Seller Insists On Insuring For $400

[Pete S]

Won a record, seller is insisting he insured it and declares it at it's full value which is $400. I've asked him not to do this and only value it at $20 and send it by registered post so that I can sign for it. He's already done a background check on my through ebay! I'll have to pay up to £100 customs charge on this. Does anyone have any idea/advice and presumably now that the paypal payment has gone through, I can't cancel it can I?

[Chalky]

Won a record, seller is insisting he insured it and declares it at it's full value which is $400. I've asked him not to do this and only value it at $20 and send it by registered post so that I can sign for it. He's already done a background check on my through ebay! I'll have to pay up to £100 customs charge on this. Does anyone have any idea/advice and presumably now that the paypal payment has gone through, I can't cancel it can I?

what did the postage info on the listed item say?

[Guest]

Won a record, seller is insisting he insured it and declares it at it's full value which is $400. I've asked him not to do this and only value it at $20 and send it by registered post so that I can sign for it. He's already done a background check on my through ebay! I'll have to pay up to £100 customs charge on this. Does anyone have any idea/advice and presumably now that the paypal payment has gone through, I can't cancel it can I?

I don't think so Pete . He's just protecting himself.

With the planned changes in ebay feedback you'll find more and more sellers insisting on this to cover themselves, i certainly will be if i can't give feedback as a seller.

Derek

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

Morning,

Not much you can do about it Pete except ask the seller to cancel the sale if you aren't happy to pay customs and offer to pay his listing fees to relist it.

Seller is only covering himself against it getting lost in the post, if he sends it registered and only declares $20 on the customs form, that is all he can claim from his postal service if it does get lost.

Perhaps he's been ripped off before and covering all angles, you can't blame him. With all Pay Pals rules and regulations, you don't have much choice to cover yourself fully.

It used to be anything over £28 that was imported would be liable for customs charges, I had a package totalling about £50 and ended up with £8 odd customs charge grrrrrr.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Fatius Bumius

[Pete S]

Can they actually charge us for second hand goods? Or collectables/antiques. I've been paying these charges for years and never questioned it.

[Guest]

Not a lot you can do really...and as Derek said I think this will start to happen a lot more now that the feedback system has changed. Problem is if it got lost in the post, would you be happy to only get $20 as a refund or would you want the full purchase price???

[Pete S]

Not a lot you can do really...and as Derek said I think this will start to happen a lot more now that the feedback system has changed. Problem is if it got lost in the post, would you be happy to only get $20 as a refund or would you want the full purchase price???

He can send by registered post for $12 and it's tracked from his door to mine. I've risked it over 5000 times and never put a claim in for a missing record.

[Sebastian]

It's a bit naughty, but I guess you CAN choose not to pick up the package from the post office when it arrives (and refuse to sign the delivery papers). That way the seller doesn't have a proof of delivery, and you can claim your money back from PayPal. The package will eventually be returned to the sender.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

Seller will have to send it the best way for him to be fully covered. You can't blame him really on $400 sale, it's a lot to lose.

I've sent an item to USA before, buyer said they hadn't received it. I had sent it Airsure and got full tracking history from Royal Mail which even gave the time it was delivered. All airports and postal offices the package went to as well was listed. If it wasn't for that Audit Trace I had done, pay pal would have found in the favour of the buyer and I would have been £65 quid worse off. The whole saga took 6 weeks to sort out through pay pal.

If we send items overseas using International Signed For service it's only trackable within the UK, if non delivery problems arise, you are a bit stuffed as a seller. Best to use Airsure when we send. Perhaps similar rules apply to american postal system.

Like you say Pete, you can risk it, but it's not worth the risk for $400. If you paid the seller with $ through the post or bank transfer, he could send it any way you wish with no fear of a pay pal chargeback. If you really want the record, suggest to your seller you do a bank transfer and he can put $20 on the customs form at your risk.

[Pete S]

Seller will have to send it the best way for him to be fully covered. You can't blame him really on $400 sale, it's a lot to lose.

