The MLP Arena
TCB => Trader & Shipping Support => Topic started by: jrr74 on December 09, 2015, 10:21:40 PM
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So I did a BIN eBay deal for a MLP play set and now my it is being held up in custom. It was sent through the GSP from somewhere in the UK. EBay has already directly refunded my money back (no playing around I guess). Does anyone have clue of what might have happened? Is there anything I can do to maybe get it delivered/out of confiscation? Its a collectable item with parts still sealed in their package. I hate to lose that play set.
Scratching head,
jrr74
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thats a weird thing to get held up .
im not sure what your country's customs laws are but I have had in the past items held up and quarantined because the person had sent them in a used food box! *( it was a box marked Subway shredded Iceberg Lettuce) they also appeared to have used some kind of straw as the packing materiel.
both things are heavily fround upon by my countries border controls /customs .
i cant remember what the process was exactly. I know I got a scary letter saying my item was being withheld and there was a phone number to call, but that happened years ago i don't recall what happened but I did eventualy get my item.
if they gave you a case number or ticket number prehaps call the help line for customs and chase it up. the reason it got held up might be something as simple as bad choice for packaging.
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If it went through the GSP then they would have repacked the item so they should know what is restricted :( I cant think of any reason why the item is stuck . There are some restrictions on items you can ship from here to the US but an MLP playset shouldn't cause any issues . If there is a number then do try calling it (although it might cost a bit depending on whether your item is stuck in UK customs or US customs) . You have tracking so maybe someone somewhere can give you some insight. If the GSP repacked it in unsuitable packaging then they should get their butts kicked! also the item would be returned to the seller eventually..so I guess if customs doesn't release it and send it to you, it will go back to the seller so maybe then you could contact them and get it shipped again ?(preferably without the GSP!)
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*shakes head* Oh the GSP... everyone has problems with the service and HATES it! Plus really who wants to pay 30% more in shipping for an item they repackage and usually damage!
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How long has it been in customs, and were you specifically told it was confiscated by customs?
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I have heard of Pitney-Bowes (the Global Shipping people) stopping items because "that can't go through customs", when actually it was an item that WAS allowed to go through customs. I wonder if that's the case here.
I hope the seller can get the item back, at least. Then hopefully they can send it to you again?
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I want to apologize. I meant the GSC in UK, not customs..
I contacted eBay and actually got through within 5 minutes (woo-hoo). Of course, they were of no help except to tell me that the item should go back to the seller (i.e. unable to say why the item was undeliverable
Undeliverable - Item restricted at Global Shipping Center
Dec-08-15, 15:10 PM, Alfreton.
I contacted the seller so hopefully I will be given the opportunity to purchase the item again.
Thank you for the responses/advice. Will let you know how things end.
Fingers crossed,
jrr74
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Is it a playset that involves batteries?
Our postal service has a bee in its bonnet about batteries. When we post anything out now, we're told that we can't send batteries anywhere. I don't know why, exactly, just that it's the case. If it was a playset with batteries, there is a chance that that's why it was rejected. Since GSP requires the item to be unpacked and repacked in a way that means you pay more money for them to ship it more slowly and more cheaply, even a tiny battery item would be noticed and then flagged.
I have sent ponies out of the country with battery compartments, but none with batteries in since this came into effect. I just haven't tried :-/.
The GSP is a pain though. It compromises the safety of your item, it takes forever and it's just too expensive. I can live with the shipping cost, but I refuse to pay 3x the UK custom charge to import an item because a seller is too lazy to go to a post office, get it weighed and posted. I can't drive and I can't navigate; at home I have barely any reasonable public transport and if I can manage to go post something even in those circumstances, I have zero sympathy for someone else who wants the money from selling an item but can't be bothered to apply customer service and go the extra mile (literally).
All of that said!
With shipping from the UK to the US via the other method, there is the issue of Parcel Force and their magic imaginary volumetric weight...which means they'll judge the size of it and then charge you what they think it should weigh, not what it actually does. It is now really hard to send larger items like playsets overseas without hitting this milestone (where the shipping price goes from $20 to $70 because the parcel is maybe an inch bigger than the size guide, even if it is the same weight). So that might be why the seller is using GSP. In which case, you might have further problems importing this playset a second time.
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@Taffeta-It is just the perfume palace. I don't think it is very big and there are no batteries. It is the last US released play set I need to have a version of each one. The Lavender Dream Castle shall remain a dream along with the other versions of the show stable...lol.
have a great weekend!
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@Taffeta-It is just the perfume palace. I don't think it is very big and there are no batteries. It is the last US released play set I need to have a version of each one. The Lavender Dream Castle shall remain a dream along with the other versions of the show stable...lol.
have a great weekend!
