Have you tried taking an image capture/doing a “print screen” as a record of the insurance being purchased? SImple enough.

Thanks, Ina, I really should explore whether I can export my USPS address book to a cheaper shipper — it’s really for that convenience that I am still there. . . .

@227272 Thank you!!

You may know this, but the USPS website no longer offers Commercial pricing, while many marketplaces and vendors do offer discounted USPS rates.

@Ina Steiner
@lessthanthreerecords

When I ship directly from the USPS website, my online records, under my “Shipping History”, shows the amount paid for insurance on each package.

On items shipped from within eBay, I can locate the insurance amount in my PayPal record, but not in the place you would expect. It is not under the “Your Payment” breakouts, but found above that, under the “Order Details” section.

It looks like this:

Order Details
ShipSvc:USPS Priority Mail,
Trk#:00000000000000
Postage:$7.35, Ins:$11.75

They don’t make it easy, but it’s there.

(but in the meantime China still ships its junk literally free)….I just don’t get it!

Re receipt – if you use a third-party vendor, I would think they could help you out. But if you print labels through an online marketplace, I could see how that could be problematic, though it shouldn’t be.

Feel free to email me at ina@ecommercebytes.com if you want to share more details privately, I’m happy to ask the vendor from whom you purchased shipping labels why there’s no documentation or receipt.

However, I do take issue with one suggestion you make, and I want to warn sellers against doing it (at least in some cases). That suggestion is to always buy postage online. Yes, the cost is cheaper. Of course, you need to figure in the extra cost of printer ink and other similar expenses, but still, most services would still be cheaper. However, as sellers likely know, as important as price is, it is rarely the only factor to consider. Several years ago, I printed a paid postage label online. I forget what service it was (first class, priority, etc.) but I remember that I paid extra to insure it. Everything was clearly detailed on my screen: the service, the insured value, the price I would pay, etc. However, as soon as I submitted payment and got my label, I had absolutely NO record that the package was insured, much less the value it was insured for. I immediately called USPS and was told that there is no record on my end but that USPS knows what the package was insured for. I asked how I prove it in the event of a dispute, and the USPS representative insisted that there would be no dispute – if the package was lost or damaged, I would be paid out. NOT SO FAST! I have had valid claims denied countless times. I appeal and have the appeal denied. I cannot count the number of times I have had to go to my congressional representative, Brendan Boyle, in order to facilitate the payment of a valid insurance claim that had been denied multiple times. When I explained this to the USPS representative, he seemed genuinely surprised, as though he had never heard of a claim being denied. I told him that when I go to congress and ask for assistance, they want documentation – not just my word. So what documentation do I have when I print online? NONE! Luckily, that package was delivered without issue, but since then, I have NEVER paid for an insured package online, and I would warn others against it. If you’re taking your chances shipping uninsured (which I sometimes do for items with a lower value), then weigh your options and if the price is less, by all means, print online. However, if you’re purchasing insurance, be aware that you will have NO RECORD of the insurance and will rely on the “good faith” of the USPS, which in many cases is non-existent.