In your opinion, what is the extent of a seller's responsibility for the items they sell you?

I'm a little confused and couldn't find this information EASILY on eBay (surprise, surprise), but what is the extent of the seller's responsibility for the items they send you? What does eBay require a seller to do?

I win an auction - I pay for the item - the seller ships it - it shows up damaged - (quite obviously the shipping company's fault).  BUT (and this is a big but) only the SHIPPER can file any kind of claim for damage.  So what do you think? 

Is the seller responsible for the item until it is safely delivered to the customer? I mean after all, the shipping company is an "agent" acting on the behalf of the seller to deliver the merchandise for them. Only the seller can purchase the insurance and make any claim. The seller is the customer of the shipping company NOT the buyer, therefore the buyer has no recourse with the shipping company ONLY the seller.

OR

Is the customer responsible for the item the second he pays for it? 

How in the world can a seller say, "I won't be responsible for damage by the shipping company i chose to use?"

Hello out there in blogland.  LONG time, no posts.  I have been otherwise occupied with the indignities of the rest of my life.  I returned about a week ago looking for homeschool curriculum for next year and have committed the most heinous of eBay buyer crimes.  I won some auctions I DID NOT READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

+dramatic pause+

I just imagined that EVERYBODY combines the shipping when you win multiple auctions from one seller! If this one isn't straight up nice, I will end up paying more for this curriculum than if I bought it new. 

+dramatic sigh+

My eBay brain cell storage unit must have collapsed into an exhausted heap two months ago when I went on eBay hiatus - it's the only explanation for such a faux pas.  

AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

OK - now that's out of my system I will try not to think about which subject to CUT from next year's lesson plan :)

Other than that, guys, how's it going?

When things go terribly wrong, when awful things happen to you, when situations look as hopeless as they can possibly be - where do you look for comfort?  Where is your hope?

If you believe in God, I know that He is your hope and comfort.  But if you DON'T, what do you do?  Where do you look?  If you have no belief that SOMEBODY out ther has got it all under control, how do you have any hope for better?

Trust me - I am not trying to start a fight - I was just wondering.

Do you remember Gladys Kravitz? You remember Gladys, Darren and Samantha's nosy neighbor who butted into everybody's business and reported EVERYTHING to the police on Bewitched hundreds of years ago when TV was black and white?  Have we turned into a nation of them?  I was completely blindsided this morning when I took my kids to school.  Gladys, disguised as a normally sane mother of another child I have known for FOUR years, tracked me down and backed me up against a wall and demanded that I talk her out of calling the police to press charges against my 11 year old son. WHAT THE ?? I started to babble.  Unbeknownst to me (but knownst to her) my son choked hers (her words, not the boys) the day before and now he lives in deathly fear of coming to school.  Never mind that the day before as they were coming out to the cars they were high fivin', see ya tomorrow dude and laughing their silly heads off at the girls.  Never mind that when they saw each other this morning they were already making a pact to be on the same kickball team at PE today and trading their snacks.  Never mind that these two (one black one white) have been FAST FRIENDS for four years and stood side by side AGAINST bullies and racists and the persecution they endure as CHRISTIANS. I say again WHAT THE ???? I was floored.  Don't get me wrong - I know my son.  He is cut up and the class clown - he can tell a lie and look you dead in the eye doing it - he is strong and has athletic ability out the gazoo and he can be cocky as the day is long.  BUT HE IS NOT MEAN.  He's the first one to help with little kids - hold a hand, lift to the water fountain - he's the first one to defend a wrong and stand up for justice.  AND SHE KNOWS THIS. 

What in the world happened between yesterday and today?? I am just sick.  Thanks for letting me vent.