Topic: Shipping insurance?

[Terry in Australia]

Just a quick one guys, I won a pair of Suzuki GS1000 sidecovers on EBay and just got the invoice, now while I can wear the 27 bucks to send to pieces of plastic across the pond, the seller wants 13 bucks for shipping insurance?

The winning bid was only 37 bucks, so how much does it cost to insure 37 bucks worth of items for transit to Oz? If I was sending it to the US, it'd cost 5 bucks for the first 100, then so much for each 100 after that. Am I getting well and truly bent over by the seller? Cheers, Terry.  

[heffay]

shipping in states is normally 2 or 3 bucks for the first hundred.
to oz i'm not sure but 5 sounds about right for the first hundred.

offer to paypal the parts cost, then ask for an actual shipping receipt which you'll pay upon receiving.  can't hurt, right?

[kghost]

Yeah...

Remember to call the day after...

[heffay]

why are we insuring things if its such a pain in the arse to be reimbursed anyway?

someone tell me a good insurance story...

[mark]

Shipping insurance is a waste, imo. If the item is packed properly, it arrives safely. If it is not packed properly and item arrives damaged, insurance doesn't pay. bah.

[754]

OK, I was walking thru City Park in Sturgis & got hit by a bike. I almost lost my leg & dilocated shoulder etc. Just before we left we bought underinsured motorist insurance (for 12.00). Because I was in an MVA..even thjough the perp got away.. I was covered

So I got enough to make me smile for a bit. I almost bought land..this was 87.. but bought machinery and a few bikes instead.. still got the machinery, but it costs a lot to have a place to use it.. and dont have the bikes.

I should have chose land.. and lived like a bum which I do some of the time anyway... one piece I looked at that I could have paid cASH for.. is now worth 2-3 million.. the other I could have pid cash for is priobably at least 800K.. instead I went to work nearly every day and ended up with dick...

There is a good insurance story...
my tip.. buy land. you can always get bikes later..

[333]

Shipping insurance is a waste, imo. If the item is packed properly, it arrives safely. If it is not packed properly and item arrives damaged, insurance doesn't pay. bah.

That is the key, isn't it?  I've gotten things packed so poorly in the past.  You have no idea how someone will pack stuff.

[754]

check their feedback..poor packing usually gets mentioned..

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

why are we insuring things if its such a pain in the arse to be reimbursed anyway?

someone tell me a good insurance story...

OK - got my 1080 kit through US Postal & insured. Resleeved and bored with NOS pistons and rings. $400+. Wasn't packed for jack. "Caution-Glass" labeled. Of course it got dropped and had a couple broken fins. Knew I'd be shot down due to very shoddy packing. Oh well I'll try. Got the usual US Gov idiot run around. Jump through a million hoops sucker.Took it by the post office (you should see the employees at this location - sorry to any other US Gov employees here). "Call this number". Called & filed paperwork. "Denied-not filed in time". BS, I have all the dated paperwork. "Go back to the post office". "Need estimate for repair or replacement". "You don't want to know how much it would cost to replace this. Much more than it cost me". "The NOS piston kit CAN NOT be replaced and you would keep everything when I'd just need to buy a new cylinder, have it resleeved and bored". "Not acceptable". I find a welder than can rebuild the fins for $100. I submit my $100 bill. Don't hear anything for months. Get notice in the mail. Figured it was a denial. Check for $425 and I still have the kit.

I never insure anything. The seller did. UPS gives you an automatic $99 or something similar so don't buy insurance for anything under $100.     

[Gordon]

Shipping insurance is to protect the seller, not the buyer.  A seller can require the winning bidder to pay for insurance as long as they state it in the auction terms, but if it isn't stated, then you are not obligated to pay for it, and I wouldn't. 

[Terry in Australia]

Well it's an interesting thing how sometimes God smiles on me, I was just gonna pay the man and eat the 13 bucks, (it'd be too easy for him to just not send it, or step on the sidecovers and then just say, "well you should have paid the insurance, buddy") but this afternoon the guy I sold my Suzuki GS750 to, rang me to say he'd been offered a Suzuki GS1000 with a full Yoshimura engine by the pisssed off ex-wife of a friend of a friend for 300 bucks?

