Ebay seller insisting on Sig confirmation, why???

[thecopperagekids]

All i want is the book sent with tracking and left on my porch, the same as every other ebay, Dave and adams card world, MCS, etc..... purchase that I have made, and I've made 100's of them, for well over the cost of this book, and it's never been a problem.

I live in a private neighborhood with all the houses sitting about 50 yards back from the road, never had a problem with theft from my porch in 20 years.

 

If insurance (which she insists on) requires a sig, then fine, what I'm thinking of doing then is asking her to wait till wednesday to send it(in hopes that it arrives on saturday), or asking her to send it two day delivery on thursday, or overnight it on friday, both options so I can have it arrive on saturday so I can be there to sign for it.(if she sends it two day or overnight I will pay more of course)

 

Again, my fear is that it gets to town on wednesday, and then spends the next few days being shuffled around because there is no one home to sign for it, and it ends up getting lost.

 

Any recommendations for how to handle this differently than what I have outlined?

Thanks for all the responses

 

99% of the time (arbitrary figure) , if the seller knows how to ship properly, like the sellers you noted elsewhere in this thread)...you won't need signature confirmation.

 

But there is a chance that you could be screwed by an inept mailman, as Bird said or the package stolen off your doorstep.....

 

OR whatever happened to another boardie....I think it may have been Valiant...in that epic 30+ page thread where the package was noted as "delivery confirmed" but the boardie never got the book, which was worth a decent wad of dough.

[Bomber-Bob]

I've had a package delivered to my mailbox with the contents emptied out.

Twice I've had a package left on the porch on a windy, rainy day and it was completely soaked by the time I brought it in.

I've had a USPS Priority box completely smashed with muddy footprints on the box left on my porch.

In all these situations, if I had to sign I would have the opportunity to not accept. I'm sorry but I'm siding with the seller here.

 

[N/A]

I've had a package delivered to my mailbox with the contents emptied out.

Twice I've had a package left on the porch on a windy, rainy day and it was completely soaked by the time I brought it in.

I've had a USPS Priority box completely smashed with muddy footprints on the box left on my porch.

In all these situations, if I had to sign I would have the opportunity to not accept. I'm sorry but I'm siding with the seller here.

 

Get a mailbox?

 

Sounds like something you would already request as a buyer.

[Meeklo]

All i want is the book sent with tracking and left on my porch, the same as every other ebay, Dave and adams card world, MCS, etc..... purchase that I have made, and I've made 100's of them, for well over the cost of this book, and it's never been a problem.

I live in a private neighborhood with all the houses sitting about 50 yards back from the road, never had a problem with theft from my porch in 20 years.

 

If insurance (which she insists on) requires a sig, then fine, what I'm thinking of doing then is asking her to wait till wednesday to send it(in hopes that it arrives on saturday), or asking her to send it two day delivery on thursday, or overnight it on friday, both options so I can have it arrive on saturday so I can be there to sign for it.(if she sends it two day or overnight I will pay more of course)

 

Again, my fear is that it gets to town on wednesday, and then spends the next few days being shuffled around because there is no one home to sign for it, and it ends up getting lost.

 

Any recommendations for how to handle this differently than what I have outlined?

Thanks for all the responses

 

99% of the time (arbitrary figure) , if the seller knows how to ship properly, like the sellers you noted elsewhere in this thread)...you won't need signature confirmation.

 

But there is a chance that you could be screwed by an inept mailman, as Bird said or the package stolen off your doorstep.....

 

OR whatever happened to another boardie....I think it may have been Valiant...in that epic 30+ page thread where the package was noted as "delivery confirmed" but the boardie never got the book, which was worth a decent wad of dough.

 

[makeminemego]

Every eBay scammer that I've dealt with is always fired up over my inclusion of Sig Confirmation.

 

Like it or lump it, it serves as an additional layer of protection for both parties.

 

Unless it's something with little to no value, I don't ship without a signature.

 

[Jacey]

this is why i always have books and packages sent to my office. easiest way to handle if possible

[Buzzetta]

this is why i always have books and packages sent to my office. easiest way to handle if possible

 

I trust things alone against a doorstep more than I do at work. Someone at work has their stuff delivered there all the time. Stuff goes missing all the time. My friend had his NYCC badge delivered at work. That also disappeared.

 

I have no problem not being home and waiting until Saturday to pick up my loot.

[Moondog]

I post this at the bottom of every listing I put on eBay:

 

Please note that the shipping is $14.95 because I ship exclusively via Fed Ex / signature required. I make no money on shipping. I refuse to use USPS because they are incompetent thieves and imbeciles, and I can't count how many of my packages the post office has lost or stolen over the years. Fed Ex proof of delivery signature is $4.25. There are so many scam artists on eBay now that I must have proof that the package was delivered. Sorry for the rant.

 

I get complaints from people that it's "inconvenient" like the OP - too bad. I'm done with getting ripped off.

[AKA Rick]

For those who fear not being home, I might recommend registering alternate mailing addresses as "confirmed" with their Pay Pal account, be it a workplace, a friend or relative. Then you eliminate that "I won't be home to sign for it" issue.

 

The signature confirmation will not deture fraud, a buyer can simply claim that they were sent an empty box by the seller and that parcel may gave had delivery confirmation and or a signature release, but that doesn't prevent a case to be filed and potentially wore

 

Inversely, a seller can just as easily fraud a buyer by actually sending an empty box or wrong merchandise.