Hrm. No. No batteries. I wonder if they got scared by the spritzer. It's not that big, but the original box is quite bulky...I would think it'd go under the radar size-wise though, if it didn't have it's box.
(also has a similar dream scenario relating to lavender DC)
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I will bet you anything Pitney Bowes got confused by "Perfume Palace" and thought there was actual perfume sloshing around in the item. Perfume is one of the items you can't send through the mail in the US. It shouldn't be an issue with the Palace because it's just perfume scented, but welcome to GSP hell.
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I will bet you anything Pitney Bowes got confused by "Perfume Palace" and thought there was actual perfume sloshing around in the item. Perfume is one of the items you can't send through the mail in the US. It shouldn't be an issue with the Palace because it's just perfume scented, but welcome to GSP hell.
I think this is it.
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Possible since the UK name is perfume puff palace, and that is written on the outside...maybe the scented spritzer caused the problem...
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Yeah, the spritzer and the whole shape of the playset. I don't think they spend a lot of time examining each incoming package, so the thought process is probably "Oh, a giant perfume bottle, perfume is not allowed, throw it in the 'returns' pile."
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Yeah, the spritzer and the whole shape of the playset. I don't think they spend a lot of time examining each incoming package, so the thought process is probably "Oh, a giant perfume bottle, perfume is not allowed, throw it in the 'returns' pile."
*nods* This is ridiculous but I'm almost certain that its exactly what's happened :facepalm:
although this being the case you can still have it resent via Royal Mail as its not actually something restricted.
I know there has been an issue with batteries at some POs but actually not all batteries are restricted. Say for example its a new item in its original packaging (and the batteries are small ordinary ones like button cell) , or the batteries are new in original packaging , or they are packed correctly - you can see how to pack them in some of the leaflets, prolly online too - then you actually can send items with batteries. Its just unfortunate that quite a few PO workers do not seem to know this or what type of batteries are restricted *eyeroll*
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Thank you everyone for your brainstorming :wonder:. I messaged the seller your thoughts about why this item was stopped. As of this morning, she has not received the item back. But at least I am feeling hopeful about getting a second chance to buy the Perfume Puff Palace with all of its accessories.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,
jrr74
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you're welcome hun :hug: I hope the seller is understanding and can resend it to you soon
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So I don't think this story is going to have a happy ending :( The seller still has not received the MIB Perfume Puff Palace back and eBay never took the money out of her account to refund me my purchased price. I assume that means that eBay liquidated the item. I received another packaged in the mail yesterday with the stupid shipped/packaged (?)Pitney Bowes logo on it. Stupid company, where is the common sense?
looked into prohibited items-cosmetics and liquids. comes with lipstick and nail polish >_<
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Wow . . . a sad ending for you, the seller, and the MIB Perfume Puff Palace. :(
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So sad.... if the seller had only had the common sense to take the box to a post office themselves! :( I despise the GSP and all it has done for online vintage collecting on Ebay!
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that's so awful! If I were the seller I would be getting on to them and really having a go about that because they should send the item back , and besides they weren't real perfume, lipstick or nail polish in there! they are toys for goodness sake :mad: :(
And this is part of the reason I will never EVER use to GSP when I sell my items internationally (aside from the poor repackaging issue and the crazy high prices )
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So broke down and bought another Perfume Palace from another seller. Talked to eBay the other day because I really wanted a contact number or e-mail address for Pitney Bowes' global shipping company. Apparently this is confidential information. The best eBay will do is send a message to the GSP and then I should receive a reply in the next 72 hours from the GSP. Best part is, if I do not receive said reply, I contact eBay who will sends them another message. Even though I have another set on the way (fingers crossed), I am not quite ready to give up on this set. It really does deserve good home. It will probably end up on eBay again from one of the employees of the GSP. That's better than the garbage.
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Talked to eBay the other day because I really wanted a contact number or e-mail address for Pitney Bowes' global shipping company. Apparently this is confidential information.
I'm at work so I can't ACTUALLY laugh derisively, but be assured I'm doing so in my head. Pitney Bowes' contact information is CONFIDENTIAL? Way to be transparent and support your customers, eBay!
Anyway, I found Pitney Bowes confidential website . . .
https://www.pitneybowes.com/us/contact-us.html
eBay could at least have directed you towards that, sheesh.
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Thanks LadyMoondancer! I am going to try to contact them now since it has been more than 72 hours since Ebay was kind enough to send them an email for me, and I have not received word. Its like good grief Charlie Brown. I will follow up with my post regarding the outcome of this stupid situation.