Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on January 28, 2015 at 7:25am

I think I would be very hesitant to sign any postal document that was not 100 percent accurate.   It would also depend on the language of the form.  I have bought many items that I know were not worth what I paid.  So the definition of "value" is ambiguous at times.  If it means the price someone is paying for the item then I think I would tell the person that is what I would have to declare.  I tend to be overly cautious.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on January 28, 2015 at 9:20am

I Australia we are heavily taxed on everything and im for paying my taxes. But in the case where a ebay seller wouldn't post a item I won on ebay because of duties I think its a joke and yet to see a moral issue with declaring low value on items esp a 45 record.   Lets say I purchased the cover and vinyl separate of the seller for 999.oo on both items theres no tax but if I buy them as one item for 2 thousand I pay tax. Its not Tabaco or booze or shipping containers full of items.  Who really wants to pay tax on a autographed cd or something. If that were the case I wouldn't collect. We pay tax on import over 1000 dollars to be clear. In the item I won fair and square I would have paid the duties but seller was clueless and gave me a refund first time I came across this situation and again ebay blows chunks.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on January 28, 2015 at 10:09am

J every time i deal with someone i don't know in the states it turns out to be a big pain in the rear end. How about our mate who like Taylor Swift. Rear end bud.

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Permalink Reply by Pete Bendu on January 28, 2015 at 10:23am

Lucky for me, as part of my job I do handle the shipping department for a collectibles store in CT.

An email release of liability will mean exactly nothing when the buyer puts in a claim thru paypal or their credit card.  

If you do not have full insurance & tracking on the item through the shipping company, you will lose the item and the payment every single time.

The majority of shipping that I handle is paid with Paypal and credit cards, and while I feel horrible for a buyer who lives in a country that collects VAT or added taxes on imports, this is not my fault. All I can do to protect myself as a seller is insure the item fully, which means full value on the customs form.

In order to have bullet-proof tracking and the item fully insured this usually means Express Mail starting at $47-$50 for an envelope that will hold an 8x10.

  I have however in the past offered to ship items anyway the customer chooses as long as they make payment with an international money order or cash (something where I have no risk for chargebacks or losses)

I am often a buyer as well, but I hope this will give some of you the inside look at what the seller is dealing with. Thanks to ebay and paypal. 

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Permalink Reply by Pete Bendu on January 28, 2015 at 10:27am

Someone mentioned Registered Mail. Registered mail is treated differently once it leaves it's home country. It is tracked in some countries and treated like standard mail in others, for this reason Registered international mail is covered for $45 in losses.

Sending an item with a value of $1000 overseas, if and when it is lost....will cover me for $45.

No thanks.  

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Permalink Reply by J.Seah on January 28, 2015 at 10:28am

Thanks for the insight on this issue. Good to know about the liability issue with Paypal payments.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Roberts on January 28, 2015 at 11:25am

Agree 100% Pete Chuks

Mark

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Permalink Reply by A.B. on January 28, 2015 at 11:38am

I'm in Europe and I have asked oversea sellers dozens of times to "help me" with the value issues.
There has never been a problem at all.
i agree that you should always be a little careful...but that goes for everything in this hobby.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on January 28, 2015 at 12:26pm

They have been talking about taxing all Internet Sales in Australia because the fat cats business are crying.
I'll be finding a new hobby if that happens.

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Permalink Reply by Sam Iam on January 28, 2015 at 12:56pm

If you declare and insure a 1000$ item at 100$ And it gets lost you will only get $100 back and then have to refund the buyer the 1k so you'll be out the 900$ and the item.
Better to be safe!

I have sold to overseas buyers who have friends in the USA. I send to that address and they work it out from there.

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Permalink Reply by Dane on January 28, 2015 at 2:08pm

For overseas shipping on high value items, I'd use DHL or FedEx. At least that way the insurance will cover the actual value. Yes, they fully declare the value on Customs, but that's the buyer's responsibility.

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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson on January 28, 2015 at 2:08pm

from my experience  in Canada no matter what you declare you are only covered up to 100 even with ups ect unless your specifically pay extra for added insurance something like $2 per $100 insurance in cases like that you may as well put a lower value on it.

We also get screwed and have had items at over $100 get charged about $20 for import it's insane

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