No.....the way I read it you will not be able to do that.
"I agree with Clinic"...chip 7/26/09

Dear Mr Jodoin,

re: " You could also start your item at a slightly higher price to cover the cost of insurance." - this is not a logical or good business decision: as previously stated: "if something is going to sell for $10 it is going to sell for $10." Increasing the initial listing price equals less money in a seller's pocket (as the insurance cost cannot be recouped this way); also, increasing the cost may put the listing into another (higher) increment in listings costs. Either way (and both ways), it is less money for the seller (but more money for eBay).

And what about combined wins - if this being eliminated? - how does the insurance cost factor into this?

Hi whatthedoormousesaid,
> re: " You could also start your item at a slightly higher price to cover the cost of insurance." - this is not a logical or good business decision: as previously stated: "if something is going to sell for $10 it is going to sell for $10." Increasing the initial listing price equals less money in a seller's pocket (as the insurance cost cannot be recouped this way); also, increasing the cost may put the listing into another (higher) increment in listings costs. Either way (and both ways), it is less money for the seller (but more money for eBay).

Adding the cost of insurance to your item price is completely optional. Sellers are responsible for getting items to the buyer. If you choose to insure your item you have the option of (but are not obligated to) folding your cost into the item price, or your shipping handling cost.

> And what about combined wins - if this being eliminated? - how does the insurance cost factor into this?

Optional buyer charges for shipping insurance will no longer be allowed for individual or combined items.

Jarrod J
Product Management

jarrod.j@ebay.com eBay Product Management

How can I fold the price of insurance in if I don't know what the item will end at? A very rare item will likely sell for a good deal more than it's appraised value, especially if two or more bidders want it. This leaves a consignment seller like myself hoping that items don't sell for too much, since insurance costs can quickly eat up a commission. And if I overcharge for insurance, hoping an item sells for 2000.00 and it only goes for 200.00, I take a huge ding to my DSRs. Makes me want to only sell sham wow for a fixed price on ebay. It's the only sure way not to loose money or get booted for overcharging.

Bumping this hoping a pink will answer my question.

Do I have to revise all my listings or will the insurance options all be taken out by eBay?

As an Antique dealer selling auction style only.

A. Does ebay know the meaning of Auction?

B. There is NO WAY possible for me to estimate the value on an item when it is listed as an auction to "fold" this cost into the starting bid, nor can I add it into the handling. If I knew the ABSOLUTE value, I would not be listing it as an auction!

Antique items can have numerous different values at different times, supply & demand, condition etc...

Anything I list under $50.00 starting bid can be insured for $1.75. That's where it stops! After that $50.00 value, I have no idea what I will need to charge for insurance. The item I may think has a value of $50.00 could end up bringing hundreds! It's antique & collectible. It's not a pair of shoes or a CD!

The bidding is just that, auctions have bidders and it is up to them to determine what they feel the item is worth to them! That is what auctions do, determine value according to the item itself & interest by others, hopefully 2 people bidding on it!

I don't guess, assume, estimate on costs. I run an honest, actual auction & antique business, hiding nothing from my bidders!

If ebay is just a venue, why is it of their concern whether or not I as a small business offer the OPTION of insuring their item or not? ebay you are making money off this insurance fee so what is the difference if I "fold" it in, include as a handling in the beginning or just plain offer it as an option in the end or as a requirement on expensive fragile items to protect all involved?

Oh, I see now, light bulb moment, if it is an option, and the buyer chooses not to insure or a seller doesn't include it (on lower valued items or high value for that matter), you don't make that extra %.

If it is folded in, included in handling, you are guaranteed to make that % off the insurance.

You are preying off of the fear of sellers losing the item and the value connected to it. So instead of the buyer having this as an option, create extra work for the seller, hope they say to heck with it and just buy the insurance out of their pocket anyway?!

You are switching the fear from the buyers loss to the sellers loss, giving the buyer only less thing to worry about by giving it to the seller and let them worry about it. Either way, ebay still makes their % off the insurance!!!


What a bunch of ....