I've sent an item to USA before, buyer said they hadn't received it. I had sent it Airsure and got full tracking history from Royal Mail which even gave the time it was delivered. All airports and postal offices the package went to as well was listed. If it wasn't for that Audit Trace I had done, pay pal would have found in the favour of the buyer and I would have been £65 quid worse off. The whole saga took 6 weeks to sort out through pay pal.

If we send items overseas using International Signed For service it's only trackable within the UK, if non delivery problems arise, you are a bit stuffed as a seller. Best to use Airsure when we send. Perhaps similar rules apply to american postal system.

Like you say Pete, you can risk it, but it's not worth the risk for $400. If you paid the seller with $ through the post or bank transfer, he could send it any way you wish with no fear of a pay pal chargeback. If you really want the record, suggest to your seller you do a bank transfer and he can put $20 on the customs form at your risk.

I don't think you can do bank transfers from here to the US can you?

And no, I don't want the record - thats my profit gone so it's pointless.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

I think it all depends which bank they/you use as to bank transfers but there will be a commission charge.

If the sellers moved the funds out of his pay pal account you will have to wait until he's got money back in his account before he can refund.

If he transfers money from his bank account to his pay pal account to refund you it takes 7-10 days for the money to clear into his pay pal account.

You'll be in for a wait :-(

ballache eh ??

[Guest]

He can send by registered post for $12 and it's tracked from his door to mine. I've risked it over 5000 times and never put a claim in for a missing record.

The risk is all the sellers though isn't it?

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

Pete,

Just a thought, you could ask the seller if he wouldn't mind offering it 2nd chance offer to the under bidder ? If under bidder takes up the offer, seller will have $ in his account to refund you all but a couple of $.

If not, I think you are stuck with the record and customs charges :-(

[Pete S]

The risk is all the sellers though isn't it?

You reply to me as if I've never actually sold a record! I would have looked at someone's feedback and the fact they've got 7000 positives and no complaints about records going missing would make them trustworthy to me.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

If it was the other way round Pete, you'd be a fool to yourself to send high priced items anywhere without adequate insurance cover especially when being paid with pay pal.

Way too risky if you ask me no matter how credible someones feedback is.

[Pete S]

If it was the other way round Pete, you'd be a fool to yourself to send high priced items anywhere without adequate insurance cover especially when being paid with pay pal.

Way too risky if you ask me no matter how credible someones feedback is.

Next you'll be telling me I should wait for peoples cheques to clear before sending goods out

[Hold Tight]

Next you'll be telling me I should wait for peoples cheques to clear before sending goods out

You could se if someone is going to the states to collect or to have it posted to a trusted contact in the states who will post it uninsured?

[Pete S]

You could se if someone is going to the states to collect or to have it posted to a trusted contact in the states who will post it uninsured?

Yeah I've aksed if he'll send it to someone in the States for me, he can stick as much insurance as we wants in that case.

At the end of the day I should have read the small print, so apart from bribing my postman, I'm stuck with it. Though someotimes he puts the charge packages in my mailbox and I never have to pay?

[Dave Rimmer]

You could se if someone is going to the states to collect or to have it posted to a trusted contact in the states who will post it uninsured?

Or get your own US address via one of the websites you can use. Ages ago Trevski was after some trousers (I think)from the States who wouldn't post them to the UK, I put a link up to a site where you could set up a US address, and they would forward anything posted to it to your UK address for a small fee. can't remember the link now, but it's out there somwhere and perhaps Trevski used it.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

Next you'll be telling me I should wait for peoples cheques to clear before sending goods out

Yeh, I would I've only ever had one bounce.

Seller could refuse to send to someone else in the States, with pay pal, you have to send to whoevers name and address is on the pay advice or you aren't covered as a seller.

[Guest]

You reply to me as if I've never actually sold a record! I would have looked at someone's feedback and the fact they've got 7000 positives and no complaints about records going missing would make them trustworthy to me.

Just trying to look at it from the sellers point of view. He might trust you, but doesn't trust the postal service.

[Pete S]

Just trying to look at it from the sellers point of view. He might trust you, but doesn't trust the postal service.

