Ebay shipping returning items as "prohibited" when they aren'[t.

[elbysvcs]

I manufacture and sell front sight adjusting tools for an assortment of military surplus and collectible rifles. I've been selling them on ebay for over 10 years now without any problems until this new "ebay shipping" program came about.  I tried it at fist to save a few bucks on shipping, then I got a number of items returned as "prohibited or restricted items" on International shipments. The notice also said that I wouldn't be charged for the shipping, but of course I was never given any sort of refund on it.

     After about the tenth return I got fed up and went back to paying the higher  USPS costs, then USPS stopped shipping to Australia this year and the only option was to use whomever ebay has partnered with, I suspect DHL. And now the problem has started up again, I've had numerous conversations with ebay customer "service" and they were less than helpful. I just received another returned item today and it was immediately obvious that the shipper opened the bubble mailer to see what was inside, which should have been very apparent that the item isn't a "gun part" as they claimed on the previous shipments.

     Now, Australia is about 50% of my International shipments and this is taking a big bite out of my sales. I just shipped another one to a fellow "down under" and included a note that stated "This is NOT a gun part, it is a TOOL and is NOT restricted or prohibited" for shipment...but I have no great hope that the drones at DHL care, or can even read. 

     Any insight or action that might help is welcome, if it continues I'll just have to drop Australia off the places I ship until such time as USPS starts sending mail there again.

[simba6]

They have much stricter laws about guns there. I suspect anything from a butt plate screw to a sling would be verboten.

[north40sales]

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@elbysvcs wrote:

I manufacture and sell front sight adjusting tools for an assortment of military surplus and collectible rifles. I've been selling them on ebay for over 10 years now without any problems until this new "ebay shipping" program came about.  I tried it at fist to save a few bucks on shipping, then I got a number of items returned as "prohibited or restricted items" on International shipments. The notice also said that I wouldn't be charged for the shipping, but of course I was never given any sort of refund on it.

     After about the tenth return I got fed up and went back to paying the higher  USPS costs, then USPS stopped shipping to Australia this year and the only option was to use whomever ebay has partnered with, I suspect DHL. And now the problem has started up again, I've had numerous conversations with ebay customer "service" and they were less than helpful. I just received another returned item today and it was immediately obvious that the shipper opened the bubble mailer to see what was inside, which should have been very apparent that the item isn't a "gun part" as they claimed on the previous shipments.

     Now, Australia is about 50% of my International shipments and this is taking a big bite out of my sales. I just shipped another one to a fellow "down under" and included a note that stated "This is NOT a gun part, it is a TOOL and is NOT restricted or prohibited" for shipment...but I have no great hope that the drones at DHL care, or can even read. 

     Any insight or action that might help is welcome, if it continues I'll just have to drop Australia off the places I ship until such time as USPS starts sending mail there again.

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a lot of it is about how some people interpret the ITAR regulations differently.   Some will classify gun accessories like tools as "gun parts".  Yeah, its dumb...but it is what it is.    Are your items being returned from the GSP hubs stateside or from the customs dept in the destination country? 

The problems that you are describing is the reason that I stopped offering international shipping on eBay.  I have no issues with my website sales or on other venues.  

[yng1998 · Accepted solution]

Ebay automatically enters the title you use on your listing onto your custom form.  I am not sure what is in your title but if gun is in it it may be why it is being rejected.  Luckily you can modify what the description says.  I would use the words "metal tool".

[lacemaker3]

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@elbysvcs wrote:

Ebay shipping returning items as "prohibited" when they aren'[t.

Yes, they are prohibited. Tools are accessories.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/firearms-accessories-policy?id=4277

[yng1998]

The description in the question stated that it was a tool used for adjustments, not an accessory and not a part.  Changing the description on the custom form so there is no reference to firearms should take care of it.  Why they would open things at the shippers, I don't know.   If the box they come in has pictures of firearms then that could be the problem.  Perhaps having different boxes for international shipments would work.

[elbysvcs]

I researched exactly what is and isn't prohibited or restricted in each of the 33 countries that I ship to.  My products fall under the NLR specification as they are gunsmithing tools. I've been selling and shipping to Australia for 13 years with no problems with USPS, this problem is solely with whomever ebay is using to get around the current USPS having stopped First Class International shipping to Australia due to covid problems.

[elbysvcs]

They are from the shipping hub in Kentucky and seem to be random, almost like it's only one employee that is doing it. I just shipped more international packages and they went through a different hub so hopefully the problem has been rectified.

[elbysvcs]

I have always changed it to "Elby sight TOOL" with tool in all caps. I now label them as ELBY accuracy adjusting TOOLS. 

[elbysvcs]

They are not accessories. It's not ebay kicking them back, it's the shipper.

[elbysvcs]

International shipments can be opened for inspection, but only by Customs. Whichever shipping company ebay is using obviously is ignorant of this, as well as what items are restricted. I understand that ignorance is rampant in society now, just wish it wasn't affecting my business. 

[north40sales]

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@elbysvcs wrote:

They are from the shipping hub in Kentucky and seem to be random, almost like it's only one employee that is doing it. I just shipped more international packages and they went through a different hub so hopefully the problem has been rectified.

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Could be a training issue where the employees there do not fully understand what can and cannot be shipped...or it could be an individual that does not like anything to do with firearms related items and kick it back to the shipper.  

I would definitely use a simpler generic description for the item like "Elby Precision Adjusting TOOL" and not use the term accuracy.  

[stainlessenginecovers]

See post #5; it tells you everything. 

Just because you were getting away with shipping these to other countries only means that the person looking at it in customs didn't do their job. 

[elbysvcs]

Sight adjusting tools aren't considered to be firearm accessories, they fall under "gunsmithing tools" as far as ITAR and  are NLR, or "No license Required" for importation, if you don't ship Internationally then you aren't likely to be familiar with the terms.  As I stated early on, I researched thoroughly as to whether my items are prohibited or restricted and they are not, perhaps read my original post a bit better. I also check again each  year to make sure that new restrictions haven't been put into place, which they haven't other than the new VAT.