It seems the guy left the bike when he took off with her best friend, so she just wants it gone, it's pretty rough, but apart from the stonking engine (he's seen it running) it's also got a good tank and sidecovers!

He rang me because he doesn't want to take on another "project" bike, but thought of me? I said, "yes please!" so he's picking it up this weekend, and I'll collect it from him shortly afterwards. I've sent the seller an email, (see reply) but if he gets snotty with me, I'll just tell him to keep them, and put the 77 bucks towards the Yoshi GS bike. Good ol' God, he truly loves the little children! Here's a link to the listing, and my email reply. Cheers, Terry. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=150223727059

G'Day Mate,

       Thanks for that, the $27.00 for shipping sounds fair, but how come $13.00 for insurance for a $37.00 package? Is that a typo? I thought that was covered in your "shipping and handling charges" as per your EBay listing?

        Let me know the correct total amount and I'll Paypal you right away.

Cheers,

Terry.

[Uncle Ernie]

I wouldn't have bid on those.  Unless they're made of steel, they cost about 9 or 10 USD to ship USPS including insurance.  I add acouple of dollars to account for Paypal fees, but $16 is a rip-off.  I won't support those people.

Having shipped hand made lamps made of aluminium and glass- I pack the beans out of everything I ship with an extra label taped inside.  Foreign customs people can be real **bleep**.

[heffay]

they're in colorado springs!

have RX pick them up and ship w/out 13 dollar insurance 

[754]

736cc might need em...

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Terry,

This guys name is Tim. Rides a 73/74 cafe'd 750. I told him about SOHC4 so he may be looking in or joining. Don't know him but I spoke to him the other day. I was looking at a nice set of CR33's he had on EBay but missed them when my bid wouldn't go through at the 5 second mark. Seemed to be a nice guy over the phone. Do you have anything coming from Hondaman, Sean or elsewhere? I could pick these up for you and get them to whomever including 736cc. My take is that you are correct in that his ad clearly states insurance is included. If he doesn't want to include it you have every right to back out.

ps Why would you want anything that is Yoshi?     Good shag, er snag. Someone has to take care of those divorcees now don't they  

[hahnda]

If the parts are shipped USPS, insurance is included up to a certain $ amount. The exact amount depends on the cost of the shipping. That doesn't really make sense but it usually works out to about $100. This is only true with international shipments. US shipments do not have insurance included. Oh and this does not apply to packages under 4 lbs that can be shipped First Class International. Can't get insurance on those as far as I know.

So was he shipping them USPS or UPS or other? Personally I have always had the best rates for shipping internationally with the USPS.

Kevin

[heffay]

So was he shipping them USPS or UPS or other? Personally I have always had the best rates for shipping internationally with the USPS.

Kevin

the best?!  try, usps blows all other pricing out of the water!  except my mail men and women (yes, i basically have one for every day of the week!) suck balls!

[Terry in Australia]

Terry,

This guys name is Tim. Rides a 73/74 cafe'd 750. I told him about SOHC4 so he may be looking in or joining. Don't know him but I spoke to him the other day. I was looking at a nice set of CR33's he had on EBay but missed them when my bid wouldn't go through at the 5 second mark. Seemed to be a nice guy over the phone. Do you have anything coming from Hondaman, Sean or elsewhere? I could pick these up for you and get them to whomever including 736cc. My take is that you are correct in that his ad clearly states insurance is included. If he doesn't want to include it you have every right to back out.

ps Why would you want anything that is Yoshi?     Good shag, er snag. Someone has to take care of those divorcees now don't they  

G'Day Jerry, what's wrong with Yoshimura stuff? I had a full Yoshimura top end on another GS1000 a few years back, and that thing would keep up with GSXR1100's, ha ha! (well, in a straight line anyway, it was a bit scary trying to keep up in tight bends with 1970's brakes......................)

But if you're offering, I'd be more than happy if you'd pick them up and just mail 'em out?

