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Advice request: US Customs wrongly seized a Tiffany watch
I live in the United States. I purchased a 100% authentic Tiffany & Co. watch from a seller in Japan. The seller shipped it using FedEx through the eBay platform. Nothing weird. Nothing off-site. everything was done legitimately on the eBay platform.
Apparently customs agents are embedded with shipping companies now. Kind of like how the FAA inspectors are employed directly by Boeing. (an unholy alliance in my opinion).
Anyway, the customs agent is apparently paid by FedEx, or so it seems. They seized the watch because it had a “lizard†leather watch band. The watchband was absolutely an original Tiffany strap, and was original to the watch itself; not a replacement band or anything like that. “Made in Switzerland†and hallmarked with the “Tiffany†logo.
Customs “delayed†the item and asked me (the buyer) for information about the leather watch band. I said the same thing, it was just the original watchband that came with the watch, made in Switzerland, and there was nothing illegitimate about the watch band. It’s not an endangered species, it’s whatever farm raised lizard Tiffany uses for his watch band. It’s like the most ridiculous thing ever
But after only one day of both the seller and me attempting to resolve it with customs, we were notified the item had been seized. I wrote to the FedEx/customs person and asked for the contact information for the US customs agent who seized the watch, and I asked for evidence of the seizure in writing, and I asked for all information about the process to appeal the seizure. This was almost 2 weeks ago now and they have absolutely not responded. I’ve written multiple additional times and I get no response whatsoever from FedEx/customs.
I submitted a request to eBay for help. eBay refunded my $1200 purchase price but now they’re telling the seller that they will not do anything for her. She will not get paid, and the watch is still seized by customs and they refuse to respond.
The seller is very nice, and we have had great communication. I do not want her to suffer a loss. It’s totally unfair. There’s absolutely no basis for US customs to seize the watch. It was obviously a legitimate commercial item made by a
US company (Tiffany) that has been in business since 1837. It was sold on the eBay platform and the seller enclosed an accurate declaration of the contents and the sales price. As I said, it was shipped using the eBay link to FedEx, etc. etc. It’s totally unfair that the seller suffered a $1200 loss because US customs are jerks.
I don’t know what to do. Of course I’m relieved that eBay is refunding my money. $1200 is a lot! of money for me - this watch was going to be a very special gift for my wife.
I’m sure $1200 means a lot to the seller too. Does anyone here have advice? I’ve tried to reach out to eBay but they say I have no further basis to communicate with them, because, my money was refunded. They don’t seem to understand I’m not seeking help for myself, I want the seller to be made whole.
So, if anyone has any ideas of how I could help the seller, or how the seller can go about appealing the decision, I would be grateful.
I would also appreciate very much any information anyone has about US customs, and how to track down the name and contact information of an agent and how to submit an appeal for an item that was stupidly + wrongly seized.
Thank you so much in advance for any information, advice, or experience you can share.
-Bob S.
the seller is wonderful!
@naomi1682
