Package prohibited by air
I purchased an antique toy train made sometime in the 19th century that was being shipped from France, the package never arrived and upon messaging the seller it was apparently returned to them with the message “goods prohibited by airâ€
I’ve looked on both the US Customs and Postal Inspection Service sites about restricted items and both say nothing about antique toys being prohibited. I also find it strange as about a year ago I purchased a pair of antique toys made around the turn of the century from Germany and both were shipped without any issue.
The seller is trying to get it back to me so I’d like to get this resolved if it can be.
9 comments
josephb555
·1 year agoI never buy or sell internationally. The reason is that it takes too long for the item to arrive and the other country might have laws that I don't know about. In your case France must have some law against shipping toy trains.
marnotom!
·1 year agoIt's the importer's responsibility to research whether an item is permitted into their country. I really doubt that there's a law in France against the shipping of vintage toy trains to the United States. From the information we have so far, it sounds more as though somebody out of an overabundance of caution deemed the train as being unshippable by air mail.
marnotom!
·1 year ago@stainlessenginecovers
According to @ellne66, the seller stated that the item was stamped or labelled "goods prohibited by air" which now suggests to me that it was determined (correctly or not) that there was a safety issue with the item that could be worked around if it were shipped by surface. (Believe it or not, international surface shipping is still a thing in many countries.)
I think the seller's picture of the package will help us clarify things.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year agoUS sellers cannot ship Toys to the UK (possibly many parts of Europe) so therefore it could also be the same in the other direction? (Europeans cannot 'ship' toys out of the country or countries of the European Union or or??
https://www.freightos.com/freight-resources/importing-exporting-toys-games/
Regulations and compliances for importing and exporting toys
Toys and games are subject to a variety of laws related to product safety, testing requirements, and labeling specifications. Products that do not meet these standards could face penalties, legal action, or damage to the brand.
Compliances differ by country, so ask your supplier and freight forwarder which ones you’ll need.
Here are some key regulations:
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
In the US, toys are subject to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). If you’re importing toys, you’ll need a certificate of compliance with this law, which relates to materials, paint regulations, and other safety requirements.
European Union Toy Safety Directive
In Europe, The Toy Safety Directive of the European Union (EU) lays out toy safety rules. Prior to being sold in the EU, toys must undergo safety inspections to ensure compliance.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an NGO comprised of standards representatives from more than 160 countries, has developed guidelines for toy safety for manufacturers and suppliers. Compliance with ISO toy safety standards is often required by regulatory bodies around the world. Check with your supplier to make sure they adhere to these standards.
Documentation requirements for importing and exporting toys
When you import or export toys, pay close attention to these documentation requirements:
Certificate of compliance
After you determine which compliance you need, you’ll need to get tested and provide certification with your shipment. This will include information about the product, testing standards applied, and the testing date.
Labeling requirements
Toy and game shipments have specific labeling requirements, which include the name and address of the manufacturer, the name of the product, its model number, and any necessary cautionary or warning statements. Talk to your supplier about labeling your toys and games properly.
Accurate records
Make sure to keep accurate records of your inspections demonstrating adherence to safety laws and regulations. This will help you keep your certifications up to date and avoid delays.
In addition to these documents, you’ll likely need a variety of other standard shipping documents. Your forwarder will know which ones your shipment requires.
marnotom!
·1 year agoIf the package was marked "goods prohibited by air," it sounds to me as though the item never made it out of France in the first place. It doesn't make a lot of sense to send something across the Atlantic by air, then mark that it can't be transported by air, and then return it to the sender.
As you don't mention anything about tracking information on the package, I'm wondering if the item was small enough to send as an oversized international letter. There's been an increased but inconsistently enforced crackdown on merchandise being shipped internationally by letter-post as the items are untrackable and have no corresponding customs documentation.
simba6
·1 year agoA lot of things can trigger that. It could be in error. What was it made of? Nitrated cellulose was an early form of plastic. It's very flammable however and becomes unstable with age. Could be that or they thought it has some in it?
ellne66
OP1 year agoThe train is made entirely of tin and is hand painted. The only thing I could think of that could trigger it is likely traces of lead in the paint and potentially the wheels as some toy trains from the time it was made had wheels made of small lead castings. In the photos the paint is tarnished and faded but not flaking and the wheels are intact
ellne66
OP1 year agoThe Photo that the seller sent me shows a tracking label for Colissimo service D which seems to be a delivery service specifically for parcels. Other than that it doesn’t seem to have any postage labels for international letters. I’m using mobile at the moment so I’m not sure if I’m able to upload the picture
12345jamesstamps
·1 year agoThey might have thought it had some type of battery in it.
US Customs and Postal Inspection Service know not much about old toys but new toys.
Just a thought. I got a package last week with this sticker on it...it just had stamps in the package.