I spoke to Paddy (the guy I sold the GS750 to) again last night, and the GS1000 with the Yoshi engine sounds too good to use for parts, it seems that the owner bought the bike new for his wife, (Paddy has the original owners manual etc that the lady gave him when he went to check the bike out) hung a sidecar off it (I think the sidecar might still be available too) and it was used by both of them as a daily rider for years, then when he left her with their handicapped son (severe ADD) he made her sell the house, so she moved into a smaller place with no garage, and the bike has been sitting under a tarp for 5 years.

Apparently the original paint is still good, but he fell off it at one stage and she thinks the forks might be bent, and the headlight is cracked, there's a busted blinker and the seat has split from the heat too. No biggie at all, I've got all those bits (and more) including a NOS seat in a box, so it shouldn't take much to put it back on the road.

Being that I'll keep this bike, I still need the sidecovers on EBay for another GS1000 that I've got, that I'll tidy up and sell after I sell the F2. Yeah, I am still trying to "thin the herd", but a "one owner" GS1000 with a Yoshi engine and maybe a sidecar too, is too good to pass up for 300 bucks, ha ha! Let me know if you're happy to pick 'em up mate, and I'll "Paypal" you the dough? Thanks! Cheers, Terry.

[Aaron J Williams]

I just shipped a side cover to Brisbane and it cost $29.50 for international priority mail which included $100 worth of insurance and would have included a tracking number if my local postal workers weren't brain dead.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Terry,

I'd be glad to help. I'm not exactly sure how much it would cost. If he won't agree to go by his EBay ad then let me know what size box and what weight you think and I'll hit the USPS site. I can give better insurance rates   . Hell, send me a 1 way ticket and I'll deliver. Have that APE crank bike ready. I love hot weather. Tell the wife I might stay a while  . She have any half way decent looking friends? Aboriginal maybe? I'm in for exotic! I have to go to the post office anyway. Do you want to add the weight of a 1.75L Maker's in the total? If we could just disguise the sloshing sound! Let Tim know I can pick them up and I'll call him. I have his phone number. Do you need anything shipped?

JUPS (Jerry'sUnitedPostalService)  

[heffay]

RX... didn't mean to put you on the spot. 

now that you mention what he stated in his ad... i would not agree to the purchase unless he did what he stated he was going to.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I withhold judgement until I actually see what the USPS will charge. I'd bet it's more and thats why he wants shipping insurance.

Not on the spot Heffay. No problem helping a bro out (just like buying you beer to get a lesson on spoking from a master MMI mechanic  ) Are we grillin' while we're drinkin'? Just as long as the spokes come first. Bet you're a better spoker but I'm a better drinker. 

[heffay]

you gotta know by now the drinkin' starts mighty early 

i need to steel wool some spokes of my own!   

[Terry in Australia]

Terry,

I'd be glad to help. I'm not exactly sure how much it would cost. If he won't agree to go by his EBay ad then let me know what size box and what weight you think and I'll hit the USPS site. I can give better insurance rates  . Hell, send me a 1 way ticket and I'll deliver. Have that APE crank bike ready. I love hot weather. Tell the wife I might stay a while  . She have any half way decent looking friends? Aboriginal maybe? I'm in for exotic! I have to go to the post office anyway. Do you want to add the weight of a 1.75L Maker's in the total? If we could just disguise the sloshing sound! Let Tim know I can pick them up and I'll call him. I have his phone number. Do you need anything shipped?

JUPS (Jerry'sUnitedPostalService)   

Thanks Jerry, I'll email him and tell him you'll pick 'em up, and I'll paypal him just the 37 bucks for the sidecovers.

I'd have to unbolt the ones on my GS1000S to weigh them though, so it's probably easier for you to just send 'em and tell me what I owe you, and I'll paypal you for that?

They're probably no heavier than CB750 sidecovers, so I imagine that they won't cost a whole lot. Thanks again mate, don't worry about the MM, my folks brought me back 2 litres of the stuff, so I'm swimming in it right now, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

No problem. Let me know. I can get to him today or tomorrow then Sunday. Gotta work a few days. Just tell him I'm the guy in town that called about the CR33's. Get your list together for anything else. Any orders from Hondaman? If you're not in a hurry I can sit on it for a bit and wait for the box to fill up. You can just send me that APE crank from Jay as payment for services rendered