depends on what i got/price/etc as to whether i ensure it.
also depends on if the seller is shady and charges more for insurnace than the post office actually charges. that just upsets me something fierce. when sellers try getting you to get insurance but yet they overcharge you for it so it ends up increasing the amount that they get after shipping/ins.
Thoughts about shipping.
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darksuzaku
- Kishin - Fierce God
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Tougth question the one about insurance.
For someone living in the US it would be easy to say "yes" as you have "only" to pay the fee. But for someone living in Europe insuring a package will most probably mean to have the package stopped at the customs and having to pay a quite expensive import tax.
For example, in Spain where i live the minimum import tax is 16% and to that you have to add a variable amount that depends on what you are purchasing.
Unexpensive packages never get stopped at the customs because it would collapse their offices, but if you place an insurance to the item of lets say $1000 you will also be forced to place a declared customs value of that amount. A package of that value will be stopped for sure at the customs. In Spain the extra fee for cels is around 4%.... so added to the initial 16%, the fees would be around $200
For someone living in the US it would be easy to say "yes" as you have "only" to pay the fee. But for someone living in Europe insuring a package will most probably mean to have the package stopped at the customs and having to pay a quite expensive import tax.
For example, in Spain where i live the minimum import tax is 16% and to that you have to add a variable amount that depends on what you are purchasing.
Unexpensive packages never get stopped at the customs because it would collapse their offices, but if you place an insurance to the item of lets say $1000 you will also be forced to place a declared customs value of that amount. A package of that value will be stopped for sure at the customs. In Spain the extra fee for cels is around 4%.... so added to the initial 16%, the fees would be around $200
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Krafty
- Custodian of Records
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If sending something, it's up to the buyer- I don't care either way; although it's easier for me if I don't have to sort out the insurance/compensation because I don't carry much cash with me at any time, heh.
I'f I get stuff sent to me from abroard, I'd prefer it NOT to be insured for the full value.
As DarkSuzaku mentions above, if we impot something from overseas the associated fees can be huge.
A $1000 cel/group of cels which is insured as such, will leave me liable for Import fees, Duty and Tax which come to 21% of the item's declared value in the UK, PLUS a $15-20 fee levied by Royal Mail jsut for 'presenting' the package to Customs and paying the fee on my behalf.
That's why I'm happy for my cels to be sent via regular Airmail.
If the item is damaged in transit, it's gutting, but I know I have saved thousands of dollars by not paying all the fees.
I can say for certian that for items sent via Special Delivery/EMS/Priority, more care is taken on behalf of the carrier and postal worker.
In the UK anyway, such packages are not tossed in a bag with all the regular mail but handled separately and accounted for along its journey from the sender to the recipient.
I've noticed that the Americans love their 'Fragile' stickers and they can be ignored because there are so many of them on all types of parcels.
In England, we don't see/use many of those stickers so if a postie sees one, they take note.
I'd like to think the delivery services take good care of all letters and packages anyway, it's not just reserved for the Priorities.
I'f I get stuff sent to me from abroard, I'd prefer it NOT to be insured for the full value.
As DarkSuzaku mentions above, if we impot something from overseas the associated fees can be huge.
A $1000 cel/group of cels which is insured as such, will leave me liable for Import fees, Duty and Tax which come to 21% of the item's declared value in the UK, PLUS a $15-20 fee levied by Royal Mail jsut for 'presenting' the package to Customs and paying the fee on my behalf.
That's why I'm happy for my cels to be sent via regular Airmail.
If the item is damaged in transit, it's gutting, but I know I have saved thousands of dollars by not paying all the fees.
I can say for certian that for items sent via Special Delivery/EMS/Priority, more care is taken on behalf of the carrier and postal worker.
In the UK anyway, such packages are not tossed in a bag with all the regular mail but handled separately and accounted for along its journey from the sender to the recipient.
I've noticed that the Americans love their 'Fragile' stickers and they can be ignored because there are so many of them on all types of parcels.
In England, we don't see/use many of those stickers so if a postie sees one, they take note.
I'd like to think the delivery services take good care of all letters and packages anyway, it's not just reserved for the Priorities.
Wow! I didn't know so many fees could be added to packages coming into Europe!
I have heard too many stories, especially with eBay purchases, where people didn't receive their items and since they weren't insured, the seller said there was nothing they could do. I also have heard about sellers having problems with buyers refusing insurance and then writing to complain that they never received their package and threatening bad feedback and complaints to eBay or Paypal. Even with people I trust, I always ask for at least tracking but usually insurance too. I figure it will let both buyer and seller know where the package is and that it was sent/received. It also takes the weight off the seller that the buyer is going to blame them for something the post office does. I know that most cel sellers on eBay require insurance for this reason. I buy insurance on packages from private sellers to give them the same peace of mind.
I have heard too many stories, especially with eBay purchases, where people didn't receive their items and since they weren't insured, the seller said there was nothing they could do. I also have heard about sellers having problems with buyers refusing insurance and then writing to complain that they never received their package and threatening bad feedback and complaints to eBay or Paypal. Even with people I trust, I always ask for at least tracking but usually insurance too. I figure it will let both buyer and seller know where the package is and that it was sent/received. It also takes the weight off the seller that the buyer is going to blame them for something the post office does. I know that most cel sellers on eBay require insurance for this reason. I buy insurance on packages from private sellers to give them the same peace of mind.
