eBay, sending to the EU from the U.K warning.

michael e · Jul 25, 2022

I have never had a problem sending to the EU until recently, some packages are being held in customs for sometimes 2 months with buyers rightly opening disputes. All my items are sent via Royal mail tracked/signed and tracking shows items not moving for quite a long time while in customs or pre customs.
eBay will then give the sellers there money back again rightly so.

But this is where it gets difficult for any sellers on eBay.
eBay will (rightly so) refund the buyer and will then take the money out of your account so you are left without the item or the payment. (zero seller protection when this happens) You'll then have to trust the buyer that once the item is delivered he/she will pay.

At this moment in time I have three watches this has happened with and one Omega bezel, The Omega bezel has since been delivered but the buyer has already been refunded, I asked the buyer if he would pay and his reply was that "he was not obliged to do anything". So even though you can prove to eBay the item has been delivered and even when the buyer states he has the item you can still be left with nothing.

Just a warning for you guys if you are considering posting to the EU from the U.K. you could lose everything.
Some items are arriving while others are being held in limbo for a long time.

Cheers, Michael

MtV · Jul 25, 2022

Wow. What an asshole, the buyer of the bezel.

DHL Express will likely solve that problem as the customs process is speed up by them and there’s hardly any waiting time, but that’s not economical for cheaper products of course. Thanks for sharing.

Rochete · Jul 25, 2022

Well Johnson said it: Hasta la vista, baby.

Omegafanman · Jul 25, 2022

michael e
I have never had a problem sending to the EU until recently, some packages are being held in customs for sometimes 2 months with buyers rightly opening disputes. All my items are sent via Royal mail tracked/signed and tracking shows items not moving for quite a long time while in customs or pre customs.
eBay will then give the sellers there money back again rightly so.

But this is where it gets difficult for any sellers on eBay.
eBay will (rightly so) refund the buyer and will then take the money out of your account so you are left without the item or the payment. (zero seller protection when this happens) You'll then have to trust the buyer that once the item is delivered he/she will pay.

At this moment in time I have three watches this has happened with and one Omega bezel, The Omega bezel has since been delivered but the buyer has already been refunded, I asked the buyer if he would pay and his reply was that "he was not obliged to do anything". So even though you can prove to eBay the item has been delivered and even when the buyer states he has the item you can still be left with nothing.

Just a warning for you guys if you are considering posting to the EU from the U.K. you could lose everything.
Some items are arriving while others are being held in limbo for a long time.

Cheers, Michael

Are you able to open an insurance claim via Royal Mail if you can prove a loss due to the late delivery?
Also would using the eBay international shipping program help in this situation?

michael e · Jul 25, 2022

MtV
Wow. What an asshole, the buyer of the bezel.

DHL Express will likely solve that problem as the customs process is speed up by them and there’s hardly any waiting time, but that’s not economical for cheaper products of course. Thanks for sharing.

I use a few different carriers for very expensive items but as noted people are not always willing to pay extra for less expensive items.

The buyer of the bezel blamed me all the way through this process even though I posted the next day, he knew the tracking number and could see the item was held up in customs. All beyond my control unfortunately, Very frustrating but his attitude towards paying me after he admitted receipt shows me what kind of guy he is.

michael e · Jul 25, 2022

Omegafanman
Are you able to open an insurance claim via Royal Mail if you can prove a loss due to the late delivery?

This I will try in the near future, if a lot of time goes by without tracking changes/updates.
I have had an Italian package returned to me this week with no explanation so this also could happen with the other three packages
The tracking is still active and I know the items will be delivered at some point or returned to me undelivered.
The bezel I cannot claim for because tracking states it was delivered.
Cheers, Michael

watchyouwant · Jul 26, 2022

Ok. Michael, 2 things: these estimated " Travel times " are mostly determined by eBay USA. And they have no clue at all. I was on the phone with eBay USA a few times. For them, Brexit/COVID/ whatever related events do not matter. Waste of time. Leave blistering feedback for the bezel buyer. Mention Cheat/do not trade with.../got refund and kept late delivery as well... Feedback. If he wants eBay to have that removed, he pays you and you remove your reply feedback and eBay removes all feedback. Next: if you ship via the postal network ( EMS..) , call international post tracking and open a missing parcel case. They don't want to comply; just insist in doing so. Or do that in person In your local Post office. You get a case number and the case is your update in the tracking system. Then the buyer can not claim compensation quickly. If nothing happens, do that again and that is updated in your tracking system as well. Time consuming, but that might work. Works in Australia. Last remark: Bloody Brexit.

