Buyer doesn't want to pay customs charges. Please help!

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

#16
If there is no paperwork, customs just pulls a number out of the air for the value of the item. This is what the hangup might be. Ask the buyer what value customs put on the item. They may have taken your value and added their own.

The upped value is usually appealable with proof of price.
 
#17
you should be able to get any negative feedback for this transaction removed - ebay has a policy against encouraging illegal behavior, and if you click on the examples and additional information you'll find that asking sellers to falsify customs documentation is covered AND will be investigated if your listing specifies that buyers are responsible for import taxes etc.

so if you can't resolve this privately, you can report your buyer for this behavior (there's a report button at the bottom of the linked page).

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/encouraging-illegal-activity.html
 
#18
Thank you very much for following up the package on my behalf and for your regular communication. I was overseas on business and returned on Saturday to find a letter from Parcelforce demanding a sum of 42 Pounds($63) to release my package to me. I find this an outrageous sum, as I'm sure you agree. It is customary when shipping used and/or eBay items overseas to declare a value of less than $50 or to write the word 'gift' to avoid such exorbitant custm charges. As it is I cannot pay this sum, which is in addition to the price I paid you which was in itself above what I was willing to pay. The Pareclforce letter is dated the 10th and they say that unpaid items are returned to sender after 20 days have elapsed. The choices as far as I can see are for you to remedy this oversight by giving me back a portion of my payment to cover this charge or else to resend the item to me once it arrives at your door in ten days. If you have another suggestion please let me know.


OMG, WTF?!? Totally lame, IMO. The nerve of some people...:nogood:

You could tell her that if she doesn't pay the customs and pick up the item--as she agreed to by purchasing it from you on fBay, given the terms of the auction--when the box gets sent back you, you'll simply refuse it and she'll end up without the bag AND without the money.
 
#19
Thanks adoptastray & aimtree. I try to be upfront with my buyers & agree with you both in that the seller is the one with responsibility for getting the item to the buyer. I insist on full value for insurance purposes, which I know is quite common. The thing that really irritates me with this situation, is that the buyer specifically asked me to accept a lower price on my *brand new* Chanel item because he was going to have to pay customs charges. This leads me to believe that he knew customs charges would be high and now he's just trying to get an even better deal.

Lately, when selling with eBay, I feel like I'm always at a disadvantage. eBay seems to go to extremes trying to protect the buyer, with no protection for the seller. And yet - there doesn't seem to be a good alternative to eBay :(
 
#20
noshoepolish said:
If there is no paperwork, customs just pulls a number out of the air for the value of the item. This is what the hangup might be. Ask the buyer what value customs put on the item. They may have taken your value and added their own.

The upped value is usually appealable with proof of price.
Click to expand...

You're kidding - I had no idea that's how it worked! Thank you so much - I will definitely ask the buyer what value customs put on the item (although I wonder if he'll know given that he's not accepting the package ...)
 
#21
dressage queen said:
you should be able to get any negative feedback for this transaction removed - ebay has a policy against encouraging illegal behavior, and if you click on the examples and additional information you'll find that asking sellers to falsify customs documentation is covered AND will be investigated if your listing specifies that buyers are responsible for import taxes etc.

so if you can't resolve this privately, you can report your buyer for this behavior (there's a report button at the bottom of the linked page).

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/encouraging-illegal-activity.html
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the link! I will definitely be using this if this situation is not resolved.

Interestingly, I called eBay this morning and when they answered the phone (yes - I actually go right through - amazing, right?) the customer service rep said that this happens all the time and there is nothing I can do but refund the money and relist the item when I receive it back and then report the member as you suggested. But guess what? The rep couldn't tell me how to do this because he couldn't find the link!!Thank goodness you posted this information. I am so grateful!!
 
#22
karmenzsofia said:
Thank you very much for following up the package on my behalf and for your regular communication. I was overseas on business and returned on Saturday to find a letter from Parcelforce demanding a sum of 42 Pounds($63) to release my package to me. I find this an outrageous sum, as I'm sure you agree. It is customary when shipping used and/or eBay items overseas to declare a value of less than $50 or to write the word 'gift' to avoid such exorbitant custm charges. As it is I cannot pay this sum, which is in addition to the price I paid you which was in itself above what I was willing to pay. The Pareclforce letter is dated the 10th and they say that unpaid items are returned to sender after 20 days have elapsed. The choices as far as I can see are for you to remedy this oversight by giving me back a portion of my payment to cover this charge or else to resend the item to me once it arrives at your door in ten days. If you have another suggestion please let me know.


OMG, WTF?!? Totally lame, IMO. The nerve of some people...:nogood:

You could tell her that if she doesn't pay the customs and pick up the item--as she agreed to by purchasing it from you on fBay, given the terms of the auction--when the box gets sent back you, you'll simply refuse it and she'll end up without the bag AND without the money.
Click to expand...

Can I actually do that? I am afraid that he will file a claim with PayPal if he doesn't get his package and they'll do a chargeback even though I have proof that the package made it to the UK.
 
#23
choo_girl123 said:
Can I actually do that? I am afraid that he will file a claim with PayPal if he doesn't get his package and they'll do a chargeback even though I have proof that the package made it to the UK.
Click to expand...


