Thread: track your packages or lose $200

What if you use American Express to pay for the postage?
I've never filed a claim with Amex, but they're supposed to insure purchases.

Anybody know anything about that?

I believe the only usps option with insurance for international shipments is express mail which for a razor is about $30. It's expensive, but I've used it for razors that are way too valuable to take a loss on.
USPS, FedEx, UPS, all postage insurances have a fine print that one ought to read carefully. There are many things that can not be insured (though they'll take your money), and at the end if things go wrong you just end up being the one holding the bag.

That being said I did get a payout by USPS once. The item was lost in their custody, tracking only showed it until some station in the middle between me and the buyer. It was a domestic shipment and I contacted them within few days after the package seemed to get stuck. Filled out the forms online and iirc they didn't consider them until the minimum waiting period had elapsed, however the claim was logged early on and they couldn't refuse it on the account of missed deadline. I think 2 months later I got a check signed by the postmaster general which was slightly short ($2-$5) of the full amount of insurance+shipping cost, but close enough for me to not waste time inquiring about the discrepancy. Of course I had to refund the buyer their money much earlier, so I was out of the money for may be month and a half, but I did get reimbursed eventually.

This being said to me the insurance isn't worth for the less expensive stuff, say less than $100 (way too much trouble dealing with a claim) so I don't bother buying it.

Originally Posted by MinATX

What if you use American Express to pay for the postage?
I've never filed a claim with Amex, but they're supposed to insure purchases.

Anybody know anything about that?

You can probably get back your postage if the shipper doesn't perform their duties, but I doubt you'll get an insurance. And AmEx will likely give you the money as a 'courtesy' i.e. out of their own pocket and not bother to contact the shipper at all.

Originally Posted by gugi

You can probably get back your postage if the shipper doesn't perform their duties, but I doubt you'll get an insurance. And AmEx will likely give you the money as a 'courtesy' i.e. out of their own pocket and not bother to contact the shipper at all.

This is what I was told.
The cost to AMEX is probably low enough to the value perceived to the customers, that it's worth it for them to just do it.
As long as you don't file claims more than average, I doubt they'll cause difficulties.

In part, this is also a cost reduction for themselves.
Spending 500$ in time and effort to collect 100$ in damages from the seller is counter productive.

I'm amazed at the ineptitude of customs by these posts. It is absurd.

Originally Posted by MinATX

What if you use American Express to pay for the postage?
I've never filed a claim with Amex, but they're supposed to insure purchases.

Anybody know anything about that?

Originally Posted by gugi

You can probably get back your postage if the shipper doesn't perform their duties, but I doubt you'll get an insurance. And AmEx will likely give you the money as a 'courtesy' i.e. out of their own pocket and not bother to contact the shipper at all.

When I deal with anyone I don't know, My Paypal source of payment is always AMEX. If you have a dispute with Paypal, AMEX will charge them back and make them prove the charge is proper. AMEX is very customer friendly.

Do any of yall know how things work when you receive a razor from abroad? I am getting a razor in from Finland and the tracking says it got here a couple days ago. Do yall know if they will open my package to check it? First time around i had a razor taken from my package.. a big solingen 9/8..

Originally Posted by MinATX

What if you use American Express to pay for the postage?
I've never filed a claim with Amex, but they're supposed to insure purchases.

Anybody know anything about that?

American Express will compensate you on certain items, but I believe this usually extends to warranty claims and new items (You can only use this a handful of times every years too). Ie. if you buy a new TV with a 2 year manufacturer guarantee, AMEX will bump it out to 4 years so long as you buy it on your card. I don't know if you can do it through private sales, but I can ask them if somebody would like me to.

It's also worth noting that it depends upon which AMEX card you have - the levels of service varies greatly between their credit cards and charge cards. Mind you, the service offered between their top tier charge cards, and credit cards is pretty similar.

insurance for parcels is so cheap, I find it very confusing why people dont use it. Of course I guess some think its not neccesary. But I always make sure I put it on. sorry for your loss

Has anyone had any experience with Stamps.Com insurance?

I just started using them for shipping and when you insure a package it doesn't say USPS insurance. It says stamps.com insurance on the label.