Get the insurance. Require it. Its cheap and its there to protect the seller. Im not saying to eat the cost, but make it clear to the buyer that its not an option. It is the sellers responsibility to get the item to the buyer undamaged. A buyer will easily win a credit card or paypal dispute for any item that gets smashed or lost while in transit. If the item is uninsured, the seller is the one thats going to be left holding the bag.

How long does someone have to chargeback on paypal?

Couldn't someone buy an expensive item, get it shipped to their house, it's dropped off at their house, but they claim to have never gotten it and chargeback on paypal.

Then what???

I took a glassblowing class last year; got sick of 'MrCopaFeel' owner/teacher helping only the 20 yr old dumb blonde (eh, in a way can't blame him...) - and virtually no assistance for the basics when I required it.

I disputed the CC charge, only wanting a refund for classes I did not take.

CC company called him, got his side of the story (and his side of how the $$$ should be parsed out on a per class cost basis)

Point here is:
Don't the credit card companies routinely contact both parties per the above example - instead of automatically issuing a chargeback?

Expeiences with this -
Wayne?

I buy EVERYTHING online. If I pay for an item and select from shipping options given by the seller, I don't feel I have any responsibility for delivery. Having said that I've only had one inexpensive item lost. The seller sent a new one at no charge.

How do these tidbits from the theoretical buyer play into this?

Him:
Please email the invoice and on the shipping declaration put the value at $800, it helps re duty
-----

Me, writing to him:
I went to the Post Office yesterday, and in response to your exact situation, they told me this:
"Customs is King, sometimes it takes a very long time to go through customs. Did he get insurance?"
--------
Me:
What has apparently jsut changed the Post Office's offering of delivery methods - they don't offer the slow method any longer.

His direct response:
What ever is the cheapest will be ok

!