Posting valuable items - confused

[SirBradleyWigeons]

I am about to list something on eBay which I hope will go for more than £100. It weighs about 2kg. I have only ever sold low-value things, so am trying to figure out how to send this item tracked so I have proof of delivery.

Looking at Royal Mail, it seems like I have to use Special Delivery Next Day tracked, both because it's heavy and because it's valuable. But that'll cost £9.75! .

Is that right? Am I missing something or some other good way of posting this more cheaply?

Thanks in advance!

Courier probably be cheaper, get some quotes from myhermes,parcelmonkey, collectplus. Check the insurance cover for valuables.

You might be able to courier it for 7-8. MIGHT.

yes free insurance with couriers is about £20 have to pay extra for more, make sure for special delivery it is not over 2kg as price shoots upto £24

if it is breakable it is not covered for damage by anyone make sure in strong box use loads of parcel tape and if breakable you need polystrene peanits rather than shredded /crunched up newspaper

Parcel force might be better value, OP, at least you can get it dispatched at your convenience.

Ah - hadn't thought of couriers - thanks very much for the suggestions! My Hermes looks good (takes parcels of the dimension I want, seems like a good price). Not breakable so hopefully wouldn't need insurance (or is insurance necessary in case the courier loses the package?).

My Hermes track the parcel, and charge an extra £1 for a signature on delivery - but is there any point requiring a signature if the parcel is tracked? And would eBay bidders be annoyed if they had to be in to sign for a delivery?

I think it's false economy if you send it uninsured & don't get a signature.

Don't forget, you are charging the buyer for the postage. Sometimes buyers whine and say they want it sent by cheaper means; if your buyer does this, state that if they insist on unsecured postage you will not be responsible for loss or damage.

trouble is even if you say that solidgoldbrass it means nohing if they raise dispute no saying i'm not responsible for breakages loss or that I will send certificate so you can claim, the seller must refund tand then claim for RM / courier themselves

it is the sellers responsibility always to get goods there in one piece, just do not offer uninsured option if worth £100 it needs to be signed for, they can always add their work address to paypal and get it delivered there, you can have more than 1 paypal address

if just under 2kg and worth £100 go for special delivery at 9.75 or signed for courier once checked they will insure whatever item is

dont offer uninsured service

while i get really annoyed at people you send goods worth £3 signed for I would neve expect goods worth £100 to be sent without signature

Ok, this is all very reassuring. Thank you very much for all the advice. I am mostly an eBay buyer, rather than seller. The damn thing probably won't even sell now!!

I send signed a lot, they're my terms & what I feel comfortable with, always do what is right for YOU.

BTW I've just sold a high value item next day special del, sold with no problem. Good luck!

Only offer an insured service - plus buyers do pay for postage!

I have used CollectPlus and Hermes and you do get a better service with Royal Mail ime - though it is more expensive. Other couriers can be unreliable, lie about whether they have actually elivered, and chuck items around so they arrive battered (I once sold a canteen of cutlery on ebay and wrapped it in its suitcase really well and posted by courier and the suitcase arrived damaged so bear that in mind too. Good luck!!

I recently also sold an item of £70 value and the post office woman said I can send it 'signed for' but the insurance (automatic) only covered £40 ish (?) so would need the more expensive tracked that you were quoted. I opted for the cheaper one and risked it. It was OK.

I think the adequate insurance would only benefit you as you would be the one to claim, not your buyer, so if you risk the lower payment and it fails to arrive you just refund their money with an apology and claim, and hope they are understanding. Its swings and roundabouts really.

A word of warning (i usually just buy too) I couldnt be bothered with the extra postage because a buyer without any feedback bid for my item in the closing seconds then didnt pay up. Endless hassle and so I offered the item to next buyer at reduced price with free postage, because I couldnt face re selling it. Lost £10 because of a prat. You can state 'no feedback - dont bid' and remove them, so be on your toes!

I don't think you can actually block bidders with no feedback unless negative, you can block bidders with 2 or more non payment strikes

every buyer and seller once had zero feedback, does not make them dodgy sold my car to someone with zero feedback they obviously just signed up to buy car, they came on time paid cash signed DVAL forms and left.

Post office only pay out what you paid for goods not what the buyrer paid so if you buy at 30 and sell for 70, you only get 30 from RM as you have to send proof of value otherwise you just get 6 1st class stamps

as a business seller to my mind signed for is uneconomic and claims are a huge amount of work for little recompense the very smal number of items that do go missing would not justify the expense of everything signed for and then low DSR for P&P which affect your selling ability