etsy 5 stars

samehat

Hello,

I ordered an item from Etsy and the seller happens to be in the USA (my first ever, and perhaps last, online purchase from the USA). The item was about £29 but with postage it went up to £40. I decided it was worth it.

However, today a note from the Royal Mail arrived saying I had to pay a 'Customs Charge' of £3.45 and a 'Royal Mail Handling Fee' of £8. I was shocked and contacted the seller to see what to do.

She pointed out that this was the UK government 'punishing' me for buying an item from oversees, that it was 'very common' where I live, and that she had put it in her 'policies' section that she would not pay any customs or VAT charges when an item is sent outside the USA. I didn't see the policies (my fault for not reading them).

I then looked up the Royal Mail fee on MSE as I thought it was ridiculous but it seems that I have to pay it; and if I refuse the item will be sent back to sender with no refund. So I reluctantly paid the £11.45.

Then I replied to the seller asking for compensation as she had the knowledge of these charges and should have told me before sending the item. I have received two replies to this:

"I cannot pay the UK for these costs and you should have read my clearly stated policies. I am a very tiny home based side business/hobby and do not make much of a profit at all on most items I handmade and sell to support my family.
If you return the veil in perfect and unworn condition I can provide a refund for the cost of the veil but return shipping will be at your expense.
Thank you for understanding."

Immediately followed by this:

"Furthermore, your complaint should not be directed at home crafters who try to expand their small businesses - it should be to your country for imposing those costs that I have no control of"


I take her point that I should have read the conditions but I also feel that she should have more contact with international customers as she is aware they are likely to be hit with additional charges.


My dilemma is: I have to give her feedback. She has full 5 star feedback from over 1000 customers so I will probably be happy with the item when I receive it. Assuming that being the case, should I give one or two stars lower that the 5 due to my grievances or am I being unfair?

I have never given negative feedback before (I think I have only given feedback on ebay and amazon) and I don't want to cause somebody undue trouble, however I have paid £11.45 more than I had committed to at the time of purchase.

Thank you if you have read this far!

vuvuzela

samehat wrote: »

Hello,

I ordered an item from Etsy and the seller happens to be in the USA (my first ever, and perhaps last, online purchase from the USA). The item was about £29 but with postage it went up to £40. I decided it was worth it.

However, today a note from the Royal Mail arrived saying I had to pay a 'Customs Charge' of £3.45 and a 'Royal Mail Handling Fee' of £8. I was shocked and contacted the seller to see what to do.

She pointed out that this was the UK government 'punishing' me for buying an item from oversees, that it was 'very common' where I live, and that she had put it in her 'policies' section that she would not pay any customs or VAT charges when an item is sent outside the USA. I didn't see the policies (my fault for not reading them).

I then looked up the Royal Mail fee on MSE as I thought it was ridiculous but it seems that I have to pay it; and if I refuse the item will be sent back to sender with no refund. So I reluctantly paid the £11.45.

Then I replied to the seller asking for compensation as she had the knowledge of these charges and should have told me before sending the item. I have received two replies to this:

"I cannot pay the UK for these costs and you should have read my clearly stated policies. I am a very tiny home based side business/hobby and do not make much of a profit at all on most items I handmade and sell to support my family.
If you return the veil in perfect and unworn condition I can provide a refund for the cost of the veil but return shipping will be at your expense.
Thank you for understanding."

Immediately followed by this:

"Furthermore, your complaint should not be directed at home crafters who try to expand their small businesses - it should be to your country for imposing those costs that I have no control of"


I take her point that I should have read the conditions but I also feel that she should have more contact with international customers as she is aware they are likely to be hit with additional charges.


My dilemma is: I have to give her feedback. She has full 5 star feedback from over 1000 customers so I will probably be happy with the item when I receive it. Assuming that being the case, should I give one or two stars lower that the 5 due to my grievances or am I being unfair?

I have never given negative feedback before (I think I have only given feedback on ebay and amazon) and I don't want to cause somebody undue trouble, however I have paid £11.45 more than I had committed to at the time of purchase.

Thank you if you have read this far!

It is entirely your fault that you didn't know about the customs VAT and the RM handling charge, the seller can't be blamed for this in any way, shape or form. It is completely up to you to find out any charges for importing goods into your own country, not the seller.
If you give her negative feedback, that is a disappointingly poor show on your part.
And then 'asking her for compensation' due to your own lack of knowledge of the law in your own country. You should be ashamed.

