Ebay international purchasing advice needed

HelpfulConsumer

Hi,

I recently purchased some software from an international seller on Ebay, in Canada. The purchase was all fine but the parcel was stopped at customs and incurred charges which ParcelForce have since written to me to request else the parcel will be returned to sender.

Where do I stand on this? As I understood it, customs only apply charges when they need to check a package, which is why you fill out a customs declaration form. Any ideas why I am being charged? and should the seller be footing the bill or me?

The seller has offered to pay half but I wanted to check before agreeing to anything.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

frivolous_fay

Customs charges are applicable if an item is stopped, and it's up to you to pay them - your seller is being generous.

HelpfulConsumer

Hi,

I recently purchased some software from an international seller on Ebay, in Canada. The purchase was all fine but the parcel was stopped at customs and incurred charges which ParcelForce have since written to me to request else the parcel will be returned to sender.

Where do I stand on this? As I understood it, customs only apply charges when they need to check a package, which is why you fill out a customs declaration form. Any ideas why I am being charged? and should the seller be footing the bill or me?

The seller has offered to pay half but I wanted to check before agreeing to anything.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

HelpfulConsumer

but why would it have been stopped?

comp1

Hi
I have had a similar problem and sorry but yes it is your responsibility to pay, and its pretty much luck of the day if customs stop a parcel, if you read e-bays discussion page you will see pretty much the same.
Also your seller is being generous to offer to pay half so I would bite there hand of if I were you
hope this helps

custardy

you are being charged because HMRC (not parcelforce) deem the goods to be subject to import tax
your doing well for the seller to pay any as unless they state so in the listing all customs duty are down to the recipient

HelpfulConsumer

so even though its declared they still check and charge?

HelpfulConsumer

ok great, thanks, but why import tax on declared software?

trukdiver

HelpfulConsumer wrote: »

Hi,

I recently purchased some software from an international seller on Ebay, in Canada. The purchase was all fine but the parcel was stopped at customs and incurred charges which ParcelForce have since written to me to request else the parcel will be returned to sender.

Where do I stand on this? As I understood it, customs only apply charges when they need to check a package, which is why you fill out a customs declaration form. Any ideas why I am being charged? and should the seller be footing the bill or me?

The seller has offered to pay half but I wanted to check before agreeing to anything.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

You will be charged VAT (and duty, depending on the item) if the value of the parcel is more than £18, There is also a charge by Parcel Force for collecting it. They still charge even if they don't open it. Books, for example, are supposed to be free but they sometimes charge VAT on them if they're in a parcel with other stuff and the sender doesn't itemise the contents. They go by the declaration, so if it's wrongly described, you still have to pay. It used to be pot luck whether you were charged or not but now the seem to have become more "efficient".

HelpfulConsumer

So could the declaration have been wrongly described and thats why? or would it still be the case writing 'Software, including CD and manual' as that is all it is.

Sorry to appear thick, I have no experience of this and don't know the regulations etc

custardy

you can declare all you like,its the value of the item