 

There is a lot of faith and trust involved on both sides with mail orders, so what it is about is minimizing risks or showing efforts of defense.

 

Thieves usually walk past home with alarm signs, beware of dog signs, cars with a steering wheel lock, etc. so, in the same way, would probably avoid committing fraud on a person who appears to be buttoned up.

 

With that, I do see the benefit of a signature confirmation, and would say that if a seller does not disclose those terms for any surcharges, then the seller should just eat the costs themselves as the cost of doing business and assurance for a large dollar transaction.

[Dr Chaos]

Because delivery confirmation is meaningless and the driver can often sign for that themselves and then just leave your package.

 

 

Says someone that has not had mail stolen from their doorstep.

[Lethal_Collector]

Any item over $200 I send out requiring a signature for insurance purposes. If something happens, my insurance will cover the item if it was sent with signature confirmation. it may be inconvenient for the buyer, but it's there to protect both parties.

+1

[/THREAD]

 

 

Jerome

[Bill1]

I can certainly see why you sellers use it, want it, and even require it. But as a buyer, I want my books left at my front door or in my oversize mailbox. I don't want to wait an extra day or have to make a trip to the post office to pick it up. I would feel different if theft was an issue, but it's not.

[roscoPcoltrane]

I didn't bother reading 5 pages..but I'm certain it was mentioned ...driver's will sign for Sig Verification so it is a bit useless. I actually ask my carrier to sign for me if I'm not home and waiting on a nice book..he does it often.

[Dark Knight]

True story that happened to me about 5 years ago. To make the long story short, I bought about 5 GA books from a guy on eBay. I think the total value of the books is anywhere from $5000-$7000 depending on condition. Anyways, the guy shipped it out via delivery confirmation, no signature. After a few days have gone, I tracked the package and said it was delivered. Came home after work and to my surprise there was no package at all sitting in my porch. I waited a few more days thinking it may be an error and still nada.

 

Filed a report on the USPS and talked to the manager at my local branch practically everyday about my missing package. She said that the person who delivered mail that day was a substitute because the regular postal worker was on vacation.. Thinking he either dropped it off at the wrong house or he stole it..

 

In short, I would always have the seller mail items over $200 with Sig. Conf.

 

[Meeklo]

I didn't bother reading 5 pages..but I'm certain it was mentioned ...driver's will sign for Sig Verification so it is a bit useless. I actually ask my carrier to sign for me if I'm not home and waiting on a nice book..he does it often.

 

I guess it depends on the area...

 

I live next to UT in Austin where there are a bunch of young stupid college students constantly about. If the delivery driver chooses to ignore the sig confirmation and drop the package off (whether it's at the right door or not) there is a high chance of it being snatched off the doorstep. If it is a high dollar book, then the sig confirmation should have prevented it from being left there as I was not at home at that time.

 

In some areas, thievery may not be that rampant so it is more convenient to the buyer to have that package waiting at the doorstep for them.

 

The main thing I learned in my case that I would stress to sellers is try to keep from mentioning anything about comics on the box. Whether it is your business name in the return address area or on the box itself. This could cause too much of a temptation for fraud or theft when everyone knows that comic collecting is at an all time high right now.

[Sqeggs]

The main thing I learned in my case that I would stress to sellers is try to keep from mentioning anything about comics on the box. Whether it is your business name in the return address area or on the box itself. This could cause too much of a temptation for fraud or theft when everyone knows that comic collecting is at an all time high right now.

 

This is good advice. I like that Heritage uses "Ivy Press" on their packages. A potential thief probably figures it could be a bunch of bird watching books.

[the blob]

yes, i had a buyer moan and groan about signature confirmation on a package (a $250 lot of comics) i sent him because it was such a pain to pick up the package.

 

so, next time, at his request, i don't put sig confirmation on three lots he buys from me, totalling $800 or so...

 

 

well, you know what happens next, right?

 

i was slow getting them out and i sent them media, so one of the lots wound up getting to his house like two days after the expected delivery time (the other lots I shipped in the same box were on time because they were bought later) and he complained about non-receipt on the day of expected delivery time for that $250 lot.

 

i point out to ebay, look, here we go, delivery confirmation on everything. sorry it was two days late.

 

so, because i sent all the lots in one box I was over $750. no signature confirmation. so i was out that one lot he had complained about. ebay never bothered following up with him to ask him whether he got the package late. once they saw no signature confirm, despite D.C. and despite me sending them emails from him admitting he got the lot, they determine he did not receive it and I was out $250.

 

it gets a little complicated after that, but ebay and paypal basically said I was SOOL and they didn't care if he actually got the package or not. no sig confirmation, no luck.

[the blob]

As for the seller..this should simply be part of your shipping charge. This should not be a surprise to a buyer. It should be stated. And if multiple purchases get you up over $200 or whatever, you, as a seller, should be happy you're making the bulk sale and an extra $2 for s.s. shouldn't mean diddly!

[the blob]

we have a seller here who moved into what he believed to be a great neighborhood only to have thousands (?) of dollars of packages he had waiting for pick-up get stolen from in front of his front door. Not really different than a delivery. I don't begrudge a seller who wants a little more peace of mind even if it is a PITA, just don't add an extra unlisted charge after the fact to get it.

[N/A]

Every eBay scammer that I've dealt with is always fired up over my inclusion of Sig Confirmation.

 

Like it or lump it, it serves as an additional layer of protection for both parties.

 

Unless it's something with little to no value, I don't ship without a signature.

 

Protection? Nope