Sending watch from US to England

[Sam]

Sold a watch on ebay to a guy who just joined today. Glad but also a bit scary, perhaps. Lives in the UK. My auction said US delivery but did not say I would not ship to any other country. What is best way to protect myself? Registered? I guess they have to sign for it and it would carry insurance.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Sold a watch on ebay to a guy who just joined today. Glad but also a bit scary, perhaps. Lives in the UK. My auction said US delivery but did not say I would not ship to any other country. What is best way to protect myself? Registered? I guess they have to sign for it and it would carry insurance.

You can send it with First Class for some $10-12, or priority for some $26. In both cases you will not get delivery confirmations since USPS does not track out side the country. I always get a "confirmation of mailing", for $1.15 so you have proof you mailed it, that's pretty much it you can do without having too much cost. USPS has a postage calculator, but is is temporarily unavailable right now. Insured or registered is, I think, possible, but very costly. Just make sure you are paid first before you ship.....

 

[Sam]

Rudy. thanks. Given the price of the watch, I told the buyer he would need to pay for the express guaranteed, which has up to $2400 insurance and costs $64, but I would pay $20. Or he can choose a lower option but that it carries no insurance and I would send registered. that make it like $30.

With ebay, he has no transactions. He could dispute it on paypal or a credit card. I am fine I think by Paypal, but the credit card funding of it worries me. So, any tips?

 

[Thebigspendur]

You had better check on the insurance. I know of no way to ship a watch insured (unless its pretty inexpensive). USPS has some real limits on insuring things depending on the country its going to. Most services like EMS, UPS, Fedex specifically will not insure watches. They will take your money and say sure but when its lost you then find out your out of luck. You would need secondary insurance like parcel pro.

 

[Sam]

Buyer backed out so I said no international sales and a buyer must have at least 10 transactions with 95% or better rating. The buyer left ebay.

Relisted it here, so not to spur sales, but if there is a way to word it better, or something I need to plan for, then please let me know

 

[Thebigspendur]

Buyer backed out so I said no international sales and a buyer must have at least 10 transactions with 95% or better rating. The buyer left ebay.

Relisted it here, so not to spur sales, but if there is a way to word it better, or something I need to plan for, then please let me know

The only thing I would plan for is if you sell the watch in the U.S the insurance issues are still there. Unless they are willing to assume all risks or you use secondary insurance use USPS Registered mail, then its fully insured.

 

[moodymick]

No offence, but that prospective buyer did you a favour by backing out. As someone 1000+ on ebay (and that's just personal - not as a business), there is no way i would have sold a watch like that to a newbie, especially one abroad.

I bet he did not even realize either, that mr taxman would absolutely hammer him too!

 

[Gruder]

Sorry, Sam. Live ebay links aren't allowed here. Your listing looked quite complete to me, though. I'd say you should be in good shape from here on out. Good luck with the sale!

 

[LeverTime]

I would add that you should insure it no matter what they say about assuming liability for loss. Insurance is really for YOU. Right or wrong, if it disappears, it is easy for them to get refunded through PayPal or through a credit card charge back, no matter what you had agreed to before.

 

[Stubblefield]

Buyer did you a favor. Above a certain price and he would have face import duties, as well as the cost of additional postage.