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

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

#46
chloehandbags said:
[/i]
I have sympathy if he really can't pay (and isn't just trying to con you into giving him a discount); things are tough at the moment, after all. But, he should have factored customs duties in, before making his offer. :yes:
Click to expand...

You know - I actually have sympathy for him too! That's why I accepted his best offer, which was a bit lower than I wanted to go. He said he couldn't go higher b/c of the tough economic times and the fact that he had to factor in what he'd need to pay customs.

I'm actually a very reasonable person, and I try to be fair and customer service oriented. If he had approached me in a less accusatory manner, I would have been far more likely to try and work something out - I most certainly would not have paid the customs duties for him, but I would have perhaps offered to refund his shipping ($25) to help a bit. But approaching me the way he did - stating that this is *my* problem and *my* oversight - I'm not backing down at all. (Of course, I'm the one that ends up without the sale, without the $$, and likely with a negative feedback, so I guess this falls into the cut off your nose to spite your face category, eh?) Thanks for your help!
 
#47
noshoepolish said:
I would have just told her when you get the item back you will refund her less shipping and a 15% restocking fee and taken the negative.
Click to expand...

Hmm ... that restocking fee is an excellent idea. Never thought of that! Any idea how that would work with PayPal? I'm assuming that he will eventually file a complaint against me and I've been working under the assumption that PayPal will automatically refund him the full amount, although I'm hoping I can do it manually so that I can deduct the shipping charge (both ways). This, of course, assumes that my package finds it's way back to me.

Oh and I'm braced for the negative. I'm pretty sure it's coming! Thanks for your help!!
 
#51
chloehandbags said:
No, not everything is delivered by ParcelForce (thank God!). :nogood: I'm not sure which US shipping methods end up with parcels falling into ParcelForce's (highly unprofessional) hands, I'm afraid, but I would definitely encourage US sellers to, if possible, always ask the P.O. whether a parcel sent via a certain delivery method will, ultimately, be delivered by them and if so, to refuse it and to select one that will NOT. :yes:
Click to expand...

I shipped USPS Global Priority Mail. I don't know what other US shipping services use ParcelForce, but it seems Priority Mail absolutely ends up with them.

chloehandbags said:
Whenever they have tried to deliver to me and I've been out, they have NEVER left me a delivery note and so I have been completely unaware that they have tried to deliver. :tdown:
Click to expand...
This actually happened to my last UK buyer - she emailed me because she couldn't get any information about her package. Believe it or not, I was able to track it to Parcel Force fairly easily by calling the US Postal Service. Then I was able to tell her where to pick up her package. Ever since then, I make it a habit of closely tracking packages I send to the UK and regularly communicating the package status to the buyer. (If you notice, my buyer starts his email thanking me for keeping track of his package.) It seems I would have been better served choosing a different shipping service, though.

chloehandbags said:
So, if at all possible, please avoid ParcelForce (and services that use ParcelForce) like the plague! :tup:
Click to expand...
I am definitely going to investigate using a different shipping service for UK packages, assuming I continue shipping internationally. Part of me wants to restrict my listings to US buyers, but I've dealt with some really outstanding people in the UK, and elsewhere throughout the world, so it seems like I should not let one bad experience deter me. Ah well ... I have at least 30 days to think it over b/c eBay hit me with one of those ridiculous selling limitations!
 
#52
asianbelle said:
As a buyer, I always expect the seller to mark my package at full value, and when they don't, I just take that as a bonus on my end (lower custom fees). Although one time this idiotic seller (he was very rude to me for some reason, and it's not like I bothered him) marked my package at $250, and I only paid $19 for the item! His reason was that's how much the item originally cost, but hello, that's not how much I paid! So good thing I got my money back from customs b/c I printed out the auction page and sent it as proof.

I can't believe your buyer is being so unreasonable! Hope it works out for you!
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to hear that you had a seller be rude to you. That's ridiculous. Sellers need to realize that without buyers, they can't sell! Thanks for sharing your experience! I'll let you know how things work out.
 
