Customs held my item on return, what are my options?

Arminass · #1 02-15-2017

Hello, dear smart people of this forum, please help me out here,
I have sold an item on ebay, customer opened a return on paypal and I agreed to return money after buyer sends my item back.
I asked buyer to declarate the parcel as a low value gift, but he did not listened to me, wrote some price from the sky and now customs want me to pay import tax, parcel is held.

If I will tell customs to send item back, how paypal will react? I see that customer is in panic and called paypal already.
What other options do I have besides refund and forget ? Pay customs is not an option..

Thank you.

yotano211 · #2 02-15-2017

the package will be denied entry into the country and send the package back to you in time, it might take a while, dont ask me since i dont know how long it will take.

paypal will just refund the buyer. you will be out the shipping cost to the buyer.

rsot · #3 02-15-2017

There is also the risk that if you deny the package, the buyer might not resend when the package is returned to him/her....and paypal might decide in customer's favour

likefrasers · #4 02-15-2017

Why not tell customs it's a returned item?

You also can try to deny the post - say the value is not true. Item will be returned back to buyer and he has to send again.

Paypal only will support buyer if the item shows clearly delivered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arminass

Hello, dear smart people of this forum, please help me out here,
I have sold an item on ebay, customer opened a return on paypal and I agreed to return money after buyer sends my item back.
I asked buyer to declarate the parcel as a low value gift, but he did not listened to me, wrote some price from the sky and now customs want me to pay import tax, parcel is held.

If I will tell customs to send item back, how paypal will react? I see that customer is in panic and called paypal already.
What other options do I have besides refund and forget ? Pay customs is not an option..

Thank you.

Arminass · #5 02-15-2017

"Paypal only will support buyer if the item shows clearly delivered.
"

This line gives me hope

dealagreeproceed · #6 02-16-2017

careful if you reject it you most likely will lose case. atleast thats how it is with eby cases....

Ebayorbust · #7 02-16-2017

Why is paying the duty to get the item back not an option?

likefrasers · #8 02-16-2017

OP says the buyer "did not listened to me, wrote some price from the sky and now customs want me to pay import tax, parcel is held."

If you ignore customs, they will return the item back to the buyer. It is not your fault.

Buyer has to make sure item sent back in good. Same as seller has to make sure item sent to buyer in good.

ebay or PayPal will never support the buyer if tracking shows it stuck in customs or returned back to buyer, doesn't matter what kind of reason.

In this kind of case, I never lose any. Always win.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebayorbust

Why is paying the duty to get the item back not an option?

Ebayorbust · #9 02-16-2017

Maybe so, but as the original seller of the item, it would be easy for the OP to prove to customs that the item was incorrectly declared and ask them to adjust the import duty based on the true value.

I don't think ignoring the issue is the way to proceed.

likefrasers · #10 02-16-2017

Customs won't do that. I'm dealing with them for 6 years. Belgium, UK, France, Netherlands, there're many times they just took off my post and hold it there without even requesting me any documents.

Last winter I shipped a coat to a buyer in London, when post arrived in Belgium, it stuck there for 4 weeks not moving, I called them and they asked me for the proof of how much it is - I marked it as 25$. In fact on the brand website, they only sell 20$. I showed them invoice, website screenshot and everything, they insisted it's worth at least 100 GBP.

Without telling me in advance, they made a denature on one of the sleeve (cut it broken) and sent it into UK as craps.

After that comes with ebay item doesn't match description case, etc, etc...

You can not reason customs. They are the biggest boss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebayorbust

Maybe so, but as the original seller of the item, it would be easy for the OP to prove to customs that the item was incorrectly declared and ask them to adjust the import duty based on the true value.

I don't think ignoring the issue is the way to proceed.

Ebayorbust · #11 02-16-2017

My understanding was that in most countries import duty or VAT paid on a returned item can be reclaimed so whilst the OP would be out of pocket temporarily to get the item back, the fees paid would eventually be reimbursed by the customs authorities in his country.

Bunneh · #12 02-16-2017

How much customs are you being asked to pay?

Arminass · #13 02-16-2017

Here is what i received from paypal today:

"The tracking information shows that your parcel is waiting for clearance at customs. We require you to contact the shipping company or customs office within 3 calendar days to complete the customs clearance.

Please note that it is the seller's responsibility to provide a third party certificate or to pay the customs clearance fee in the process of return of the goods if the item is ultimately delayed by customs clearance Leading to failure or destruction, PayPal will still refund the amount of the transaction to your buyer. After the incident, PayPal will not be involved again."

Ebayorbust · #14 02-16-2017

Pay the duty / VAT and then reclaim it.

It's what any legitimate business would do.

likefrasers · #15 02-16-2017

In this case you don't have much option now, pay the VAT and close the case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arminass

Here is what i received from paypal today:

"The tracking information shows that your parcel is waiting for clearance at customs. We require you to contact the shipping company or customs office within 3 calendar days to complete the customs clearance.

Please note that it is the seller's responsibility to provide a third party certificate or to pay the customs clearance fee in the process of return of the goods if the item is ultimately delayed by customs clearance Leading to failure or destruction, PayPal will still refund the amount of the transaction to your buyer. After the incident, PayPal will not be involved again."

Bunneh · #16 02-16-2017

what is worth more to you? the item or losing money in customs?