rustygumbo
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posted on June 23, 2003 06:43:16 PM new
I received a payment today from a Canadian that really ticked me off. No mention of this prior to sending shipment, in fact, I have it clearly stated in my checkout information. I just want your input and experience with this situation. I have included my reply to him.
Portion of Bidder Email:
"I have a few specific instructions that will save me excess customs charges, and you negative feedback from me getting customs charges on account of you not following these simple insructions!
1) Declare item as a GIFT
2) Describe the item as "Shirt"
3) USPS Air Mail Please
I am sure you can follow this simple request. Thanks! I appreciate it. It has been a pleasure doing busines..."
Here is my reply:
I received your payment today. However, there are a few things I would like to point out.
First, I will not lie on customs forms. This is noted in the checkout that you completed. Your letter specifically instructs me to mark the item as a gift so that you can avoid "getting customs charges". I will NOT lie on customs forms. This was very clear in the checkout instructions.
Second, I don't take threats very well. You have threatened me with negative feedback for doing something that is a Federal Crime. This is blackmail, something that I will not tolerate and will report to Ebay and the Federal Authorities if you want to make an issue of it.
If you have any problems with this, contact Canada's Customs and Sales Tax departments. This is the country that you choose to live in."
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Roadsmith
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posted on June 23, 2003 06:46:46 PM new
Rustygumbo: Excellent reply, and sanely reasonable - to a real jerk. Let us know what happens with this one.
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sparkz
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posted on June 23, 2003 07:01:02 PM new
Enclose a bottle of cheap wine with it. List the contents as "Rare Vintage Wine". Declare the value at $2000.00. Send it to him UPS. If he's going to neg you, you might as well give him something to really scream about. Also don't use your name and address on the package or customs forms. Use that of one of your favorite NPB's.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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rustygumbo
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posted on June 23, 2003 07:11:43 PM new
I am pretty anxious to deal with this one as well. I get a kick when I run across someone like this. It just gets my blood going. The thing about this person is that they have perfect feedback and have left negs and neutrals for people who don't like on customs charges.
I hope they ask for a refund because I will simply reply, "I will gladly refund your payment, however, I will also leave negative feedback for non-payment." I just don't take crap from these types of customers. I've been hit with a few negs in the 4 years of selling, but I feel pretty damn good when it is because I stood my ground. the one's that piss me off are when they retaliate because they didn't pay and got a neg. That's a whole new thread.
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kiara
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posted on June 23, 2003 07:12:39 PM new
This is an example of feedback extortion. You can either send him this page or turn him into ebay.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-extortion.html
sparkz, you always make me smile. 
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pointy
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posted on June 23, 2003 07:22:30 PM new
Ditto what Roadsmith said: Excellent reply to a jerk. Period. There's not much any of us here can add. We can only compliment you on your reply, which is probably the reason why you began this post.
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bear1949
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posted on June 23, 2003 07:45:32 PM new
And some people wonder why I won't ship outside the USA.
In fact a while back one of my auctions closed & two weeks later when the check arrived it was from South America.
Sent them a email "I don't ship outside the US.
They replied (Please mail to this address in Miami).
Replied , "no way", your check is being returned. Well today here is their check, reurned to me, "Cannot forward to new address".
[ edited by bear1949 on Jun 23, 2003 07:51 PM ]
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sanmar
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posted on June 23, 2003 07:47:28 PM new
Dunk the asszzzle. Put a value of $$$ as sparkz suggested. Either that or don't ship to the north end of a southbound ass. That is pure & simple attempt at blackmail.
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rustygumbo
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posted on June 23, 2003 08:11:13 PM new
Awww... man! I wanted a death brawl battle. The guy apologized, and said it wasn't a big deal. I plan to leave feedback only after I get his.
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bigpeepa
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posted on June 23, 2003 08:42:13 PM new
Hello, I lost a good German watch buyer because of customs and tax laws. If you send an old watch to Germany as watch parts there is no customs tax on it. If you send the same watch as old watch they pay tax. This very good buyer bought the first watch and I sent it as watch parts. After all it didn't run and he said if he couldn't fix it he could use it for parts. Weeks went by and the same guy bought another watch from me. We forgot to send it as watch parts and the guy had to pay tax. The German watch guy left me a positive feedback saying "nice watch ect" but emailed me saying he was not buying anymore watches from me because I didn't follow his instructions. I offered him a refund for my mistake buy he never answered my email. In some countries there are legal ways to get around customs. Like our own tax laws the big shots know how to legally get around the law but us little guys don't.
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replaymedia
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posted on June 23, 2003 10:08:36 PM new
I got my very first Neg due to a customs form.
It was for a $2.00 item going to Japan. Apparently my helper was used to writing dollar amounts like 2oo (2 and two little raised zeroes, you've seen people do it.)
Well, apparently, the mail carrier in Japan read it is $200 and the rest is history.
But there is something about telling people you run an international business 
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capotasto
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posted on June 24, 2003 05:26:43 AM new
"Sent them a email "I don't ship outside the US.
They replied (Please mail to this address in Miami).
Replied , "no way", "
Too bad for you, a lot of my South American buyers use a Miami address. Apparently there's a service in Miami that trans-ships for them. Makes it easy for me to ship and I keep a good customer.
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paloma91
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posted on June 24, 2003 07:10:40 AM new
There are a few legit mail services in the Miami area that send mail to clients in central & south america. When I worked for a big dot com company working with wealthy central/ south american clients, it was very common to ship to their mail services there. You see the mail in those countries are not as secure as our mail here. If you send anything other than a letter, the chances of it not arriving at it's destination are very high. I used to send computer and satellite equipment and it was always sent to their miami mail service.
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rustygumbo
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posted on June 24, 2003 07:59:22 AM new
I shipped two $200 tickets for the Producers to a Miami address. The woman lived in Panama. I figure I am covered by Paypal provided I use Delivery Confirmation and ship it to a confirmed address. DO NOT SEND IT if their Miami address is not confirmed!!!
Now I have another person who received a broken item from me. She admits I packed it very well, but it broke. Any idea if USPS covers the postage in an insurance claim? I know UPS doesn't.
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ihula
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posted on June 24, 2003 10:25:16 AM new
USPS will not cover the postage. I always claim the postage in a UPS claim, however, and they always refund me what I ask. For example, I have more people pay priority shipping and insurance for a 99 cent video (can't figure out why). The total would be about $5.29. UPS would give me back $5.29 if I requested it. USPS would refund me 99 cents.
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ahc3
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posted on June 24, 2003 10:58:02 AM new
I've used Miami too several times for South American buyers. Never had a problem...
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