Well I think at the end of the day, after reading everyones comments, I'll just have to bite the bullet unless he'll send to a US address for me. I find the post service pretty good, it's usually the people sending the records that are the problem!

[Guest]

Well I think at the end of the day, after reading everyones comments, I'll just have to bite the bullet unless he'll send to a US address for me. I find the post service pretty good, it's usually the people sending the records that are the problem!

You might get lucky and not get charged by customs....they don't always pick everything up

Now talking about records from the USA, must email a seller about the 'VG+' record I just received which is just about fit to put in the bin!

[Benelew]

I don't think you can do bank transfers from here to the US can you?

And no, I don't want the record - thats my profit gone so it's pointless.

One US seller I buy from regularly has ditched Paypal after a shipment of 10000 LPs went "missing" and PayPal found in buyers favour. Seller now says I can send UK cheque which they can cash without charge. Done it a couple of times recently and no problems either side.

[Guest Trevski]

Only had this once with the Alberta Weeks I got recently. Insisted on insurance. He put the value down as $300 and I got charged £38. At that rate, don't think yours will come in at £100 Pete, but it will hurt!

[Dave Rimmer]

One US seller I buy from regularly has ditched Paypal after a shipment of 10000 LPs went "missing" and PayPal found in buyers favour. Seller now says I can send UK cheque which they can cash without charge. Done it a couple of times recently and no problems either side.

Ten Thousand LPs Bloody hell, you'd struggle to lose that, it must have nearly filled a container !

[Denbo]

Can they actually charge us for second hand goods? Or collectables/antiques. I've been paying these charges for years and never questioned it.

Funny, I was asking this question on the phone to the Post Office just a week or two ago and I seem to remember the official telling me that there is no customs charge on used / second hand items, or if the package is marked gift.

Even if it is a gift, or used or second hand, it still has value so can therefore be insured.

You'd best double check first though. Pretty sure I'm correct.

[Iancsloft]

Or get your own US address via one of the websites you can use. Ages ago Trevski was after some trousers (I think)from the States -----

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Trousers from the states bloody hell and here,s me thinkin he shopped at Burtons

[Agent45]

Not a lot you can do really...and as Derek said I think this will start to happen a lot more now that the feedback system has changed. Problem is if it got lost in the post, would you be happy to only get $20 as a refund or would you want the full purchase price???

Registered mail from the US to the UK is more like $16.50 than $12, but it *can* work to help you avoid the taxes if the sender is in the right position with her or his local post office. What I have done is declare the insurance value on the registration form, check the "gift" box on the customs form, and not put a value in on the customs form. I'm a regular at my post office and all of the clerks know me, so they've never questioned my omission. However, they actually should check to see that the value on the customs form matches the value on the registration form. This way, I'm covered in case something happens, and the recipient shouldn't have to pay any tax penalties on delivery.

[Pete S]

Have to say this seller is the biggest nobhead I've ever come across on ebay. He won't send to a US address, he won't accept a Western Union transfer, he won't accept a bank transfer or money order. He won't refund my money and let me pay his fees. He says I am trying to defraud my government and I should be ashamed Then he says he's offered it to the second highest bidder who told him he would buy it but at 75 dollars lower than he offered, and the seller told me to I have to pay him the 75 dollars "to get out of this mess you created". So anyway I have told him when it gets to the UK I will not sign for it and I'll claim via paypal that it's not arrived because he won't have a signature. he also says "The parcel will be in the mail system shortly. I suggest you accept it or be prepared for a visit from ParcelForce inspectors".

I am sat here shuddering at the thought of these Parcel Force inspectors visiting me.

Oh and he also used this quote from a retaliatory negative someone gave me at Xmas: Here's a quote from your feedback on 12/17/07: "CONMAN WHO BID HIGH TO OUTBID OTHERS!!

Er, the whole point of ebay is to bid high to outbid others isn't it?

