Global Shiping Program "Restricted" Item Issue

[universelle8]

I purchased an antique plaster & bronze sculpture from the UK which was shipped through the Global Shipping Program.

Today I received a refund and was told that the item has been deemed "restricted". I do not understand how a bronze and plaster item could be restricted.

I was also sent an email saying eBay ruled in my favor in my dispute case, although I never opened such a case.

I am extremely intent on receiving this item no matter the additional shipping charges as it is an irreplaceable antique. I have reached out to the seller who doesn't seem motivated to act as he has already been paid.

Please help me find a solution to prevent this rare 19th Century piece from being destroyed by customs. Do I have any options for contacting customs or the GSP?

Please help!

Thank you.

[simba6]

When that happens, GSP refunds the buyer and the seller keeps the money. GSP than disposes of the item.  That leaves the seller with no way to deal with it.

[kensgiftshop]

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@universelle8 wrote:

Please help me find a solution to prevent this rare 19th Century piece from being destroyed by customs. Do I have any options for contacting customs or the GSP?

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No., there is nothing you can do if it was confiscated.

They won't destroy it, they'll resell it and try to get their money back.

[universelle8]

Do you have a citation or reference for where you heard that they resell the items? I would like to know on which platform they resell so I can attempt to purchase it if possible.

[pjcdn2005]

They used to be resold on eBay (domestic shipping only) but I don’t know if that is still the case.  If so, I would guess that your item would be resold on the UK site.  

[lightlily_arts]

I'm curious as to why they deemed this to be a restricted item.  What did you purchase?

[bigdeals.etc]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

They used to be resold on eBay (domestic shipping only) but I don’t know if that is still the case.  If so, I would guess that your item would be resold on the UK site.  

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Haha yea I was gonna say it’d be hilarious if they resold it on eBay and used GSP for it again. Catch 22.

[universelle8]

It was a bronzed plaster death mask (cast of a person's face).

Below is a list of items prohibited by the GSP.

Curiously, I notice that "fine art" is listed as prohibited, however a death mask was not intended to be art - it was an item used to mourn the loss of an individual (listed in the Other Antiques category). An unusual item, but not technically prohibited.

It seems as though people at the GSP can arbitrarily deem any item as Restricted, then refund the buyer and seller and make the item disappear. If their policy don't give them proper grounds for doing so, it's theft.

Prohibited Items

Any item that is prohibited on eBay can't be sent using the Global Shipping Programme. Other items are also prohibited from the Global Shipping Programme.

Obscene material
Child pornography
Hate propaganda
Narcotics (including controlled substances)
Currency (including bank notes, stocks, bonds, coupons, credit cards, unused travellers' checks, securities, certificates, and other negotiable items)
Weapons (including firearms, knives, etc.)
Tobacco
Medical materials
Biological specimens
Perishable items
Liquids, liquefiable substances, and powders
Animals
Human body parts
Plants
Batteries (with exception of those that come included with consumer electronics such as AA, C, Li-ion batteries)
Radiological devices
Dangerous goods
Alcohol, including samples
COD shipments
Furs, fur clothing, fur-trimmed clothing
Wool and cashmere (Japan only)
Jewellery, gold or any other precious metals (whether manufactured or non-manufactured) that are subject to carrier and/or customs restrictions
Live, replica, or inert munitions
Fine arts
Cosmetics (including perfume)
Parcels that exceed maximum package size and/or weight limits imposed by global service provider
Any type of air, gas or liquid in a compressed container
Lasers
Radar busters
Bows, crossbows, arrows
Seeds
Chemistry Sets
Nutritional supplements, neutraceutical
Plant fertilisers, nutrients
Printer toners
https://sellercentre.ebay.co.uk/business/global-shipping-programme

[universelle8]

Update:

I received the following message from a Global Shipping Specialist giving the reason why my item was restricted:

"I'd like to apologize for the delay in responding to you. We have received a recent influx in emails. We like to answer each email personally, and it's taken a little longer than usual to respond to everyone. Thanks, so much for your patience during that time.  I can see that your seller has elected to send the order to you by using the Global Shipping Program. Regrettably, the order could not be forwarded to you by Pitney Bowes, our shipping partners, because concern about wood parts/contents. There are two reasons the shipping center restricts products containing wood; the first possibility is that the source of the wood could fall into the CITES endangered species restriction and be seized by foreign customs, or the wood could contain bacteria and/or molds that would require a fumigation cost upon pick-up. Because our shipping hub doesn't have a way to test these, they will err on the side of caution and restrict them all. To prevent either scenario, the shipping center will automatically restrict these items at the center and issue a full refund to you for both the item costs and international shipping/import charges.  

The good news is that this restriction process is actually a protection for both you and the seller as we do not want any customs or shipping company questioning you on why this was shipped. Restrictions like this are also rare as we try to pro actively block potentially ineligible items from being listed through the Global Shipping Program. I want to help as much as I can, so I would also suggest reaching out to your seller to determine if they might ship similar items to you direct in the future. You may also learn more about the restriction process and our Program terms and conditions here: http://pages.ebay.com/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html. For more specific details on restrictions, you will need to contact your local customs office."

The item I purchased is a plaster and bronze sculpture, but was placed in a mahogany box. The valuable portion was not the wood, but the sculpture itself. A simple solution is to simply give me the option of discarding the wooden box and sending me the sculpture, or simply return it to the seller. 

I have written back, but don't have much confidence that they will do anything to resolve this. It is also baffling that the list I posted above detailing their prohibited items does NOT include wood!

[donsdetour]

Probably considered an artifact, not art and therefore restricted.

[universelle8]

A GSP Specialist informed me that my item was restricted because of the wooden box the sculpture was placed in. They claim customs does not allow any wood to be mailed from the UK to the US because it "could be from an endangered species of tree or require fumigation costs upon pick-up".

I have reached out to customs to confirm or debunk this and am awaiting their reply.

It seems absurd as I have purchased many items in the past from the UK that have contained wood. If all items containing wood shipped through the GSP will be restricted like mine, the GSP should update their prohibited items list to include:  picture frames, wood furniture, shoes with wood soles, pencils, paint brushes, boxes, etc...

A long list of items as wood is extremely common in items shipped globaly every single day.