“Worst Case Scenario”

[E-minor7]

Hey folks – take a listen :

 

2 weeks ago I was lucky enough to win an auction for a purple plushed vintage case of a type I had been hunting for some time.

Happy and ready to pay I was. But, , , when the invoice was received (as many times before) it had an unforeseen 'new' point called Import Charge.

Now I know that the state here is very strict about toll-fees and claims it only can be done on local soil.

Therefore I started to investigate – asked eBay, asked PayPal, asked seller, asked local Post-service, asked the state-authorities here (talked to them on the phone several times).

The first 3 wrote back, told it was alright and sent me a site with the rules of Global Shipping Program as the firm behind the Import Charge (121,93), is called – the local offices all claimed they didn't know Global Shipping Program and recommended me not to go further.

So did PayPal both here and in Luxembourg - ϟ ABSURD !

PP then informed me the seller wasn't in their archive, neither was his mail address, and advised me to change code.

Within 24 hours eBay (who delivered excellent service the whole way through) reassured me seller was perfectly respectable, , , and underlined that Global Shipping Program was up and working. They also recognized me as a man of clean reputation. Never the less now seller began to bark. Told me he would open an 'Unpaid Case', totally lacking understanding of my dilemma. I decided to maintain a good tone and keep digging. 4 phone calls to Post-Service – 1 plus mail correspondence to/with the state-custom.

How exhausting it was – needless to say it absolutely destroyed my spirits about the innocent vintage case.

 

Long short :

 

I have given up the fight today. The parts can't seem to meet and don't seem to be able to see each other.

ebay tells PayPal isn't really involved – still their logo is seen on the invoice !? A thing which still goes over my head. . .

So does the whole f...... situation.

My latest move was to write the State-Custom-Department and ask them to look closer into the Global Shipping Program for the sake of my future on eBay, , , and of course for other coming buyers, , , not to mention themselves. Seller posted me this morning and said the item was on its way further – what a short fused little rocket there.

Me, , , I'm just tired and frustrated.

 

Thanks for your attention, guess the story was as big a drag to read as it was/is to go through it –

 

And please report if anybody have experiences with this G.S.P.

 

 

 

[ChrisA83]

I've seen the Import Charge thing on several eBay items - it's so you know what you're paying up front and don't get stung for it when it arrives in your country.

[E-minor7]

I've seen the Import Charge thing on several eBay items - it's so you know what you're paying up front and don't get stung for it when it arrives in your country.

 

Yes, you're right - maybe I didn't get that straigh in my text, and I definitely see the logic in the mechanism.

 

Thing is the State here ain't in synch - but hep for clearing that point for other readers.

 

[ParlourMan]

So did PayPal both here and in Luxembourg - ϟ ABSURD !

 

Not absurd at all, it makes a very sensible place to base your business HQ bar salaries... Quite a lot of American companies are based here to take maximum advantage of our setup. In fact one of the American banks here is a bit of a national joke on the way they treat people and loophole around criticism and is referred to as "Slave Street".