#55
choo_girl123 said:
Hmm ... that restocking fee is an excellent idea. Never thought of that! Any idea how that would work with PayPal? I'm assuming that he will eventually file a complaint against me and I've been working under the assumption that PayPal will automatically refund him the full amount, although I'm hoping I can do it manually so that I can deduct the shipping charge (both ways). This, of course, assumes that my package finds it's way back to me.

Oh and I'm braced for the negative. I'm pretty sure it's coming! Thanks for your help!!
Click to expand...

no, no, no - fight any negative!!!! your buyer is the one violating feebay rules and should not be able to neg you for not giving in to his unfair demands.

as far as a paypal dispute, when i was on the phone with paypal they DID say that the buyer protection will apply even if the item is not delivered due to failure to cooperate with customs - but they added that they did also expect the buyer to do their part in getting the package delivered. reading between the lines i suspect that there is some repercussion for a completely uncooperative buyer. don't know though - my item is STILL undelivered five weeks later . . . .
 
#57
I am in Australia and Regulaly purchase items off ebay USA. Anyone who makes an Int'l Purchase should know their countries limits on imports ours for example is $200 last I looked (yeah lousy hey!) but the fact is sometimes items will creep through with no extra charges and other times customs will send a letter and the amount has to be paid at the post office on collection of the item.

This cost is not your responsiblity in any way shape or form and this PILL (hard to swollow person) would know its his/her responsibility to pay this extra amount & I am sure the letter sent via their po probably states all the facts on imports to the UK.

There is no way you should pay it or partial pay that buyer a single dime, their po will return it to you if they dont pay and If i were you I would lodge a dispute with pp to recover your postage cost if this happens (I have no clue how that will turn out) but its the buyers onus to pay this sum Not You, hence the letter sent to buyer not you!

The thing is if you ammend the amount on the customs forms to a lower value and then send the item insured for a higher value it will stand out to the customs officer & personally I dont think you should have to do that and put yourself in a compromising postion I would never ask a seller to do that and sometimes I am just lucky enough they have marked it a gift and therefore had no duties but id never ask a seller to compromise themselves for a few extra bucks.

All The Best!
 
Last edited:
#58
dressage queen said:
no, no, no - fight any negative!!!! your buyer is the one violating feebay rules and should not be able to neg you for not giving in to his unfair demands.

as far as a paypal dispute, when i was on the phone with paypal they DID say that the buyer protection will apply even if the item is not delivered due to failure to cooperate with customs - but they added that they did also expect the buyer to do their part in getting the package delivered. reading between the lines i suspect that there is some repercussion for a completely uncooperative buyer. don't know though - my item is STILL undelivered five weeks later . . . .
Click to expand...

Oh I'll fight the negative - I didn't mean to imply that I'd let it stand. I just meant that I think it's safe to assume that he'll neg me.

Your package is still undelivered after five weeks?!? Why hasn't it been returned to you? My buyer seems to be under the impression that I'll receive the package I shipped to him within the next 10 days, although as far as I can tell, it's still in London.
 
#60
miumiuisfab said:
I am in Australia and Regulaly purchase items off ebay USA. Anyone who makes an Int'l Purchase should know their countries limits on imports ours for example is $200 last I looked (yeah lousy hey!) but the fact is sometimes items will creep through with no extra charges and other times customs will send a letter and the amount has to be paid at the post office on collection of the item.

This cost is not your responsiblity in any way shape or form and this PILL (hard to swollow person) would know its his/her responsibility to pay this extra amount & I am sure the letter sent via their po probably states all the facts on imports to the UK.

There is no way you should pay it or partial pay that buyer a single dime, their po will return it to you if they dont pay and If i were you I would lodge a dispute with pp to recover you postage cost if this happens (I have no clue how that will turn out) but its the buyers onus to pay this sun Not You!

All The Best!
Click to expand...

Wow - only $200? That's pretty low - sorry about that!

Thanks for your insight into customs charges & for your post. I appreciate all the advice, feedback & positive wishes I've received on this thread. I wonder if I'll receive another email from the buyer tomorrow. BTW - PILL - love that :smile1:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top