First time selling with requirement to send to Ebay Authenticator -need advice please

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trippinonsunshine

trippinonsunshine

Member
Sep 15, 2017
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#1
Hi everyone - I just sold a bag and am required to mail out to authenticator in Nevada. Any tips for making this successful? The total was $1700. I don't see a place to purchase insurance for that amount in the postage/label print. It just says since your item is over $750 dollars that I must use signature confirmation. I am concerned just sending this priority mail with a signature required. Then again, I am confused -- am I requiring a signature of the authenticator or is that for the buyer? I know the authenticator ships directly to the buyer. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
#2
Send it insured. Just do it normally, in person at PO if necessary, if your label thing doesn't work. If it gets lost or damaged en route you need that protection. With USPS you can't actually buy Signature Confirmation for things over $750, despite that language; you do get it signed for upon delivery, so there's the "signature confirmation," functionally. The party that signs for it is who you're shipping to, in this case the authenticator.
 
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#3
jellyv said:
Send it insured. Just do it normally, in person at PO if necessary, if your label thing doesn't work. If it gets lost or damaged en route you need that protection. With USPS you can't actually buy Signature Confirmation for things over $750, despite that language; you do get it signed for upon delivery, so there's the "signature confirmation," functionally. The party that signs for it is who you're shipping to, in this case the authenticator.
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Hi - so I send it insured to the authenticator and then do they in turn insure it when sending to the buyer? So odd that the Ebay system won't let me insure it.
 
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#4
trippinonsunshine said:
Hi - so I send it insured to the authenticator and then do they in turn insure it when sending to the buyer? So odd that the Ebay system won't let me insure it.
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Yes, that's right. I have no experience with eBay labels and just go to a post office. But however you can do it, definitely insure for full value.
 
#5
jellyv said:
Yes, that's right. I have no experience with eBay labels and just go to a post office. But however you can do it, definitely insure for full value.
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Thank you kindly for the reply. You can save a bit if you print the label via Ebay, so that is what I was trying to do. They insist on the signature confirmation for $2.90 with priority mail shipping. I dug a bit and found an insurance/liabilty coverage but it only insures for up to $1000. There are three pages of written words on how it works (via Allstate) - I didn't go further reading when I saw the max dollar value. I guess I need to go directly to the post office. I wish this was a little bit clearer. I'd call Ebay but have read in unrelated instances that Ebay seems to say one thing to one person and another customer service rep can say something different. I am second guessing even selling something of this value now--obviously I intend to honor but am feeling a bit nervous.
 
#6
trippinonsunshine said:
Thank you kindly for the reply. You can save a bit if you print the label via Ebay, so that is what I was trying to do. They insist on the signature confirmation for $2.90 with priority mail shipping. I dug a bit and found an insurance/liabilty coverage but it only insures for up to $1000.
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This eBay label system sounds strange and not what the USPS itself does. What I mean is, you cannot purchase Signature Confirmation if you add insurance to Priority Mail for $500 and up. Once they add insurance at and above $500 the metering system at USPS kicks out (deletes) the option of Signature Confirmation, because the pkg must be signed for upon delivery at that insured value. So it's already got a form of signature confirmation. I have no idea how the eBay label system can add it, if you insure at full value (which I see you also can't--wtf?). For USPS Priority Mail done normally, you can insure up to $5,000. I don't want to confuse you, this is just what I know from having sent many expensive packages in person at the Post Office.

Maybe don't use the eBay label and do it at a Post Office.
 
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#7
jellyv said:
This eBay label system sounds strange and not what the USPS itself does. What I mean is, you cannot purchase Signature Confirmation if you add insurance to Priority Mail for $500 and up. Once they add insurance at and above $500 the metering system at USPS kicks out (deletes) the option of Signature Confirmation, because the pkg must be signed for upon delivery at that insured value. So it's already got a form of signature confirmation. I have no idea how the eBay label system can add it, if you insure at full value (which I see you also can't--wtf?). For USPS Priority Mail done normally, you can insure up to $5,000. I don't want to confuse you, this is just what I know from having sent many expensive packages in person at the Post Office.

Maybe don't use the eBay label and do it at a Post Office.
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I appreciate the response- What do you think about FedEx? I plugged that into the Ebay system and they include signature and insure - the cost is less than USPS. If I do USPS, I will go to the PO directly.
 
#10
I’ve sold a few bags since Ebay instituted this new policy. I print my postage and label through eBay and require signature confirmation. I wouldn’t worry much about insurance. I’ve sold bags from $2k to $5k and have not had a problem. I actually like that an authenticator handles the item first so that there’s less chance of having a dishonest buyer.
 
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#11
BeenBurned said:
You MUST have online-viewable signature confirmation. When an item is insured and the post offices requires a signature for over a certain amount of coverage, that isn't online viewable s.c. and won't protect you. (That signature is for postal use.) For seller protection, it must be online s.c. for $2.90.
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BB, the problem is with insured Priority Mail over $500. That insurance makes it impossible to add paid-for Signature Confirmation in USPS's metering system. I think we've discussed this before but I never heard of how this can be accomplished.

Have you or anyone else shipped a Priority Mail insured high-value item and still been able to add SC? Tell me how.

Also, there's no text stating "viewable online," is there? Is this folklore or fact? USPS can provide visible evidence of Sig Conf if necessary.
 
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#12
BeenBurned said:
You MUST have online-viewable signature confirmation. When an item is insured and the post offices requires a signature for over a certain amount of coverage, that isn't online viewable s.c. and won't protect you. (That signature is for postal use.) For seller protection, it must be online s.c. for $2.90.
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I've never used FedEx - does that company provide what you are saying BB - if you know?
 
#13
jellyv said:
BB, the problem is with insured Priority Mail over $500. That insurance makes it impossible to add paid-for Signature Confirmation in USPS's metering system. I think we've discussed this before but I never heard of how this can be accomplished.

Have you or anyone else shipped a Priority Mail insured high-value item and still been able to add SC? Tell me how.

Also, there's no text stating "viewable online," is there? Is this folklore or fact? USPS can provide visible evidence of Sig Conf if necessary.
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-wish they made this easier!!!
 
#14
earthygirl said:
I’ve sold a few bags since Ebay instituted this new policy. I print my postage and label through eBay and require signature confirmation. I wouldn’t worry much about insurance. I’ve sold bags from $2k to $5k and have not had a problem. I actually like that an authenticator handles the item first so that there’s less chance of having a dishonest buyer.
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Really? - I wondered if anyone did this. I would assume an Authenticator would not want their reputation effected and be honest but what about postal loss? I'd love to avoid insuring and my bag is a fraction of the $ you have shipped out. What has your reasoning been if you don't mind sharing? Just playing the odds?
 
#15
earthygirl said:
I’ve sold a few bags since Ebay instituted this new policy. I print my postage and label through eBay and require signature confirmation. I wouldn’t worry much about insurance. I’ve sold bags from $2k to $5k and have not had a problem. I actually like that an authenticator handles the item first so that there’s less chance of having a dishonest buyer.
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@trippinonsunshine: This. @earthygirl has it right on.

Just do your label through eBay (so then the tracking information is automatically uploaded) and send it off. I think you're making this way more difficult then it needs to be. It will all be fine.

DO NOT WORRY about from the authenticator to the buyer, that's not your responsibility.
 
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