (he's young and wasn't sure how to ship). Thx for the info on parcelpro, im setting up an account for future use.

I wholeheartedly agree shipping insurance is best practice and personally wouldn't ship without it.

 

I will say this about loss and payment being one whom worked on the inside as a USPS employee for 23 years, what you insure for and what they pay can be two very different stories.
Filing a claim for a 10k watch loss will find you proving value and especially with vintage watches that can be a grey area. What you claim as NOS suddenly gets determined not by you and your experts but theirs! Sit and read the small print sometime!! Regardless the carrier. And I promise, it will be lower than your figure if you can't convince them you are righter than they are. It really is a racket.
As an insider, I only ship one way unless a client asks me to ship another and that is by US registered mail. The only service where if it is lost, someone losses a job! They tend NOT to loss these!! Signed for the entire way, locked in secure bags, hand carried by drivers then hand signed for and scanned at each transfer, locked in safes overnight, can tell you the name of the last person to touch it... I can go on. And when you are dealing with a foreign country some of them I do not ship to at all. There is an old saying in the PO, Italian mailmen all wear Rolexes and they didn't buy them either.
Insurance when shipping is just like life insurance, it is piece of mind if something happens. Basically, you are betting the shipper is going to loss it and they are betting they won't. They rarely do and profit is 100% as they really only need provide a service IF they have to pay a claim..... You have a better chance of your new credit card being lost or stolen than an item you ship if done properly.

Wayne

 

Good info Wayne. Thanks.

 

One more for Parcel Pro, been using them for years now, never a problem.