F&L

You're lucky it came with the Royal Mail as some couriers have an even higher admin charge. Customs charges should always be considered when buying from outside of the EU and I believe you'd be very unfair to leave negative feedback for this seller. I also think that ebay remove feedback related to Customs charges but I'm not 100% sure of that?

samehat

I'm upset that I have been told that I should be ashamed.

I came to the forum to ask for a second opinion as I don't want to be mean or cause trouble. Please try to be kind in your responses. I have been honest and I do not believe I deserve to be treated so harshly - I did not jump to give her less that 5 star feedback. It is not my own country; this is an assumption that is not correct.

F&L: It is etsy, not ebay. I have been told by a friend that had it been sent with UPS, the only charge would have been the customs charge.

usefulmale

None of this is the sellers fault. Why do you feel you are being treated harshly just for being told the truth? You would be treating the seller harshly if you neg them for this. It doesn't matter whether it is etsy or ebay. Same thing probably would have happened wherever you bought it.

tiger-eyes_2

I've never used Etsy but why do you HAVE to leave feedback? Can you just not leave any at all?

samehat

Thank you tiger-eyes, that is very helpful. I may just not give feedback, at least I won't be hurting this lady's business and I won't be doing something I don't feel comfortable doing. I just thought that you had to give feedback these days and hadn't considered not giving any.

The lady's reply touched my heart-strings and I wasn't sure whether that was fair as she is running a business and I don't believe in treating one person differently from others. I just try to be a fair good person and expect to be treated likewise. My issue is that she kept the information back from me that I would actually have to pay an additional £11.45.

tiger-eyes_2

We've all made mistakes buying & selling online, but really it is the buyers responsibility to be aware of customs charges for the country they are in & where they are buying from..


However, you'll know for next time now, so enjoy you item whatever it is!!

soolin

Perhaps etsy need the same rules as eBay in this. Buried somewhere in the help pages it says that sellers are protected against claims and detrimental feedback due to buyers not understanding the customs and duty requirements of their home country. (Or at least it used to say that).

I am sympathetic to the OP as if they seriously did not realise that HMRC levied VAT and taxes on all non EU imports then it must have been a shock. perhaps we are all guilty of being seasoned travellers and used to the concept of costs associated with bringing goods into the country and realise that applies to those delivered by post as well.

I think suggesting in any way that a seller is at fault is what makes me perhaps not quite as sympathetic as I might be. I certainly have never felt the need to have terms and conditions explaining to my non EU buyers about checking what the rules are in their own country.

campdave

samehat wrote: »

Thank you tiger-eyes, that is very helpful. I may just not give feedback, at least I won't be hurting this lady's business and I won't be doing something I don't feel comfortable doing. I just thought that you had to give feedback these days and hadn't considered not giving any.

The lady's reply touched my heart-strings and I wasn't sure whether that was fair as she is running a business and I don't believe in treating one person differently from others. I just try to be a fair good person and expect to be treated likewise. My issue is that she kept the information back from me that I would actually have to pay an additional £11.45.

It's the responsibility of the buyer to be aware of customs charges.

I sell internationally - are you seriously suggesting I should be aware of the custom's limit in the 50+ countries I've posted to and mark them all on my listing? I have no idea what they are, I mark the value on the package, pop it in the post and then it's down to the buyer to meet any charges.

vacheron

Hi samehat.

I think that you are making a couple of assumptions which are:

1: That the seller was aware of exactly how much duty you would have had to pay, which is unlikely as in the UK alone there are many different duty rates depending on the item and then VAT on top. Some countries add VAT to the postage too, some don't.

2: That the seller deliberately withheld that information. Did you ask questions about duty which were dismissed or replied to incorrectly, or did the subject just never come up?

I always state the following at the end of all my auctions:
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This auction is listed in the UK. I am happy to ship worldwide. International buyers please contact me before bidding for shipping estimates to your address. Please note that I am not responsible for any customs or duty charges which may be applicable in your country upon receipt of the item(s).

and have never had an unhappy buyer. However I have had a few savvy buyers who know the laws in their country where we have worked together to minimise their charges, however I will only assist if specifically asked. If I was rated down by someone who did not ask I would be understandably (and rightly) annoyed.

Personally I would chalk this down to experience. On the bright side, as stated earlier by others at least you didn't learn the hard way with a large value item via FedEx or DHL where you really would have been out of pocket!