Paypal seller protection tracking requirements?

[static]

Hey. I think I may have just messed up shipping something, so I wanted to get feedback from some of you. I know that paypals seller protection, requires tracking on the related shipments, but I need to know if USPS insurance numbers count? Alternatively, I'd like to know if USPS shipping numbers ARE in fact the tracking numbers assigned to insured packages. i.e. insured mail has no tracking numbers...just insurance numbers.

I mailed something today (with insurance purchased on it), and when I asked the mail person to add tracking, she said USPS insured packages can already be tracked, so I didn't need to buy anything extra. I thought that I remembered sending something before with both insurance AND delivery confirmation, but I guess I just figured that the mail person didn't tell me it wasn't necessary that time. Now my customer asked for the tracking number and I gave him the insurance number. I didn't check it before I gave it to him, but now he emailed me and told me that it's not registering on the site as a trackable package.

I started reading online, and found that USPS insurance is trackable WITHIN the USPS system, by usps workers, but not trackable online or by phone by consumers. Now the big question....Am I protected under paypals seller protection, with this sort of....kinda..partially trackable, insurance number? I explained it to the buyer, and he seems cool with it, but I still want to know exactly where I stand for the future...and warn any one else who may find themselves in this situation. Any thoughts (other than..."this needs cliff notes" lol)?

[JohnnyBoy]

I think there would be too much work involved in confirming delivery of the item, so PayPal would just refund the buyer and move on to the next person to screw over. But, I never had this happen before.

[sdot10]

not sure what youre scared of. If you bought insurance and the person claims they didnt get it and files a complaint then just file an insurance claim with USPS and get your money back.

If youre scared of them filing a chargeback or a dispute quicky remind them that they can scam you with paypal but that scamming the usps is a felony mail fraud and ask if the item is worth going to jail for.

[static]

I hear what you're saying sdot, but I don't know how safe all of that really makes me in reality. From what I've read online, USPS insurance claims rarely get paid (and seem to only cover items lost in transit, or proven to have been damaged in transit)...not items that are delivered and claimed otherwise. If the post office can track the insurance number and find that the package was delivered, I don't think the insurance would cover me. Therefore, if paypal doesn't recognize insurance numbers as proof of delivery, I'm totally unprotected.

It wouldn't be very easy to make it a legal issue either, as their claim would only be made through paypal, and not actually brought against the USPS. As far as the USPS would be concerned, there would be no claim made against them...only me filing for insurance for an item, that their insurance tracking shows is delivered =/

Like I said, my buyer seems to be cool, so I'm not that worried. I'm just saying that it's important to know whether or not USPS insurance numbers count as tracking in the eyes of paypal, because if they aren't recognized, you could be taken advantage of.