posted on September 16, 2000 06:46:26 AM
I bought a hard drive duplicator from a Canadian computer store. I confirmed type of payment, and shipping via UPS in advance as well as the amount and sent it via a US Postal MO. Imagine my surprize when I received a bill from Federal Express for $85.00. I contacted them and advised them that I had already paid for the shipping in advance and sent them all of the correspondence. They replied that the signature acknowleding receipt of the package also signified acceptance of the $85.00 C.O.D shipping charges. Hard to tell when the package was originally shipped via Airborne's French speaking affiliate and the label was in French. Eventually after hours and hours of effort and 10 or 12 extensive cumulative e-mails Fed Ex and Airborne charged back the shipper. To add insult to injury when I went back to leave negative feedback and warn others E-Bay had pulled the transaction. End result, #1 if the label is anything but English I do not accept it and will not sign, #2 I will no longer bid on any items listed outside the US. I may be missing some good deals, but I do not miss the aggravation of trying to get foreign agencies to help a US citizen. Incidentally, even though I contacted E-Bay numerous times regarding this transaction, I still have not heard word one from them.
posted on September 16, 2000 09:29:23 AM
Your problem was in not using Postal Survices.
If it had went UPS it wouls have been more so you are technically liable to pay for the freight that you not them ordered.
You can go to the web sites of FED EX and UPS as well as thePO to find these things. If it is outside the the US lower 48 you will pay way to much for their service. Lucky they did not damage it too.
The postal would have been $15 insued. 3#
You should try the same thing for 45 pounds.
posted on September 16, 2000 09:56:39 AM
Foreign purchases are notorious for problems;I've been very fortunate so far. It sounds like the seller pulled a fast one and left you with shipping charges.
posted on September 16, 2000 11:02:47 AM
I had pre negotiated with the seller to use UPS confirmed before I bid. The charge was $28.00 and included insurance of $1,000 which I included with the price of the auction item in my U.S. P.M.O. Airborne and Federal Express had numerous complaints regarding this seller charging twice for shipping. He took your check and then sent it postage due in FRENCH!. I felt that Airborne was a willing conspirator using a small boxed labeled in FRENCH which if checked, indicating that the recipient would accept the responsibility for paying for shipping. I will not accept a package whose instructions and liabilities are not clearly spelled out in English. I was contacted by two other E-Bay high bidders who had been ripped off by this guy under a different name and company. When he reregisters under a different name who else will he rip off?
posted on September 16, 2000 06:51:44 PM
Us foreigners aren't all a bunch of idiots!
I've been selling things from both Canada and Japan for a number of years -- first auction was almost 4 years ago now (very little of it was sold through eBay, mind you) -- and I've yet to get a complaint about an item's shipping.
Jeez, if I only bought items from my own country, I wouldn't have nearly as much choice as a whole world of sellers offer.
Sure, there are bad apples in Canada who will try to stiff you on shipping, just as many as there are in the States. I'm not claiming that there are no frauds here. But to never again buy from the country because of one bad experience is a bit limiting.
When you buy from a foreign seller, the same rules apply as from a domestic one -- just make sure the bulls**t detector is set on its most sensitive setting.
