Must vent! How unfriendly buyer!

H

hwjfj2006

Member
Apr 15, 2007
95
0
#1
SORRY FOR THIS LONG STORY!!!

2 weeks ago, this buyer (ebay ID: aerivian) contacted with me for our MBMJ Hillier Hobo. She wanted it for $460 including shipping. Actually we don't have margin @ her offering, however we are so eager to sell in this slow selling period that we agreed with the offering. And then today she contacted with us, saying that she was upset because custom called her to pay custom duties.

I was so much furstrated, I stated it and highlighted it so clearly that "International buyers have to take responsibilities for all custom duties". And she has more than 100 FB. So I just assume she will know it. But.....

But I replied her that she may either keep the bag and we will refund her $50 for the duties or reject and return it and we will refund her full except half of the shipping expense. In either way we lost money because of nothing wrong with us!!

See her reply: "Not the best experience then if you have underpaid the delivery cost. If I wouldn’t have contacted you myself about the posting I wouldn't be aware of what is happening with the item I have paid for over a week ago. In this instance I feel like any future correspondence seems pointless as I don’t feel like being blamed for your poor service. "

I raged.....................What I should do !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cursing:
 
#2
She's probably going to leave negative feedback no matter what you do. You could either let it go and do nothing or, if you decide you must respond to her email, you could highlight the section in the listing that specifies buyers are responsible for custom duties; point out that this is common practice--the person who wants the item (buyer) pays for these fees, not the person selling it; and tell her you find her tone offensive and that you "don't feel like being blamed" for her inability to read or understand the shipping instructions or lack of knowledge about custom duties. What's up with international buyers expecting sellers to pay for their countries' custom fees? That's narcissistic, IMO. Good luck!
 
#5
I've both purchased and sold internationally, and as a buyer, I am fully aware that my government's rules are my fault (especially if I voted for them :P), so if I get charged customs/duties, I suck it up. It's a roll of the dice whether the package gets stopped at the border, and I win more often than not.

As a buyer, I made the conscious decision to import from another country - it's not the seller's responsibility. So I don't understand why this seems to be a surprise to buyers who CHOOSE to purchase internationally?

Interestingly enough, as a Seller, the only buyer I had who was upset about THEIR country's import duties was also from the UK. Yes, it made me mad, but their feedback was positive, with a remark about how much duty they had to pay. In the end, that feedback only reflected poorly on them.

You went above and beyond as a Seller, but there's never any accounting for the Buyers' state of mind. If she leaves you neg feedback, I would definitely reply to it, so that future buyers can see what the issue really was. The eBay system won't let you do anything other than that, unfortunately.
 
#6
Just PISSES me off that we sellers are being held hostage by buyers for SO many reasons. I say screw it, take the neg. and be proud of it!

We have to stop letting buyers push us around and steal from us, this is in a nutshell, what they're doing! :cursing:
 
#8
I am an international buyer (depending of course on where in the world my seller is,LOL) and I am certainly intelligent enough to understand that Customs are my full responsability when buying things........I mean you´d have to be a moron not to get that IMO!!!! I clearly understand why you are fuming!

Kat
 
#9
I have not bought internationally so am not really familiar with customs. Is customs just the luck of the draw? From what I remember a friend saying, your package may or may not be selected for customs duties.

Can the amount be determined ahead? If a package is worth $500.00, would I have a ballpark idea of what the customs fees would be?

Is this why some buyers ask sellers to mark as a gift? If the item is a gift does that mean no customs?

Thanks, I've shied away from international auctions because I don't understand customs but this forum seems to have people who know what they're talking about!
 
#11
PBCalifornia said:
I have not bought internationally so am not really familiar with customs. Is customs just the luck of the draw? From what I remember a friend saying, your package may or may not be selected for customs duties.

Can the amount be determined ahead? If a package is worth $500.00, would I have a ballpark idea of what the customs fees would be?

Is this why some buyers ask sellers to mark as a gift? If the item is a gift does that mean no customs?

Thanks, I've shied away from international auctions because I don't understand customs but this forum seems to have people who know what they're talking about!
Click to expand...

If you are in Canada, custom is like a casino. You got picked, you paid even it is marked as gift. I have experience sending my friend handbag marked as gift and was charged custom.
 
#12
Thanks friends! I feel like get a right place to discuss it. Yeah, I think I am going to stop yielding bad buyers like that. Somehow, do u feel FB a important factor for buyers to bid?
 
#13
^^I can't speak for others, but I personally think feedback is important. Still, I read the comments and a couple of negs among a lot of positives will not turn me off. Also, if the seller is nice and responds quickly to my emails, that builds my confidence in the seller.
 
#14
hwjfj2006 said:
Somehow, do u feel FB a important factor for buyers to bid?
Click to expand...

I read FB, depending on the number of fb, I steer clear of sellers fb that says item wasn't received or wasn't as described. Neutral or neg. for slow shipping, bad communication or high cost might cause me to ask the seller how soon they will ship but as long as the item was received and described properly, that's what matters to me.
 
#15
If she leaves you a neg feedback and you can RESPOND to the feedback (I don't know, I don't sell), then state that the buyer was angry that HER country charged HER a customs fee, and HER govt's fees are not within your control....??
She's being an absolute HAG IMO.
 
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