Signature confirmation?

[dissident_concepts]

I'm posting an item today and eBay is telling me I should buy signature confirmation due to the cost of the item, Ive never heard of this before and its not clear where I buy signature confirmation?

Any ideas?

[easter59]

Royal Mail and Evri have this feature as an option. Most prmium carriers include it in their prices.

[jckl1957]

It means the recipient has to physically sign for their item.

A lot of tracked deliveries don't require a signature so the delivery person may take a picture of the parcel at the door but don't actually have to ask anybody to sign for it.

So, Royal Mail Special Delivery, for example, requires a signature.

[vintique*violet]

@dissident_concepts

Are you using Simple Delivery ? 

Does it show what service you are actually buying other than express or standard? 

What is the value of the item and what postal services /cost have you been offered? 

As an example if taking a parcel to the post office direct and using TRACKED 48  ( up to value of £150) this can be done with or without a signature( signature just means that the recipient needs to sign for the parcel)

Costs for a small parcel...

Tracked 48 without signature  £3.95

Tracked 48 with signature £5.79

Note these costs are an example as I think prices increased and I haven't posted anything since the New Year. 

On Royal Mail website it now says Tracked 48 is £5.99 with notifications ( I am assuming that means with signature?) and £5.15 without notifications. 

From your screenshot it does not appear to let you know what the "value" coverage amounts are or the extra costs entailed?

Edit to add... if you are unable to find how to do this, maybe request a call back from customer service, or maybe other posters here may be more of assistance. 

Also Tracked 48 without or with signature has always been scanned by the postie and safely delivered with no problems for items up to £150. Special Delivery  with signature is a better option if of a higher value. 

[game_raid]

If the items value is over £450 then the item needs to sent fully tracked with a signature to be covered by eBay's seller protection.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/signature-confirmation-policy?id=5154...

[*vyolla*]

Is it the Ibanez?

That'll be too large for Royal Mail Special Delivery.

Check the Parcelforce website for shipping methods that will cover you in the event of loss or damage, and that require a signature when delivered.

You can buy a label from their website or your local Post Office.

[4_bathrooms]

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@dissident_concepts wrote:

I'm posting an item today and eBay is telling me I should buy signature confirmation due to the cost of the item, Ive never heard of this before and its not clear where I buy signature confirmation?

Any ideas?

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To be protected against an "item not received" claim for any item worth £450 or more eBay requires a signature on delivery. 

I'm guessing it's the guitar. You will need to check the carrier's terms as many specifically exclude musical instruments from loss or damage cover even if you purchase extra insurance (Evri being one example). Special Delivery is likely your best option as it doesn't exclude musical instruments however the basic cover is £750 so you will need to purchase the extra compensation cover. You will also need to follow Royal Mail's packaging guidelines.

Note that as far as I am aware you cannot purchase extra compensation cover via eBay so you will need to either purchase the Special Delivery label via Royal Mail's website or pay at a Post Office counter declaring the value correctly.  

[dissident_concepts]

Wow, lots of replies.

The item in question is an electric guitar, I always send things tracked via RM and if the value is higher then Il use 48hr Parcelforce. Its just the way its worded on eBays page makes it sound like I need to pay extra for the signature confirmation policy.

The items value is £760 so I don't really have room for error on this, most guitars I post are projects and often disassembled however this one is complete with hard case and a much higher value than the others I usually post out ( mostly sub £400)

This is 1 of 2 guitars im selling at the moment.

[dissident_concepts]

I should also note ive opted out of Simple Delivery as instructed by one of eBays help desk team. I have full control of postage service, sizes, costs etc

[buffster1963]

For that value you will need to pay extra to get a signature to be covered. 

[dissident_concepts]

The service offered on eBays page is Express 48 which covers items up to 150cm in length and 30kg in weight, the service is tracked but nothing mentioned about a signature. 

This is why im unsure what it means by signature confirmation. 

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/signature-confirmation-policy?id=5154

[4_bathrooms]

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@dissident_concepts wrote:

This is why im unsure what it means by signature confirmation. 

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If it's Royal Mail Tracked 48 a signature capture is an optional extra; an option that might not be available if you purchase the label via eBay. The compensation limit for Tracked 48 is £150 so Tracked 48 wouldn't be suitable anyway.

You really need to use Special Delivery and either purchase the label via Royal Mail's website or at a Post Office counter. None of the options available via eBay are going to be suitable.

[dissident_concepts]

I tried to use ParcelForce to arrange collection from my house but it wouldnt let me for some reason.

The buyers delivery address is an Argos store inside a Sainsburys in England so im unsure if thats why?

[4_bathrooms]

Just to be clear you have two issues here:

The first is eBay requires the service you use to capture a signature on delivery. If there is no signature and the buyer opens an "item not received" case the buyer is guaranteed a refund at your expense even if the carrier's tracking indicates the item has been delivered. 

The second is the compensation cover you have with the carrier. If the item is lost or damaged in transit you will not be able to claim from the carrier if they have "musical instruments" or "guitars" on their list of non-compensation items. If you are planning to use Royal Mail - who don't have such an exemption - you must use Special Delivery. If you don't the guitar will effectively be sent uninsured (your buyer is guaranteed a refund at your expense in either case).

[4_bathrooms]

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@dissident_concepts wrote:

I tried to use ParcelForce to arrange collection from my house but it wouldnt let me for some reason.

So it's Parcelforce Express48. Have you checked the compensation terms for that service? Also, I don't believe that service requires a signature to be captured on delivery...

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@dissident_concepts wrote:

The buyers delivery address is an Argos store inside a Sainsburys in England so im unsure if thats why?

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It's a Click and Collect order. You must include the "eCP" code shown in the address when purchasing your label. As mentioned; you cannot purchase a suitable label via eBay for that guitar.

[*vyolla*]

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@dissident_concepts wrote:

The buyers delivery address is an Argos store inside a Sainsburys in England so im unsure if thats why?

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That's a Click & Collect address, you're offering it on your listing. Not something I recommend for an expensive item as you have no details of the buyer at all.

Worse case scenario, if they collect the guitar and issue a not as described chargeback they get to keep the guitar and a refund and you don't know who they are or where they live, so can't do anything to try to get your guitar back. 

[dissident_concepts]

Ive just went to ParcelForce website again and now it does let me post to this address however it only offers Express 24 or 48 services. There's no mention of Special Delivery being available?

[4_bathrooms]

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@dissident_concepts wrote:

Ive just went to ParcelForce website again and now it does let me post to this address however it only offers Express 24 or 48 services. There's no mention of Special Delivery being available?

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Special Delivery is a Royal Mail service; not a Parcelforce one.

Just to be clear Parcelforce only offer basic compensation cover for musical instruments as per the link I provided. Parcelforce will not insure the full value although Royal Mail will if you use Special Delivery. Well, that is provided you take out the enhanced compensation cover and follow their packaging guidelines that I linked to earlier.

[dissident_concepts]

Thanks for your help so far