sending ebay parcel to BFPO address

CouponWoman

Its rare for me to send something to a BFPO address so I was not aware of the pitfalls.

Someone bought something from me and when I sent the invoice it is set by default to UK postage

BUT when I came to post the parcel at the local post office I found out that:-

BFPO postage is NOT UK rate and I have been done by ebay.

Postage was .50p more for BFPO address and you have to put a customs sticker on the parcel too.

Really annoyed about this.:mad:

Does anyone know if I can block BFPO addresses to prevent this happening in future, or if there is any other way I can protect myself from losing out on postage.

tia

xx

kurgon

BFPO are set as the same as first class - I assume then that you quoted for 2nd class?

http://www.royalmail.com/delivery/delivery-options-international/hm-forces-mail/prices

theonlywayisup

CouponWoman wrote: »

Its rare for me to send something to a BFPO address so I was not aware of the pitfalls.

Someone bought something from me and when I sent the invoice it is set by default to UK postage

BUT when I came to post the parcel at the local post office I found out that:-

BFPO postage is NOT UK rate and I have been done by ebay.

Postage was .50p more for BFPO address and you have to put a customs sticker on the parcel too.

Really annoyed about this.:mad:

Does anyone know if I can block BFPO addresses to prevent this happening in future, or if there is any other way I can protect myself from losing out on postage.

tia

xx

As is explained above, BFPO is the same as first class. And CN22 are free and only take a minute to fill out and are only for countries that require them, so am not sure what your issue is with either really.

soolin

I echo the posts above but would also add that whilst having to use 1st class even if you have only charged 2nd class doesn't seem too bad at all when there is a very good chance this is going to someone in military service.

Auntie-Dolly

Why do you have to put a CN22 on them? It shouldn't say on the address where the ultimate destination is - just the BFPO reference.

theonlywayisup

Auntie-Dolly wrote: »

Why do you have to put a CN22 on them? It shouldn't say on the address where the ultimate destination is - just the BFPO reference.

BFPO are not exempt customs regulations. So any BFPO not in the EU still needs a CN22 or applicable customs label.

Auntie-Dolly

But how would you know?

Strapped

soolin wrote: »

I echo the posts above but would also add that whilst having to use 1st class even if you have only charged 2nd class doesn't seem too bad at all when there is a very good chance this is going to someone in military service.

Sorry, but I disagree that businesses should have to bear additional cost just because one of their customers chooses to be in military service. I think it's a bit holier-than-thou to suggest so. (And I say that as someone from a military family). If I've advertised "standard parcels" as the delivery service and your address doesn't accept standard parcels service then I can't see what's wrong with having a sensible discussion about that and having the buyer either pay for 1st Class or cancel the order.

Difference can be £3 on many of my items and I do have a few BFPO orders per month.

Notmyrealname

Auntie-Dolly wrote: »

But how would you know?

Seriously? If its in the EU, you don't need a customs form. If it isn't, you do. It ain't rocket science.

Strapped

I think they meant, how would you know which country the BFPO is in.

The answer to which is, look here: http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D4C88C78-EB65-405E-ACBD-C107A28D5981/0/bfpo__indicator_list.pdf

CouponWoman

I am not annoyed at having to put a customs sticker on the parcel, more puzzled really.

I am also puzzled at the peeps comments re postage ie just because someone is a soldier letting them have their item cheaper.

I treat everyone the same, be it a soldier (and I don't think my buyer is one), a doctor, a nurse, a Lord (yes a real one) or the Theatre in London who purchased something to use as a prop on stage, or the very famous film director in Hollywood who has bought off me in the past 12 months.

Everyone is equal no matter who they are or where they live.

My point was that ebay clearly has a fault. It uses a BFPO address as a default UK address which is wrong. Though I am unsure if this happened as the buyer put London in the address which was wrong.

Firstly I charge only for 2nd class, so yes I lost out on postage but have still sent my parcel.

However major problems could occur with heavier items, or indeed if you post by courier.

So my message was a warning for sellers to be careful they could lose out a lot more than my .50p

xx