At the end of the day, I should have read his terms, but what a f*cking jobsworth, and as for customer care, he's never heard of it.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

If it's not incurred any customs charges Pete, accept it - nowt lost

Suprised the seller is still willing to send it to be honest. I'd think I'd got the buyer from hell who was going to cause me more trouble than it's worth, refund you and neg you for being a pain in the ass

[Pete S]

If it's not incurred any customs charges Pete, accept it - nowt lost

Suprised the seller is still willing to send it to be honest. I'd think I'd got the buyer from hell who was going to cause me more trouble than it's worth, refund you and neg you for being a pain in the ass

Which I'd have been happy to take on the chin and leave JUSTIFIED retaliatory negative feedback. I've never known anyone go so far out of their way to be difficult. I wouldn't wish this seller on anyone.

[Guest]

Which I'd have been happy to take on the chin and leave JUSTIFIED retaliatory negative feedback. I've never known anyone go so far out of their way to be difficult. I wouldn't wish this seller on anyone.

Isn't he just sticking to his advertised terms? I know it's a pain for you but if the seller stated his terms of sale and accepted methods of payment etc and you're trying to complete the deal outside of those advertised terms, then why would it be a JUSTIFIED neg for him??

Edited February 5, 2008 by Guest

[Denbo]

Which I'd have been happy to take on the chin and leave JUSTIFIED retaliatory negative feedback. I've never known anyone go so far out of their way to be difficult. I wouldn't wish this seller on anyone.

Hi Pete,

Did you look into my comment, repeated below;

Funny, I was asking this question on the phone to the Post Office just a week or two ago and I seem to remember the official telling me that there is no customs charge on used / second hand items, or if the package is marked gift.

Even if it is a gift, or used or second hand, it still has value so can therefore be insured.

You'd best double check first though. Pretty sure I'm correct.

Denbo.

[Reg]

Next you'll be telling me I should wait for peoples cheques to clear before sending goods out

Seriously on this point...if you don't know the buyer you should wait for them to clear and then wait another few days on top because they can bounce after they've cleared if your bank's clearing system is too quick for the antiquated cheque stopping system.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

That's what happened to me Reg, never again I trust no one on EBay no matter how NICE they appear.

Wasn't until the bank sent me a letter to say it had been returned that I knew anything about it bouncing. Turns out the buyer had been stood in a Q at the cash card machine with his card in his hand, someone had taken down his details while looking over his shoulder, (tapping bank numbers, name etc into their mobile phone)...and over the next couple of days emptied his account buying online etc.

[Pete S]

Isn't he just sticking to his advertised terms? I know it's a pain for you but if the seller stated his terms of sale and accepted methods of payment etc and you're trying to complete the deal outside of those advertised terms, then why would it be a JUSTIFIED neg for him??

Because he's such a nitpicking jobsworth thats why. Whats so difficult about sending it fully insured to a US address? As a seller I bend over backwards to help people, not do totally the opposite. And if my buyer said he wasn't happy with those terms I'd just say don't buy it then and forget about it.

[Guest]

Because he's such a nitpicking jobsworth thats why. Whats so difficult about sending it fully insured to a US address? As a seller I bend over backwards to help people, not do totally the opposite. And if my buyer said he wasn't happy with those terms I'd just say don't buy it then and forget about it.

If he sends it to a USA address then it's not being sent to the confirmed address on your paypal payment and he won't be covered by paypals seller protection.

IMO his terms are pretty clear on the auction, there's nothing there that is unreasonable or out of the ordinary and by bidding on the item you agreed to those terms so I fail to see why the seller is in the wrong?

Edited February 5, 2008 by Guest

[Pete S]

If he sends it to a USA address then it's not being sent to the confirmed address on your paypal payment and he won't be covered by paypals seller protection.

IMO his terms are pretty clear on the auction, there's nothing there that is unreasonable or out of the ordinary and by bidding on the item you agreed to those terms so I fail to see why the seller is in the wrong?

Well thank goodness I don't buy records off you anymore Adam. You'd be that unflexible and unhelpful would you? You'd purposely try to make your customer pay a huge import fee? Well good luck to you then.

[Guest]

Well thank goodness I don't buy records off you anymore Adam. You'd be that unflexible and unhelpful would you? You'd purposely try to make your customer pay a huge import fee? Well good luck to you then.