Obviously fragile expensive items, small or big, would require insurance. I am not willing to take the loss for a 3rd parties handling of the item and I doubt my buyer does either, that is why they CHOOSE to insure, they realize it is another handling the item when it's out of my hands, they realize I have no control over that and most buyers are honest when it comes to this fact. If it gets lost or damaged, the buyer gets their money back, and I am suppose to be out hundreds of dollars because it wasn't insured? That refund the buyer gets is what they pay for, that is why it is called insurance! They pay for insurance on an item they now own!

I am talking 3rd party mishandling.

I suppose ebay wants me to foot the bill and buy the insurance for someone else's item that I no longer own? It is in the buyer best interest not mine at that point.

I know how I pack, I can't know how the PO is going to handle it and that is the reason for my good packing, but still,,,accidents happen.

I guess it all depends what angle we are all looking at it.

That angle is what ebay hopes to create, a massive contradiction between seller & buyer, where ebay couldn't really care less, as long as the profit hits their pocket.

This contradiction then is displayed in the sellers DSR which ebay hopes to keep low so they don't have to shell out any more refunds than to those necessary. The no brainer kind of sellers. Mass produced, constant weight, one shipping cost etc. kind of seller.

I am not that kind of seller. I am a specialty business, large variety of sizes and weights most with values that mean something, not disposable junk. Stuff that collectors search for, want to keep. Antiques and collectibles.

I am the kind of seller ebay is wanting to get rid of.
For 11 years I sat here selling doing NOTHING wrong but support my family and your business!

Do you not care about people who find this interest of collecting and preservation important enough to allow the sellers and businesses the rights to accommodate buyers honestly, to cover every detail necessary to have a safe and honest transaction for all involved?

I guess I want to know how does one run an honest business according to actual costs when I must now estimate a value on auction style listings on items that have values determined by the bidder at the END of the AUCTION?

I can not fold in these costs before the auction begins!

We both would be losing money if I were to guess at a value and sell as buy it now on a majority of our items.

Just as you say......

The insurance option creates the perception that buyers need to purchase shipping insurance as a protection on eBay.

WRONG...what buyer thinks that?
Buyers get all the protection on ebay!
What buyer is complaining about loss of protection on ebay?

The insurance is protection against damage from 3rd party handling and to help the seller get back losses from that 3rd party service if they lose or break the item, since ebay automatically gives the buyer back everything. How stupid do you think buyers are?

How stupid do you think sellers are?

Do you think I just want to take the loss?

No I don't and I don't want to pay for insurance on someone else's item because you now transfer the fear off the buyers shoulders to the sellers.

It's their purchase, the buyer pays for all shipping, handling and insurance included.

I want to know how you expect me to come up with an honest insured value to charge the actual cost of insurance according to 3rd party service at the beginning of an ANTIQUE auction!! Magic word AUCTION.

Look up the meaning!

HELLO PINETREEPLACE;
I HAVE BEEN READING ALL THE COMMENTS MADE HERE ON THE NEW INSURANCE FEASCHO. I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CASE YOU STATE. I TOO SELL ANTIQUE OR ONE OF A KIND ITEMS AND HAVE NO WAY OF INCLUDING THE INS. IN THE LISTING THAT RAISES THE LISTING FEE AND PAYPAL FEE. JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHERS OUT THERE THAT FEEL THE SAME WAY AND POST THEIR VIEWS...BUY THE WAY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MANDATORY INSURANCE OVER $250.00 GOD HELP US??

chelseas_pretty_thin: I feel pretty much the same way. I've been selling here since 2001, have perfect feedback and my stars are 5 across the board. Yet, eBay doesn't want my kind. While having to start over may prove to be a daunting task, I'm having a hard time coming up with a work around to all these rules. I don't qualify for the Top Seller thing (although my DSRs are 5s) because someone chose to ding me a long time ago for, and you guessed it, my shipping charges. It took a long time to get them back to 5. This insurance thing is just another kick in the backside. I don't know how many more kicks my business can take. As it is, my profit margin is shrinking rapidly. I cannot add extra eBay fees to cover the insurance.

Cheryl

Cheryl