NO! Do not refuse the package if it gets sent back to you. Paypal will reimburse the buyer. On anything over $250 in order to be protected by Paypal seller protection, there has to be a signature. If she did not sign for it and files a dispute she will win!

I would accept it back. You are going to loose your shipping fee's. But, that is far better than loosing your item!
 
#24
choo_girl123 said:
Can I actually do that? I am afraid that he will file a claim with PayPal if he doesn't get his package and they'll do a chargeback even though I have proof that the package made it to the UK.
Click to expand...

no, do NOT do this. logic would tell you since you've fulfilled your obligation to ship as stated you can refuse a returned package under these circumstances . . . but never make the mistake of confusing logic with paypal.

i have a package that's been undelivered for over a month because the buyer hasn't filled out the customs paperwork. when i called paypal to inquire as to how to proceed, i was informed that buyer protection covers non-receipt of the bag even if it is undelivered because the buyer won't cooperate with customs!

if a buyer refuses delivery over customs issues you can get stuck with shipping charges IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, and if the situation isn't resolved within 60 days from the sale you can also be out paypal fees and feebay final value fees. (you can refund and paypal refunds the fees portion for 60 days, and you can request a final value fee credit for 60 days.)

should the situation go to paypal dispute resolution one would HOPE they would take these costs into account in determining the amount to which the buyer is entitled when the buyer is the very reason for non-receipt. but i wouldn't hold my breath.
 
#25
Well your buyer should know that this is cheap, if its with parcel force. You get charged the whole amount ie $320 plus $25 shipping, our vat is 17 1/2 %, plus for small items is £8, and bags £13.50, and import duty as well on top. So dont give in to him, he is wrong here. Unless your just going to track the item with out insurance, there is no point lying saying its a gift, we still get charged for gifts over here. Hope that has helped, and good luck. Please dont be put off by this 1 mad man....:)
 
#26
dressage queen said:
no, do NOT do this. logic would tell you since you've fulfilled your obligation to ship as stated you can refuse a returned package under these circumstances . . . but never make the mistake of confusing logic with paypal.

i have a package that's been undelivered for over a month because the buyer hasn't filled out the customs paperwork. when i called paypal to inquire as to how to proceed, i was informed that buyer protection covers non-receipt of the bag even if it is undelivered because the buyer won't cooperate with customs!

if a buyer refuses delivery over customs issues you can get stuck with shipping charges IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, and if the situation isn't resolved within 60 days from the sale you can also be out paypal fees and feebay final value fees. (you can refund and paypal refunds the fees portion for 60 days, and you can request a final value fee credit for 60 days.)

should the situation go to paypal dispute resolution one would HOPE they would take these costs into account in determining the amount to which the buyer is entitled when the buyer is the very reason for non-receipt. but i wouldn't hold my breath.
Click to expand...

LOL ... you're so right! Logic & PayPal definitely don't go together!! And I'm very sorry to hear that you're having a similar problem with a buyer that's unwilling to cooperate with customs.

Re: the shipping charges in both directions ... assuming that I get the item back and I refund the buyer, can I just refund him the purchase price less S&H in both directions?
 
#27
musthavepursez said:
NO! Do not refuse the package if it gets sent back to you. Paypal will reimburse the buyer. On anything over $250 in order to be protected by Paypal seller protection, there has to be a signature. If she did not sign for it and files a dispute she will win!

I would accept it back. You are going to loose your shipping fee's. But, that is far better than loosing your item!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification on PayPal buyer protection. I'm always amazed by how much information is available in these forums. You all are so much more helpful than the help pages at eBay or PayPal. Thanks a bunch. ;)
 
#28
alfiebach said:
Well your buyer should know that this is cheap, if its with parcel force. You get charged the whole amount ie $320 plus $25 shipping, our vat is 17 1/2 %, plus for small items is £8, and bags £13.50, and import duty as well on top. So dont give in to him, he is wrong here. Unless your just going to track the item with out insurance, there is no point lying saying its a gift, we still get charged for gifts over here. Hope that has helped, and good luck. Please dont be put off by this 1 mad man....:)
Click to expand...

Yikes! That is incredible - I didn't realize that you had to pay so much when buying internationally.

You mention that ParcelForce isn't cheap. Is there a better way to get items to international buyers? I always just go with USPS Global Priority Mail, which I guess sends the package to ParcelForce when it reaches the UK. Do you prefer a different shipping service? I am flexible and willing to use whatever the buyer wants me to (within reason) but no one has ever asked me to use an alternate shipping service.
 
#29
If the bag gets sent back to her automatically, is it trackable? I ask kuZ I don't do international sales, so I'm not sure how the mail works in these cases. Normally, in order for a buyer to get her money back based on having returned the bag, the buyer is supposed to have proof of delivery, but then again there's buyer's protection...but, then again, there's seller's protection which covers non-receipt of the item.
 
#30
karmenzsofia said:
If the bag gets sent back to her automatically, is it trackable? I ask kuZ I don't do international sales, so I'm not sure how the mail works in these cases. Normally, in order for a buyer to get her money back based on having returned the bag, the buyer is supposed to have proof of delivery, but then again there's buyer's protection...but, then again, there's seller's protection which covers non-receipt of the item.
Click to expand...
:faint:, how do you keep so much information in your little head it amazes me:nuts:...unless you have a head and no body......you know about everything :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top