Omegafanman · Jul 26, 2022

I would also write the the ‘buyer’ again and ask if they will send the item back (you would need to pay postage) remind them you are a private individual so if they keep or sell the item without paying for it they will have stolen it from you. I would also consider reporting it to the police if they keep the item without paying for it (in both countries) - but warn them before you do that. You could also raise a case against eBay depending on which jurisdiction they are in now (I think they moved away from the FSA ;0)

Lastly this is making me think despite its flaws and costs using eBay for the shipping program might be the best protection going forward on future sales?

padders · Jul 26, 2022

If the bezel ‘buyer’ is happy to keep it without paying I feel you’d be justified in posting his name and eBay user details on here so we can all avoid what is basically a thief.

ps sellers can’t give feedback to buyers on eBay uk anymore AFAIK so that route suggested above won’t work.

khanmu · Jul 26, 2022

I would also consider writing to the customer complaints journalists - there’s a column in the Sunday Times (“Question of Money”) for example that highlights the most egregious cases, and asks the companies for a response - and they always seem to love poking companies such as eBay …

smitty190373 · Jul 26, 2022

Sorry to hear this @michael e

Is this choice of shipping outside Ebays Global Shipping Program? I find it quite easy to use that service, and once Ebay have the item at their U.K hub they seem to take responsibility for it from then onwards.

Dan S · Jul 26, 2022

That is a really unfortunate situation. And it's particularly strange and frustrating that low-value items are being held in customs. If it were only higher-value items, then at least you could mitigate it by using a courier. There must be some value below which customs doesn't care.

Evitzee · Jul 26, 2022

Dan S
That is a really unfortunate situation. And it's particularly strange and frustrating that low-value items are being held in customs. If it were only higher-value items, then at least you could mitigate it by using a courier. There must be some value below which customs doesn't care.

Depends greatly on the country, US customs doesn't usually get too excited about duty on mid to lower priced shipments, sometimes even letting high value shipments pass through with no duty. The UK seems to be particularly focused on collecting all duties due, big or small. Just different philosophies and practices on how they want to treat their citizens. For the most part collecting duties on individuals shipments like this costs far more then they bring in, but governments are gonna do what they want.

Dan S · Jul 26, 2022

Evitzee
Depends greatly on the country, US customs doesn't usually get too excited about duty on mid to lower priced shipments, sometimes even letting high value shipments pass through with no duty. The UK seems to be particularly focused on collecting all duties due, big or small. Just different philosophies and practices on how they want to treat their citizens. For the most part collecting duties on individuals shipments like this costs far more then they bring in, but governments are gonna do what they want.

Yes, I've experienced the hit-or-miss nature of US customs many times, but I'm thinking more of the official policy. I may be misremembering, but in the US, I think that a shipment valued under $800 is not subject to duty. These low-value shipments are definitely expedited. I was just wondering if European countries have the same rule. The OP is shipping from the UK to the EU, so I don't think that UK customs is relevant here.

tnt9 · Jul 26, 2022

I do also sell on Ebay, had simmilar situations few times with buyers that got refund and then later my package arrived and never I had somebody so stupid like yours bezel guy. What a idiot....

Ron_W · Jul 26, 2022

Sorry to hear this and what an awfull behaviour from that buyer.
If you ship to the EU it is important to write the VAT paid nr in the address as well ( in between name and street for example ) i learned, this is the Ebay tax code so they let EU customs know they collected the import VAT charge.
That number is listed on your ebay invoice and looks like this : VAT PAID : IOSS-IM276000xxx

And yes, smoke that buyer through feedback and other postings, what an arsx

Bourne1984 · Jul 26, 2022

Sorry to hear as this whole enterprise works on a large percentage of trust

paddymoran · Jul 26, 2022

Hi, really sorry to hear of your situation. That guy is a thief plain and simple. If eBay have refunded a payment for an item that is subsequently delivered surely they have an obligation to right the wrong that they have caused. Failing that I’d ask PayPal to get involved as presumably the buyer was refunded for a PayPal payment.

Here in Ireland, post Brexit our customs regime totally changed. Pre Brexit most imports got through without being charged VAT or duty but about a year after Brexit there was a real step change and now almost all packages are stopped and VAT/ duty is charged. This, as you can imagine, leads to delays on imports - maybe adding a week to deliveries. No change to courier post though. Typically there’s also a requirement to add a TARIC Code to customs forms on packages - all in all a lot more complicated and slower so I would strongly advocate using a courier company as opposed to a national postal service. Hope it works out for you.

smitty190373 · Jul 26, 2022

It just keeps on giving.....

NoName · Jul 27, 2022

Thanks for your warnings.
Sorry to hear about your lost items!
eBay must protect the sellers because without us there is no eBay!!

eBay, sending to the EU from the U.K warning.

michael e

MtV

Rochete

Omegafanman

michael e

michael e

watchyouwant

Omegafanman

padders

khanmu

smitty190373

Dan S

Evitzee

Dan S

tnt9

Ron_W

Bourne1984

paddymoran

smitty190373

NoName

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