Insured posting a watch over £4,000 to Stoll & Co Authentication team

[tunokies]

Who do you guys who sell watches over £4,000 use as couriers with insurance for sending to the UK watch authentication team?  

I can't find any courier in the UK that will insure a watch over that value.  Also, Secursus (specialist watch insurers) have informed me by email that they only insure watches that are sent directly to the buyer (not via a 3rd party).   In fact, this is what they said -

"Unfortunately, we only cover items sold and shipped directly to the buyer. There are too many issues that can arise if you ship to a third party like eBay authentication center. When the package arrives at the center, no one is clearly responsible for receiving the package, and if the package is empty, it is a big problem. 

 We strongly advise against using this eBay process as we have seen many issues: packages left open in the center, items damaged in the center, packages stolen in the center, etc."

Thanks in advance

[jetay-1087]

Hi, I'm quite new to this ebay community but I do think that on the Parcel 2 Go website they do allow you to insure items up to the Value of £10,000 they charge you extra for the insurance but I think it covers loss and damage.  I use Parcel 2 Go all the time for sending items through Ebay and have found them to be quite competitive and have a good selection of couriers. I'm not sure if they insure watches but could be worth a look. Hope this provides help.

[tunokies]

They won't but thank you for your suggestion.   I just had a look at the Parcel2go Terms and Conditions and they won't. This is what it says on their page - 

The following items (or any item similar in description or content) can only be carried on a no-protection basis on any service.

Any person sending such an item does so at their own risk:

• Ceramics / Porcelain / China / Stone / Granite / Marble
• Glass Items Of Any Type - Including Glassware, Crystal, Bulbs, Screens, Fiberglass, Fish Tanks, Mirrors, Spectacles, Windows, Perspex
• Packaging - Including The Box, Media Packaging, Suitcases Used As Packaging
• Precious Metals And Stones - Including Gold, Silver, Gems, Diamond - Including In Jewellery Form
• Small Vehicle Parts Including Headlights, Taillights, Gearboxes
• Watches
• Cosmetics

[rothschild1107]

I have a Rolex Pepsi worth £16k for sale on Ebay. I have the same issue.

Can you drive to the authenticator address and physically hand them the watch? I don't feel great about posting a watch of that value to anyone on any service.

[papso22]

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@rothschild1107 wrote:

I have a Rolex Pepsi worth £16k for sale on Ebay. 

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I think that is extremely foolish.

[tunokies]

They do have a physical address on a trading estate so I'd like to think you could but maybe check in advance before making a journey.  In the end, I insured it with overlandexpess and used their suggested courier - UPS.   The posting to eBay was the most nerve wracking part of the process.  Everything else was as sweet as a nut. 

[four_mid_able]

I think i read recently that items that have Ebay's Authenticity Guarantee on the listing are sent by DPD ,not sure sellers have any other option now ,may be a recent change ?.

https://pages.ebay.co.uk/authenticity-guarantee-watches/faqs/

[rothschild1107]

Out of interest why do you think it is foolish?

I have been offered so much less than its value by local jewellers and also chrono hunter who low balled me by £3k.

Ebay have discounted my final value fee by 80% and ebverything now has to go through the Authenticator so why foolish?

[tunokies]

It doesn't really matter who eBay use to send it on to the buyer.  Once it's received and verified the sellers job is over.  The issue is getting it safely to the authenticity team safely in the first instance.

[papso22]

Because regardless of the authentification programme you could lose the item and the money, or get the item returned but damaged. 

It's a risk taken with every sale on here. 

[rothschild1107]

The risk seems to be in getting the watch to the authenticators. I don't seem to be able to fully insure it getting there. I may be able to drive there and hand it over.

Once that is done and the watch is authenticated I cannot see I have any risk as the buyer cannot return it to me if it gets damaged after they have authenticated it and taken responsibility.

[pg_kicks]

You'd like to think so but (I can only speak of trainers as thats what I sell) in the last months I've had to return 3 pairs back to them as they have been clearly worn when returned. This should have been picked up by the authentication when they came back but they just dont look. I know you have returns not accepted but thats easily bypassed by anyone who knows too.

There has been a couple of horror stories on here about sellers who has had watches returned and they've been damaged or parts missing, its not too bad for me if eBay refuse to sort me out on a £100 pair of trainers but a £16k watch id be a little more annoyed over to say the least. 99.9% of transactions will have no issues its just that 0.01% which dont but a £16k watch isnt something I'd be risking on, do no stores in London or near you do consignments? Seems a decent price going off what the new ones have sold on other sites for if you re in that market.

[four_mid_able]

Ever heard of a chargeback ?.

[four_mid_able]

Not exactly how it is but i live in hope.

[arkwebus]

There must surely be expensive specialist couriers who serve the jewellery trade.  

I very much doubt if any of the mainstream  couriers would willingly handle that sort of value and certainly not insure it.     @tunokies 

[tunokies]

As mentioned above...I got it insured through overland express for my sale and it went through well.

[kingappleman]

This is a very valid concern to me any many others. Keep this thread running.

I too have seen insurance companies and countless couriers small print saying not insured to evay authentication (securesus) and by all accounts couriers only cover you in the small print if you are a business seller despite selling you the insurance.

keep me updated when someone has found a service that genuinely covers you.

I have resorted to collecting only listing's removing the authentication service. or listing on chrono24 that has less audience

[tunokies]

Yes. Secursus were supposed to be THE service for watch sellers but will ONLY cover if the watch goes directly from the seller to the end purchaser. OverlandExpress was the only UK insurer I found who would insure from me to eBay's Stoll &Co authentication team.   Such a shame that eBay can't partner up with someone like Secursus in an official capacity as it's the main weak link in the Authenticity Program chain as far as I see it. 

[papso22]

I think the whole authentication programme is a weak link!

Doesn't ebay now control what you charge and who you use as a courier  when the item is in the programme?

[jasos71]

Hi, who do you to ship on chrono24. I have a watch to sell but am having the same problem. Insuring the shipping to the buyer 😞