posted on October 28, 2002 08:11:14 PM new
I had a Canadian bidder win an auction for way over the $20 no duty limit. He told me to put "gift" and $20 on the customs form. I didn't like that but I did check gift but put $25 (by mistake as I didn't know about the $20 thing) for the value. Now he's e-mailing me very angry that he doesn't have the $$ to pay the duty. Even if it's taxed at 20% (don't know) that's only $5. And he paid a lot more than that for the merchandise. He also said ther's a handling fee.
Should I send him the $10 or so? Tell him to refuse it and eat the postage both ways? Tell him to quit whining and be glad I didn't put the full value on?
I need some AW wisdom. And yeah, I know I messed up.
posted on October 28, 2002 08:20:50 PM new
It does not matter what is put on the customs form, have him tell them to open it up and look at the invoice.
This is a good example of just doing the correct thing - mark it as merchandise, and put the exact amount down. I don't even email customers back anymore when they ask me to mark it as a gift, it does not get marked that way.
As far as what to do, tell him that this is between him and his government. I would do nothing, send no money, do not accept it back because he does not want to pay customs. That is something he needs to take into consideration when bidding.
posted on October 28, 2002 08:22:17 PM new
"Tell him to quit whining and be glad I didn't put the full value on? "
That gets my vote.
Are you a liar and a thief? Sounds like this guy wants you to become one. What's he done for you that you'd risk breaking international laws?
*HE* isn't risking anything here- YOU would be the one lying on government forms.
You shipped the item according to the terms outlined in your auction (I assume). International bidders should KNOW that there are duties and fees involved. You shipped the item- It's up to him to pay the taxes his country has imposed, not you.
"And yeah, I know I messed up."
Only by agreeing to put anything other than the true value down.
posted on October 28, 2002 09:45:28 PM new
Most all of my auctions are for U.S. bidders only, yet when a foreign bidder emails and asks to bid, I will let them but I tell them up front I won't lie on the customs declaration. On the few that I open up for international bidding, I specify the same in my tos. I absolutely refuse to declare an item as a gift or state a value other than the high bid price. If they were to become too obnoxious about it, I would be inclined to go the other way and declare an inflated value and let them work it out with customs.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on October 29, 2002 08:13:33 AM new
I had a Canadian bidder that got smart. He lives close enough to the border that he got a US po box. I mail all items to the po box, he comes across & picks up his mail. How he declares the items is his business.
posted on October 29, 2002 11:16:57 AM new
bear, I have had the same experience on more than one occasion, especially in eastern Canada, wher there a lot of towns just across the line in the USA. A lot of Canadians even bank in the US & do a lot of shoppingover here. They can save $$ on the taxes.
posted on October 29, 2002 11:28:48 AM new
I told him that he was lucky I made a mistake and didn't put the full value on it. After I thought about it for a while it occurred to me that he may have already paid the duty and was just trying to shake me down for a few bucks. And what would he do if a seller refused to lie? Back out of the transaction? That would mean a FVF warning and possibly a neg. Kind of risky. I haven't heard anything back and don't particularly care if I never hear from him again. I did change my TOS to say that all duties, fees and taxes are the sole responsibility of the buyer. Oh, and he's been blocked from bidding.
