Insuring vs. Customs Fees

snoopylaughs

snoopylaughs

O.G.
Mar 4, 2007
1,342
11
#1
Hey Everyone,
Someone in Latvia won a purse from me. I offered free shipping, and they asked me to only declare it as being worth $50, but it was worth $780. And this person has zero feedback, and is new, or has a new account on eBay and Paypal, so their address is unconfirmed.

I'm extremely nervous about sending it to them, and I don't want to send it uninsured, but what do I do? It wouldn't really make sense to insure it for $780, when I only declare $50 on the little green form at USPS.
Should I just send it Fedex Int'l with a tracking number or go on with USPS International and hope for the best?

I've sent overseas before, but never anything that cost more than 25 bucks. And I want to make sure everything is covered in case it is lost for any reason, since it's such a big ticket item, I don't want to be screwed over in the end if they say they never get it or if the post office loses it?

Thanks for your help!
 
#2
Do not, under any circumstances, under declare. If you do, you won't be able to insure the package and PayP is very clear in this matter - if the package is lost, misdelivered, damaged, etc. you will be responsible for refunding the buyer, which means you will be out the money and your bag. Also, you will need to ship with signature confirmation so that you can prove your bag was delivered to your buyer - again to qualify for PayP seller protection.

I would suggest shipping with USPS Global Express Mail, which can be insured for the full value (as long as you declare the full value - you cannot insure for more than the declared value). I would be careful with Fed Ex as my understanding is that their contract of carriage is with you (the seller) so if they (FedEx) deliver the package without collecting the custom fee, and your buyer declines to pay the custom duties, Fed Ex will bill your credit card to recoup their fees. (Essentially, FedEx is paying the fees on your behalf and needs to get their money back from either you or the buyer).

Best of luck to you! I would be wary of a zero feedback buyer in Latvia with a new *bay/PayP account, but I do hope it works out and is not a scam. Given all of these things, however (new account, unconfirmed address, zero feedback) I would really, really urge you to insure and declare for the full value.
 
#3
thank you for your advice!

how do I know if purses are something that is not allowed to be sent to Latvia? just in case? I remember a while back, reading that you cannot send certain things to italy, so I'm wondering if there are certain restrictions for Latvia.
 
#5
When in doubt, don't do it. You have been in communication with the buyer, so go with your instinct on this.
In fact, contact them and tell them you will not declare it for less than it's value or pay any customs fees for it (they are new- they may not know that the buyer covers this) and see what they say. If they don't like it, you can refund them the $.
 
#6
thanks! actually, that's exactly what I told them two hours ago when I messaged her, no response yet, but I told her if she didn't want to pay the customs fees for the entire declared amount, I would refund the money to her.

here's to hoping. I guess it would be just my luck to run into a buyer that is making me nervous XD

thanks everyone!
 
#7
snoopylaughs said:
thank you for your advice!

how do I know if purses are something that is not allowed to be sent to Latvia? just in case? I remember a while back, reading that you cannot send certain things to italy, so I'm wondering if there are certain restrictions for Latvia.
Click to expand...
I don't think sending a purse to Latvia would be a problem (see below), but I'd still be hesitant to complete this transaction until I speak with the buyer.

Latvia Import Prohibitions
Acids
Batteries, Haz
Bearer Documents
Bio Products, Haz
Chemicals, Haz
Corrosives
Cosmetics, Haz
Credit Cards
Dangerous Goods as defined by IATA (Intl. Air Transport Association)
Devices for smoking opium or hashish
Flammables
Furs
Gases
Graphite Products
Ice, Dry
Ice, Wet
Infectious Substance
Jewelry
Liquor, Haz
Magnetized Materials
Metals, Precious
Nuclear Material
Oxidizers
Paints, Haz
Perfume, Haz
Personal Effects
Poisons
Political Material
Press Kits
Psychotherapy Substances
Radioactives
Toiletries, Haz

Any printed material urging or advocating terrorism, violence, war, racism, anti-semitism or fascism.
 
#8
Addresses outside of the US, Canada and UK can't be confirmed. This is why sellers who say the ship internationally but only to confirmed addresses cut their client base down to these three countries. Most of them probably don't know that.

If the buyer agrees to your declaring the full value, instead of a refund, then do not ship by a courier like FedEx. In order to bill the recepient for duty & tax, they need their FedEx account number which your buyer does not have. Otherwise they'll bill you, like choo_girl said.

I hope she doesn't get nasty with you.
 
#9
hmmm okay, i just got her message back

she's asking me to send the purse to a friend of hers in the US, and then her friend will either ship it to her or bring it to latvia... because she says it'll be about $240 in customs fees if its sent straight to her

I'm just confused now, is this okay if she agrees to have me send it to someone else?

thanks for all of your help
 
#12
This whole thing stinks. I would contact ebay - file an unpaid item dispute. I think there is something about not agreeing on terms or something like that. I would not ship and from now on set your ebay to not allow bidders from counties I do not ship and then careflully select the countries you ship to.

I will add a buyer to my buyer exemption list if they contact me, have great FB and understand my terms of service.
 
#13
If she really wants the bag, she could have her friend buy the bag from you, then you would be covered under paypal. Also, sending high dollar items to certain countries could still be risky becuase of the customs agents not being totally honest, even if the buyer is.
You could refund her and tell her to have her friend purchase the bag.
 
#14
thanks SO MUCH for all the help!

I would need to repost the listing for her friend to purchase it, right? or would her friend just need to login and pay for the item again with her own paypal and provide the confirmed address
 
#15
Since she bought it, you would have to relist it for her friend to buy it, which means you need to cancel (mutually withdraw) the first transaction in order not to pay fees twice.

Now, before relisting for the friend, I would ask for this person's fBay ID and check her feedback inside out. Don't wait until after the purchase to see red flags...

BTW, if you're in the U.S., whether or not you're covered by PayFoe's seller's protection does not depend on a confirmed address. If you meet all other requirements and the transaction shows as eligible for seller's protection, you will be covered whether you send it to her or her friend.
 
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