Just got a package returned that was going to Canada for a "restricted" item... need advice

[leareamc]

I was surprised to get a package at my doorstep today that had been sent to Canada through Ebay International Standard Delivery. Looked online and all it said was "returned due to issues encountered". Called Ebay and they said it shows returned for a dangerous goods reason. The item is a vintage Weaver Marksman scope for .22 caliber rifles. A little googling turned up that you can't ship items that are made for assault weapons. This hardly qualifies as a part for a semi-auto assault weapon. I am going to have to wait to talk to Ebays international package people tomorrow, but can anyone guide me on what I need to say to them to get them to admit this was not a restricted item(assuming it truly should not have been)? Should Ebay have to pay for my shipping again it it is determined that this should not have been returned? Also, how should I fill out the form next time to avoid this/ I think I read you should describe the part ad the exact type of weapon it is used for on the form.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @leareamc ,

Sadly, eBay computer bots are the ones monitoring listings and sales, not humans.  If that package was picked off AND caught before entering Canada then you should simply refund the Buyer.  eBay is not going to reimburse you for any shipping.   You have probably read through eBay's policy below.  I've had several listings pulled and summarily deleted over the years that did NOT violate policy BUT eBay's system flagged them anyway.  I never tried selling those items again on eBay ... I sold them elsewhere.

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

Unfortunately, I think you will waste time trying to fight this IMHO.

Regards,

Mr. L

[albertabrightalberta]

It sounds like either USPS or Canadian customs rejected your item. Ebay had nothing to do with it.

[leareamc]

The agent told me it made it to Kentucky and it had to have been Ebay's people that made the call to send it back. People sell scopes all the time on Ebay. If i can't talk sense into the international agent tomorrow, I will move on and ship it within the US. i can't imagine I'll have an issue since no one domestic will likely open the package.

[orangehound]

...but can anyone guide me on what I need to say to them to get them to admit this was not a restricted item(assuming it truly should not have been)?

Your item was rejected by Canadian customs, not eBay.

Should Ebay have to pay for my shipping again it it is determined that this should not have been returned?

Sellers are responsible for understanding and following import restrictions into the destination country, not eBay.  According to the FedEx website for Canada, "Firearms, weaponry and their parts (and replicas thereof)" are prohibited for import into Canada ... that would include a scope.

Also, how should I fill out the form next time to avoid this/ I think I read you should describe the part ad the exact type of weapon it is used for on the form.

As noted in the link above, all weapons and weapons parts cannot be imported into Canada.

[pjcdn2005]

I have no idea if that particular scope is ok to send to Canada but DHL often restricts items that 'may' be restricted. I suspect that they won't ever forward firearm parts since our laws are so different here.  You might want to limit all gun related items to shipping in the US only.

[kensgiftshop]

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@leareamc wrote:

The agent told me it made it to Kentucky and it had to have been Ebay's people that made the call to send it back. People sell scopes all the time on Ebay. If i can't talk sense into the international agent tomorrow, I will move on and ship it within the US. i can't imagine I'll have an issue since no one domestic will likely open the package.

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Was it shipped International Standard Delivery as you stated in the OP or was it shipped through the GSP?

[justafemster]

I once had a tube of mascara returned because Brazil doesn't allow the importation of cosmetics.  I didn't know and had been sending them for YEARS!  And I sent more after that.  I don't ship to Brazil anymore, maybe I should try again.  

[leareamc]

Definitely shipped with Ebay Standard International

[kensgiftshop]

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@leareamc wrote:

Definitely shipped with Ebay Standard International

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If it was shipped direct, it was customs that returned it and had nothing to do with Ebay.

[pjcdn2005]

@kensgiftshop 

eBay International Standard is not shipped direct.  It goes first to a DHL depot in the US and it sounds as if it got sent back there.  If they deemed that it 'might' not be allowed then they would have sent it back...that seems to be what they have been doing lately.

[1tuna]

whenever I sell an item to CA than I use the EISD and it ends up printing regular USPS Edelcon 1st class postage to canada

items shipped to canada by EISD go directly to canada and not KY

this is for the USPS items..I have no Idea what fedex and UPS do with Canadian packages

[leareamc]

EISD is what I used to ship this. i was told it went to Kentucky first. Do you mean priority mail international maybe?

[leareamc]

OR first class mail international actually?

[pjcdn2005]

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@leareamc wrote:

EISD is what I used to ship this. i was told it went to Kentucky first. Do you mean priority mail international maybe?

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I have heard of EISD going directly to Canada via usps rather than going to a DHL depot but afaik that isn’t always the case.  But I’m just going  by what I’ve read from other Canadian buyers and from US sellers here. I haven’t had a parcel delivered to me using that service.

But it sounds like it was eBay who had the information about why the parcel was sent back so i think that your parcel went through one of the EISD depots.