Thats OK Pete, but seeing as we live in the same country not sure you ever had to pay import duty on any of the records you've bought off me

I don't make the following statement on any of my sales (this statement lifted from the ebay auction): NOTE: We only provide true information on customs forms. Do not ask us to declare a lower value than the actual price you bid or to declare it as a gift. If you do so, it will jeopardize your transaction with us.

No, I'm not unflexible...but I would expect anyone who wants to do a deal outside of any terms of sale I've listed to at least have the courtesy to ask before buying rather than just kick up a fuss afterwards. Good to hear that you are so flexible and helpful with your sales though Pete, does that include telling people to sue you for refunds if they don't agree with your gradings??

[Pete S]

No, I'm not unflexible...but I would expect anyone who wants to do a deal outside of any terms of sale I've listed to at least have the courtesy to ask before buying rather than just kick up a fuss afterwards. Good to hear that you are so flexible and helpful with your sales though Pete, does that include telling people to sue you for refunds if they don't agree with your gradings??

No I'm happy to refund when my gradings are wrong, in this case they weren't, and you see if you can produce another person who's ever had a problem with my gradings apart from one who was trying it on. Oh and while your ask it, ask the person who ended up with it if the grading was accurate, I'll pm you their details if you like, cos it's funny, apparently it was actually better than I graded it originally...

[Guest]

No I'm happy to refund when my gradings are wrong, in this case they weren't, and you see if you can produce another person who's ever had a problem with my gradings apart from one who was trying it on. Oh and while your ask it, ask the person who ended up with it if the grading was accurate, I'll pm you their details if you like, cos it's funny, apparently it was actually better than I graded it originally...

I'm not questionning your gradings Pete and I'm sure the person who has it now is happy. I was talking about how people treat buyers, you're moaning about how this seller is treating you but he's probably sat at home thinking to himself that he has stated his terms plainly and simply and is getting hassle for it.

[Pete S]

I'm not questionning your gradings Pete and I'm sure the person who has it now is happy. I was talking about how people treat buyers, you're moaning about how this seller is treating you but he's probably sat at home thinking to himself that he has stated his terms plainly and simply and is getting hassle for it.

Terms or not, just put that out the window for a minute. How difficult is it to have it sent to US address. Or have the money upfront as cash, not paypal, so I have no comeback if it goes missing and he gets to keep the money. He's obviously one of those religious nutters that James T encountered, who put a value of 1200 on the customs ticket. Sorry I just don't get it, there are a multitude of ways around this and it's the fact that he won't even contemplate them AND also the fact he tried to get me to pay him $75 to cancel the deal.

[Benelew]

Ten Thousand LPs Bloody hell, you'd struggle to lose that, it must have nearly filled a container !

Yep, was in a container going to a buyer in Taiwan I was told. Must have come across those South China Sea pirates methinks.

[AlanB]

full value which is $400. ...I'll have to pay up to £100 customs charge

I got caught out like this around a year ago on a $200/£100 record. The import duty/VAT was around 20% plus around £5 for a Royal Mail handling fee - so I think you'll get a charge for about £45. Hopefully you could still make some profit on it.

Alan

[Dave Rimmer]

Yep, was in a container going to a buyer in Taiwan I was told. Must have come across those South China Sea pirates methinks.

well at least they are soul fans

[Pete S]

Oh well, all irrelevant now, just got my money refunded

[pikeys dog]

I am sat here shuddering at the thought of these Parcel Force inspectors visiting me.

You will be if they turn out to be like Viz's Bottom Inspectors....

[SteveM]

Oh well, all irrelevant now, just got my money refunded

Put the pins back in the box and melt the wax doll down now then.

[Pete S]

Put the pins back in the box and melt the wax doll down now then.

I was keeping out just on the offchance I managed to get a photo of you to stick on it

when my ex missus f*cked off I actually did have a voodoo doll, my daughter bought it me saying it would cheer me up, we wrapped some of the ex's hair round it and Jess stuck about 100 pins in the eyes. Nice kid. And the doll wasn't ugly enough anyway