What Happens If I Can't Pay for the Custom Duty Cost
I had recently purchased several items on eBay without considering custom duties. Unfortunately, I haven't make a brief research and thought that I would be responsible to pay the customs only if the product is electronic or more expensive than 150 Euros.
Since it was very late to cancel the order due to them being shipped already, I had asked the sellers if I would be able to receive a refund of the purchase cost (not shipping, since it is my fault) if I won't pay the custom duties and the item returns to the seller.
They told me that they would make a refund if the item returns to them yet when I looked into further details on Ebay Money Back Guarantee, it was stated that if I don't pay for the customs as the buyer, the Ebay will not help me through the process of refunds.
Did anyone experience something like this, is it possible if you could guide me?
I am really afraid of being have to pay for a lot of custom duties and I really do regret not being too careful.
monster-deals
·2 years agoMy advice is to pay the fee.
If you dip out, you opt yourself out of the MBG. The seller will most likely keep the money because any redress you have with paypal or a credit card will probably expire before the item ever gets back to the seller. Last RTS like that I had was 5 months.
mudshark61369
·2 years ago@selin_canpolat,
Since you are located in Turkey which is a member of the E.U. Customs Union, purchases made from other E.U. member countries would follow the E.U. policies regarding customs or VAT fees. That is something we in the U.S. do not deal with so you would have to look up that information online.
Since you have bought several items from China based sellers, you would have to ask your customs service, or look up your country's trade policies for purchases from China based sellers. You have also bought an item from a U.S. based seller, if they use eBay's International Shipping (EIS) you would receive an invoice or message with the international shipping cost which should include any customs fees.
As Femmefan wrote, if an item is sent back because you do not pay customs fees, you are not entitled to a refund and chinese sellers rarely send refunds even if they get items back. They tend to ignore messages asking for refunds.
You need to know that most jewelry sold by China based sellers are mostly not as advertised. The precious metal content and gem quality is very often misrepresented and is plated often that fact is stated but hidden deep in the listing. When you receive the items you have purchased take them to a jewelers to be tested. Silver should only be stamped "925 or Sterling" a stamp with paint in it, is covering the fact that it is plated.
Because you are new to using ebay, you need to learn to check the feedback profile pages of each seller you intend to buy from, before bidding on or buying their items. You can access a seller's feedback profile page from near the bottom of listing pages. Use the See All Feedback button below where their name is in a large font. On the profile page if the seller has received neutral or negative feedback, click on the numbers of them to read only those comments.
Never go by a feedback percentage alone. On ebay any high volume seller those with a high number in ( ) to the right of their username, who has a feedback percentage less than 98.6% should be avoided, but do not just go by their percentage alone check their profile page.
femmefan1946
·2 years agoIf you do not pay the import fees, which can be more than just duty, but also sales taxes (VAT) and customs brokerage fees, the item will, as you say, be returned to the seller as Undeliverable.
The seller is unlikely to refund you until they have your purchase back, and return to sender items are never a high priority, so that could be a month or more.
Then, eBay does not require sellers to refund a single penny on Undeliverable items, so you are at the seller's mercy.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210#specialcoverage-inr
It is the buyer's responsibility to be aware of their own nation's import policies and fees.
Anyway.
Don't you have a credit card?
Pay the fees with that and pay off the card, with interest, as soon as you can.
selin_canpolat
OP2 years agoThank you so much for your kind reply, it was very clear and simple to understand!
I will definetely be a lot more careful next time but until then, I would kindly appreciate any advices on how to cooperate with the sellers through the process?