shipping with eBay Shipping (Packlink) with insurance. Prohibited item refund denied
Summary: The discussion addresses issues related to using eBay Shipments (Packlink) with insurance, particularly concerning a prohibited item and denied reimbursement. Multiple participants engage in the conversation over a significant period, highlighting the complexities and challenges encountered in the process.
I made a shipment insuring the full value of the goods with BRT through eBay Shipping. The package arrived damaged and I opened a dispute. My refund was denied because the item shipped falls among those denied (vintage). In reality the contents were declared as (art and antiques). Reading the prohibited items, they have practically included everything that is sold on eBay. Honestly, this seems like a stretch to me, and also I don't understand what the insurance is for. Has this happened to anyone else?
Thanks
alisea.2013
·6 months agoI shipped an item with ebay spedizioni-packlink BRT courier. After 20 days, the item did not appear in any tracking, and I opened a ticket on packlink. I was told that if the item had been lost, no one would have refunded me because it was a prohibited item (over 50 years old). I’m talking about a very dangerous and extremely forbidden CORRIERE DEI PICCOLI from the 60s.. a magazine very well packed with no mechanisms or fragile parts. What makes me angry is that they also ask you for the additional coverage (although at your discretion) of insurance when buying the shipping label, and I’ve often paid for it. I wonder whether the thousands of sellers of prewar and postwar books and magazines up to 1975 are aware of the packlink rules, which even provide for the destruction of prohibited shipments with the charges billed to the seller..... from what I read in the link below, I infer this also applies to books and magazines
https://support-ebay.packlink.com/hc/it/articles/208320969-Cosa-succede-se-spedisco-un-articolo-proibito
heavenwelkin
·6 months agoI am a seller who knows Packlink’s limits and problems well and keeps using it because of the low rates.
In times like these, even 1 euro saved on shipping costs can exponentially increase the chances of selling an item.
These days, users are even watching the cents.
Problems and delays in deliveries should theoretically be over since the Christmas period has ended, and yet I am still seeing delivery times with Poste Italiane of over 12 days....
The advice I can give is to increase the shipping and packing times to at least 15 or 20 days and write in the auction that the item is shipped from Italy and that shipping and packing times are 1 or 2 working days (just to reassure buyers).
Kind regards.
mipatrini-musica
·1 year agoI’m not a regular forum visitor
irraziel
·2 years agoHello. The same thing happened to me this week. I shipped a 1999 laptop as broken/for parts and it arrived damaged (one corner destroyed) despite my good packaging (which the customer also pointed out to me).
In my case the amount was low and the computer still works despite the damage and the customer was really understanding and didn’t ask me for any compensation, but I offered to file a claim with the shipper to reimburse him anyway since the shipment was insured.
I had your same bitter surprise: technology 20 years old or more is listed among the prohibited items (like alcohol, firearms, ADR...) so it is excluded from insurance.
In fact, in theory, since it’s a prohibited item, I shouldn’t have shipped it at all.
Next week I’ll have to put a twenty-year-old computer up for sale and so I won’t be able to ship it using eBay’s shipping manager, but I’ll have to find another service that covers these used vintage items (and hoping the eBay sale works out for them as proof of value in case of an insurance claim).
As you say, this whole thing seems a bit forced to me; I also contacted eBay but they say Packlink is another company they rely on... and naturally they have their own rules.
1mikimike
OP2 years agoI'm fine with everything, but then why, besides shipping, am I being asked to pay an additional amount to cover the value of the goods? It really makes no sense!
marioelegio
·2 years agoOf course they also take the money for something that can't be insured.
Even the agency where you take out your car liability insurance accepts payment, even if the car isn't compliant and so the insurance won't cover you in case of an accident.
hi
mario
heavenwelkin
·2 years agoThat said, the sender "SHOULD" read the service terms before paying for an extra service.
I didn't understand whether you took out additional insurance coverage for a VINTAGE item that turns out to be excluded from the service.
If so, try contacting packlink and ask whether they might be willing to refund the additional insurance, but do it BEFORE the package is eventually delivered.
It remains the case, however, that it is the sender's responsibility to find out before purchasing additional insurance that does not cover the shipment.
Kind regards.
deejaynick
·2 years agoBrokers practice rates that a private individual would hardly ever (not to say never...) manage to get by buying the same shipment directly from the carrier.
They in fact “guarantee” the carriers a certain number of shipments per month/year and so the carriers apply discounted rates.
Rates that, once marked up accordingly, are made available to everyone.
It goes without saying that any dispute is preemptively nipped in the bud by a thousand clauses and little clauses contained in the terms of contract that you sign when buying a shipment from them.
And as for insurance, the above applies: the fewer “problems” there are, the better.
In fact, sometimes they even “invent” nonexistent oversize and overweight charges just to apply a discrepancy and get an extra fee paid.
When choosing a broker, it’s better to know in advance what you’re getting into by reading all of THEIR terms of sale and deciding whether to use their services or not.
heavenwelkin
·2 years agoAside from the bitter discovery you made about your damaged item being considered “not insurable,” brokers generally make a ton of fuss before issuing a damage refund.
