But I could have gotten the exact same refund terms through ebay's Buyer Protection Plan without any insurance. I asked for the coverage because the item was hard to find and the price was very good. The seller insisted on getting the item back (no idea for what reason - its of absolutely no value to anyone as is) and initially offered to pay for the return shipping, but was only planning to refund just my purchase price (not my original shipping). USPS advised me not to return the item as it would jeopardize the integrity of the damage to the item and the package, unless it was packed inside another carton to preserve the evidence (they suggested it should be examined here). The seller started to balk on the return shipping when they heard about the additional packaging and shipping costs. The insurance I asked for and I purchased was for $200 and, even though I only paid $100 for the item, the seller must have been able to convince USPS of a higher value because USPS gave them a full $200 refund solely on the basis of the damage pictures I sent the seller. So, now not only am I out the cost of the return postage (about $28) but the seller was able to unfairly line their pockets with an extra $100 on my insurance. I lose, they win. It just doesn't seem fair.
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