Ebay Purchase from Outside EU- never again

[katika76]

I just wanted to share me annoing experience with buying a bag via ebay.
I do live in Europe, the seller is from Asia.
I saw the bag on ebay, I was athentificated on this forum, THANKS!
So I just looked for further information about the seller from other members and everything looked good for having a smooth transaction, nobody seemed to have to need to pay for duty or taxes.
Communication with the seller was good too and so I bid and won.
Shipping to my country was fast too (I followed on the tracking link).
And then the parcel got stuck at customs...
Yesterday I recived a letter from there that they needed the invoice and bank transfer confirmation.
Value was declared very low and it came as a gift.
I think that is why they got suspicious.
Now I would have to pay 20% duty and with that included another 3% customs.
Even without that the bag (preowned!) did cost as much as a new one in the store.
However I did not want to wait for three years for my dreambag (BBB), so I decided it would be worth the money.
But with these extra fees the price is horrible.
I am sooo unhappy and lost, I really don´t know what to do....
It was not the sellers mistake, it was mine, I should not have bought the bag already having a bad feeling about these extra costs....
It would be lovely to have some nice words

 

[lovely64]

Sorry to hear this. I find it strange that it got stuck in Customs if it was marked a gift with low value. I have had many transactions and never did any of my packages get siezed in Customs, opened and re-priced. Never.

There is really not much you can do in this situation but to pay. At least it´s "only" 20%, where I am they would charge approx. 40% in tax and Customs.

 

[spicegirl]

I just wanted to share me annoing experience with buying a bag via ebay.
I do live in Europe, the seller is from Asia.
I saw the bag on ebay, I was athentificated on this forum, THANKS!
So I just looked for further information about the seller from other members and everything looked good for having a smooth transaction, nobody seemed to have to need to pay for duty or taxes.
Communication with the seller was good too and so I bid and won.
Shipping to my country was fast too (I followed on the tracking link).
And then the parcel got stuck at customs...
Yesterday I recived a letter from there that they needed the invoice and bank transfer confirmation.
Value was declared very low and it came as a gift.
I think that is why they got suspicious.
Now I would have to pay 20% duty and with that included another 3% customs.
Even without that the bag (preowned!) did cost as much as a new one in the store.
However I did not want to wait for three years for my dreambag (BBB), so I decided it would be worth the money.
But with these extra fees the price is horrible.
I am sooo unhappy and lost, I really don´t know what to do....
It was not the sellers mistake, it was mine, I should not have bought the bag already having a bad feeling about these extra costs....
It would be lovely to have some nice words

I feel so sorry for you !! I too live in Europe and for this reason avoid buying from resellers outside the EEC, only once have I purchased from Love That Bag!! The problem is that within the EEC there aren't many resellers and there is never such a wide choice of bags, etc. available as there are in the USA.

Try and look on the bright side, at least you have got your grail bag, it is authenticate, (some people get sent fake bags) and next time you know what to expect.

ENJOY YOUR BAG .... IT IS A BEAUTY !!!

 

[maryg1]

I too live in Eu and any time I buy something overseas I calculate an extra 30% to see if it is still a good deal. In your case it is, since it is your dream bag, authentic and immediately available. Enjoy!

 

[pursecrzy]

I don't live in EU but my country charges high import fees. As much as I love something, most of the time after I calcuate adding 23% plus brokerage fee to the price, I remove the item from my cart.

I know if I declare low value, I run the risk of the it being opened and charged full value.

Edit- I am sympathetic to your situation. It's not easy to suddenly have to pay extra for something.

 

[Pinkydream]

I am from the EU and in my Country it is common that every package is held by the customs and proof of payment is required. Regardless of the value that is declared. So I don't order from outside EU, because the 30% customs will for sure be added to the price.

 

[Crazyforbirkin]

So sorry! Spice girl is right, at least you got an authentic one. Lots get fakes and had to deal with the trouble of sending back the item and refund, if they do get a refund. Enjoy your new baby...

 

[katika76]

Dear lovely64, spicegirl, maryg1, pursecrzy, pinkydream and crazyforbirkin,
thank you so much for your so lovely messages!
Sorry for the mistakes I made in my posting... I just saw that it is partial hard to understand...
I thought about telling at customs it was a gift and value was about 5500 $ what would be less than I payed. However I fear they meight try to find out real value and push the bag around and scratch it for not knowing how to deal with such a bag. And then I could not even shoe them the ebaypictures as officially I would not have bought it via ebay...
And another Thought came to my mind: If I would have ordered the bag at Hermes (what for the moment still is impossible as they only have BBB with gouilloche at the moment) I would have had to pay the price for the bag at the moment it arrives. Which will be defintily higher than any price I pay now, tax and customs included!
Just thinking about all these points and having your lovely comments I feel so much better now and cannot wait to finally hold my beloved bag in my hands.
Sorry, this has been so long now, not really a post, more a novel
I am so glad there is somebody to share!
Thank you so very much!!!

 

[katika76]

PS: And as some of you wrote, thanks to bababebi I know it is authentic.
And I had really helpful contact with the seller too.
It will help both of us in future to have smooth purchases if I pay know.
And for further purchases we might not need ebay anymore so this would lower costs.
One just has to point out the advanteges so that everything is perfect again!

 

[MaggyH]

So sorry to hear what has happened to you! I have been very lucky so far, and all the purchases I have made from USA I have received without paying the duty. However, each time I was very nervous that I might get 'caught'.

The most important thing is, that you will receive your HG very soon now, and I hope you will share photos with us as soon as you get it!

 

[babybaby2011]

I am so sorry your bad experience.The last time I bought Kelly oversea and I was worried everyday.I am very scared to pay 23% tax so I checked the tracking number everyday.I have been lucky not to pay more money.
Enjoy new bag.

 

[Jadeite]

oh dear very sorry to hear that. Getting precious cargo stuck at customs is a bad dream, and definitely a lot of nervousness. But at least your bag came through. that's the happy part.