It is more to do with the service.Ehm... I am Italian and I always ask (and I have always asked) for signed post, as many of you know !
I know there could be a sort of "Bermuda triangle" accrossing the Channel !!! That's why I ask for the signed post !
What it is not acceptable (for me) is the price ebay ask for its shipping program. More or less it costs £ 4-5 more than a signed post.
But, according to my long experience receiving parcels from UK, if the seller makes good parcels and he is in good faith, no shipped parcel was lost, signed or normal postal service !
parcels are taking a long time to arrive, I have just had 6 take 5 weeks to arrive, where they have been held at the depot in Milan for most of that time. This causes problems with buyers wanting the articles. The service is very poor at times