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Not sure who said it, but I do not agree that the post office (or Fedex or Ups) is my agent. I have zero control over what happens when an item leaves my hands thus insurance is there for anyone who wants to ensure it arrives from the time that package leaves my hands. My job is to pack it well so that it wont accidentally break open or be damaged in shipping. If I do that, my responsibility ends at that time. If I do not, I am liable. "Businesses" have policies to make sure deliveries happen and they can do that because they pay for insurance for those types of things or they build it into their profit structure or shipping structure over thousands or millions of sales. I, as a casual seller, am not a business under any definition of the word and I can not and will not guarantee shipping if insurance is not purchased. The buyer buys insurance as a guarantee the item arrives to them after the shipper takes over the process. If a buyer chooses purposely not to purchase the insurance when offered, they should have zero expectation the seller is going to replace or refund in case of loss or damage not the seller's fault.
Among friends in a group like this, more transactions are done with a wink and a nod where seller's will take the responsibility. Due to the recent problems I have been experiencing with the post office, I, for one, will severely restrict my future trade transactions. I just can't take the hit as a low baller in this hobby of replacing stuff or refunding money if the post office screws up.
This is all my opinion and I respect anyone's counter opinions. As an occasional seller, I have rights as well. If I make all the details of an auction clear and up front, I feel covered in case of catastrophe. The buyer has few arguments if they ask no questions and choose not to purchase insurance. I am in fact telling them up front that I will NOT be responsible for loss or damage. The buyer will buy or not buy knowing this fact. Caveat emptor.
Steve
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