First, they distinguish between a package that is visibly damaged and one that has no cosmetic defects such as holes, tears, or dents.
Then a signed-for delivery with reserve is always required, and even there couriers often and gladly fool you by saying they note the delivery with reserve when in reality they don’t.
This is because they try to avoid being involved as a party in the case.
Then the buyer’s full cooperation is needed, meaning they must keep the packaging, labels, and cooperate during the back-and-forth phase with the broker, who asks you a million things.
Then the broker checks that the packaging was done according to the guidelines and that suitable materials were used.
If, for example, instead of bubble wrap you use newspaper, it’s likely they’ll reject the claim because you used unsuitable packaging materials.
It could happen that after a week of back-and-forth, once you get to the packaging materials, the claim is rejected.
For example, the packaging Amazon uses when it ships items in those lightweight cardboard mailers would be rejected 100% by every broker out there....😎😎
So let’s just say there’s a long way to go from asking for a damage refund to actually getting one.........
Best regards.
daxsisko
·2 years agolet's say that asking for full insurance for a damaged parcel from an online shipping broker is like believing in fairy tales and let's add, given the recent period we just went through, Santa Claus and the Befana......
anyway, you have to try asking for it..... you never know.....
heavenwelkin
·2 years agoI'm not surprised that the brokers have decided to cover themselves by putting some limits in place......
A very common example among many:
eBay seller of vintage items states that all items are perfectly tested and working.
In reality, no item is working or is untested.
Buyer complains to the seller that the item received is not working.
The seller states that it was damaged during transport.
The seller, together with the help/cooperation of the buyer, decides to open a damage claim.
Basically, when a seller decides to sell an item remotely, they must always take into account that, in the event of problems, there is a risk of losing the item and/or the money.
Kind regards.
mipatrini-musica
·1 year agoThey’re not restrictions, even with new and sealed items like CDs and MUSICASSETTE, they deny the refund for technology over 20 years old, an INTERPRETIVE loophole: it’s not USED, it’s not VINTAGE, it’s not ANTIQUES,
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoWhat I could say about the issue I’ve already written, so I thought I’d ask ChatGPT directly.
ANSWER from ChatGPT
The reason why some shipping services do not offer insurance coverage for items older than 20 years, such as vintage items, is mainly related to these factors:
Difficulty in Assessing Value: Vintage items can have a very variable value, influenced by rarity, market demand, the condition of the item, and other subjective factors. Determining a precise value accepted by both parties (insured and insurer) can be complicated.
Difficulty in Replacement or Repair: Vintage items are often unique or difficult to replace. In the event of loss or damage, it is not easy to find an equivalent on the market. Insurers prefer to avoid covering goods for which there is no clear mechanism for replacement or repair.
Increased Risk: Older items can be more fragile or deteriorate more easily during transport. The risk of damage is therefore higher, and insurance companies may choose not to cover such items in order to avoid losses.
Specific Exclusions in Insurance Contracts: Some insurance policies specifically exclude certain types of goods, including those of collectible or historical value. Vintage items may fall into these categories and therefore be excluded from standard coverage.
Potential for Fraud: There is concern on the part of insurers regarding the risk of fraud with vintage items, where the value could be inflated or the item itself might not be authentic.
For these reasons, it is common for shipping companies and insurers to offer only limited coverage or even no coverage at all for vintage items. If you need to ship an item of this kind, it may be necessary to look for specialized insurance or consider safer shipping methods.
Best regards.
mipatrini-musica
·1 year agoI agree with the theory but not with its application in my case, the date printed on CDs on the disc always remains that of the first release (I have SOME CASES of CDs with the release date printed on the back cover of the vinyl preceding the CD’s release on the market!) and even for those pressed 7/8 years ago it always remains the old one IF THEY DON’T DO SUBSEQUENT REMASTERING, so in reality they are not over 20 years old.
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoAs testimony from other users who shared their experience here on the forum, it would seem that the historical context of the item is taken into account, and not the purchase receipt or date of manufacture.
For example, there had been a case of a user selling cartridges for commodore 64, those custom multi-game ones made recently, which were equated to vintage objects as the commodore 64 is an object from the 80s~90s.
Anyway, I am not packlink, so you need to ask them directly by sending a support ticket and maybe let us know what they reply regarding your request.
I don't think the support team has expert appraisers who have time to dedicate and can assess the multitude of objects that are before / prior to / around the 20-year mark.
In my opinion it would be better to avoid the service if you need to ship this kind of items and turn to another broker that does not have this type of limitation on insurance.
I understand that packlink offers free insurance up to 35 euro or 75 euro (depending on the carrier), I also understand that the shipping rates are among the most convenient but in this case choices have to be made.
Kind regards.
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoAnyway, I had replied to you in August 2024, just 6 months ago 🙂
marioelegio
·2 years agoThe shipping manager on ebay is Packlink, but it's just a convention and there's no obligation to use it.
The broker states that his services are suitable only for certain types of goods and, if someone then wants to ship others not предусмотрed, he does so at his own exclusive risk.
hi
mario