Hi everybody Is this a thing now in private sales? How would a buyer , who is probably in a different country (let alone a continent), be responsible for the safe packaging , handling and shipping of a purchased watch? I might negotiate and pay 50% of insurance cost but this sort of "Disclaimer" is a major red flag for me. Am I being paranoid or unreasonable?
I’ve always been happy to pay for delivery/insurance, but not organise it myself as a buyer (unless collecting). Personally I feel it leaves you open to too much risk, especially if the package is damaged in transit, and the delivery company asserts that it hadn’t been packaged correctly and so refuses to pay out. You’re left with a damaged product and no pay out from someone else’s cock up. If you have to go down this route I guess it’s a classic case of ‘buy the seller’
It’s something to be worked out privately between buyer and seller, when I sell something I typically price the watch only and say + shipping because different people want different shipping methods and the can be wildly different in price, same with insurance. Arranging it is typically the sellers job if he or she agrees to the method and approach. We don’t dictate how this should all flow and work because frankly it should be common sense and if a buyer and seller can’t reach an agreement on terms then the sale just won’t happen.
Thanks for the responses. I as well happily will pay or participate in the costs of shipping and insuring depending on the costs,watch and seller. I agree the arranging and responsibility for safe shipping and packaging should primarily be on the seller (and courier) although shipping methods should be agreed upon. Thanks.
I have bought things “All in” seller pays shipping and insurance and I pay him for the watch, shipping and insurance. Up to probably $3k US. But no where near what some big ticket watches sell for quite regularly. Not playing in the $20k pool so not sure what I would do there. Pre COVID probably fly there
The only way I'm willing to buy is on the terms that the seller owns and is responsible for the watch until it I receive it in condition as advertised. That way there can't be uncertainty around who is responsible if it is lost or damaged in shipping. The seller pays for shipping and insurance; they're the ones choosing and buying it since they are the ones carrying the shipping risk. If they want to pass their costs on, that's fine. I don't distinguish between price for the watch vs. price for the shipping when considering if I want to make a purchase, it's a single fungible total.
Within reason, I am happy to reimburse the seller for the costs of shipping and insurance, but I do expect the seller to make the arrangements (with my consultation and approval) and the seller must bear the full risk of loss until I receive the watch in undamaged condition. I follow the same protocol when I’m the seller. With the exception of one buyer who didn’t pay (and therefore to whom I didn’t ship), I’ve been fortunate that all of the sellers and buyers I’ve dealt with have been very reputable.
The seller should be able to explain the shipping and insurance information to you. If the seller has an insurance plan that provides shipping insurance for high value items, the insurance company provides directions for the packaging, labeling and will sometimes scrutinize the address being shipped to. The insurance only covers the item during shipment and ends when the signature delivery occurs. Ask what kind of insurance account the seller has. For example I am not fulltime dealer, but I have sold many watches and have a parcel pro account. The instructions are quite explicit and the customer service will help you with any question on how to ship the item. Unless you the buyer are sending a label and providing shipping instructions then the seller is paying for both the shipping and the insurance and is the beneficiary of the claim if any.