Should I always do recorded delivery for Ebay items?

[hazchem]

I'm so very very new at Ebay. I've only ever brought one thing.
However I've decided that I would like to sell some of my things via Ebay. I have sold somethings on other online sites but on those ones you include the postage in the price.

So I've listed 2 books today. Low value just to get me started really.
I checked the postage rate and if I send them second class recorded it is £3.38 but ebay will only let me have a maximum of £3.25

I figure it's safer to do recorded because then I know the item has got to the person but then each item I pay a bit of the postage.

Or should I just do normal Second class?
What do you do?

Sorry I'm so dense

I don't bother for anything under around £15, but I do always get a (free) certificate of posting, and make sure the buyer knows it is available if needed.

It is safer, but unless the item is worth, say over £10 I usually risk it and send normal.

I do normal for items where the cost of postage is a competing factor, as I refuse to lose money on postage, but if something sells for £10 or more I'd do recorded.
So far, no scammers on 100+ items, but I don't sell stuff that seems to be particularly bad for them - clothes in particular. i think lots of people are miffed when clothes don't fit and try to scam refunds.

I always send 2nd class recorded now

It's only 75p extra.

Are you selling hardbacks OP? That sounds quite high.

Not hardbacks but parenting books they are heavy with guilt each one is over 500grams. I was a bit shocked as the other things Ive sold befre the postage has't been that much.

So in the future I might just list it as normal and then if it goes for over say £10 I'll do it recorded.

at heavy with guilt.

And tears?

i only use recorded for over £25, but I think clothes CD/ |DVD and tech stuff are a much bigger risk than books or collectables.

I think 77p extra is quite a high % on low value item

a used t shirt at £1.50 with £1.50 postage add 77p for recorded and that is a 25% increase in price will put buyers off,

I'm an honest buyer and don't want to pay extra postage when it is for your benfit not mine, if buyer claims it did not arrive you have to refund yes but you can claim off royal mail, just need print off of selling page that said DH and I have sold something like 500 in last 2 years and only had 3 claims, 2 missing 1 turned up 8 weeks later back on our doorstop

ps if selling hardback books hat are really heavy instead of selecting domestic postic postage flat rate choose heavy and bulky items then need courier charges in your listing instead

however books only cost 10p to list whatever the starting price so might be better to increase starting price rather than 99p