A cautionary USPS lost package tale...

pugsonpurses

pugsonpurses

Member
Sep 2, 2006
307
0
#1
Sellers, now is not the time to skimp on insurance-read on! In late Oct. I sold 2 Illy cups to a guy in FL-I am in SC-he paid by echeck via Paypal, and I sent them out on 11/3-because the auction was for $31.00 I went for the minimal insurance (green tag, no #). I wrote and thanked him, asked him to let me know they arrived safely-never heard. That happens. 3 weeks later, I get an email asking if I could verify shipping date, as he hadn't received them. We wrote back and forth, found out you have to wait 30 days to file a claim, and all the guys at the PO asked me why I didn't spring for the extra $1 to insure for more than $51, thus getting a tracking #-I mailed buyer hard copies of the receipt and green slip, he brought them to his PO, sorry no clue, he was told. Yesterday-5 weeks later-I got an email-they arrived! On Sat. someone slipped a "last notice" under his door, he never received any flags from the PO-when he went down there to get package, and asked about the "final notice" they said they had no idea! Anyway-moral here for me is that everything gets insured for at least $51, you are helpless without that #-it is worth the extra, esp. when a package can get lost for 5 weeks between 2 states-safe shipping! And he was the nicest guy, I don't want to think what it would have been like with an irritable collector!
 
#2
i don't know what you mean by green slip vs blue. as far as i know the green slip is delivery confirmation and has nothing to do with insurance. the blue slip is actual insurance and you need to use it anytime you want to insure anything. delivery confirmation is just that- confirming it's delivery. it is not tracking and in fact is rarely scanned except when it arrives at the person's house but even then sometimes it is not scanned.

i automatically insure anything over 50 dollars or if it's breakable.
 
#3
Green slip is what you get if you insure something for under $50-you can use it to file a claim, but it doesn't have a bar code and a tracking # like the blue slip, so in essence it's useless!
 
#4
USPS is HURTING lately.I sent a check to someone PRIORITY MAIL(2-3 days.)TOOK a WEEK..They are really behind with the holidays..and get this..They said PRIORITY mail is NOT GUARANTEED 2-3 days.I always thought it was....Better to be safe than sorry!
 
#5
i don't think that's true actually. i will check with my po.

usps has been great to me. one package i sent to outside of ny from nyc and it got there in 12 hours! something to brooklyn took a day. and something i sent to hong kong took about 3 days- it was less than they told me it would be. i have been having great luck with the po!

someone sent me something from boston on sat- it arrived at my house today!
 
#7
I sent something priority mail this morning to a buyer and paid the extra 50 cents for tracking. The item was only worth $20. Should I have insured for over $51? I am confused and just want to be sure. I did not insure at all.
 
#8
I'm usually fine with just paying the 50 cents for delivery confirmation (green and white slip). If the item is expensive then I require signature confirmation (pink and white slip) plus insurance (blue and white slip).

Confusing, I know!
 
#9
It was my first item and was just a pair of Levi's that were my daughter's. I'm starting off small, so if it's a loss, no big deal while I learn the ropes. Thanks for your help lorih.~hugs~
 
#10
hlfinn said:
these are the forms the usps has:

Category - Forms and Labels

if you're talking about the green form on the right in the second row- that's delivery confirmation. not insurance.
Click to expand...

No, I'm talking about USPS #3818, "Receipt for Domestic Insured Parcel" (not shown on the link) for items unde $50.00 that goes through the validator along with your white receipt but which does not have a tracking #-all PO employees except the one that told me this form was OK said I should have insured for $51.00, which gives you a tracking # and requires a signature-even if your item is less than $50-so again I say, spend the extra to get the "blue and white" with a #!!
 
#11
I ALWAYS insure all my items, regardless of the final price. If its a $25.00 item I will still insure it for $51.00. Its sooo worth the peace of mind. I also ALWAYS do signature confirmation. Delivery confirmation means squat anymore.
 
#12
Yeah the USPS lost a package for one of my buyers. It shows that information it shows when you print paypal shipping, but no delivery information. Sent her out a second package and it arrived just fine. It was a small amount so no insurance was purchased, but it's just frustrating that it's just vanished.
 
#13
I always use signature confirmation and purchase insurance if shipping an item $30 or greater in value.

Otherwise, it's usually just delivery confirmation on smaller packages. I have yet to have any package lost (sending and receiving), so maybe i've just had a lot of luck with usps, or the postal workers in my area are simply doing a great job!
 
#14
I don't buy anything from Ebay without asking the seller to add insurance to my total so we are both protected. It's a cheap way to have peace of mind and prevents possible hassles down the road.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back