Is it legal to charge my card again 8 months later?

kgbow

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

Aylesbury_Duck

kgbow said:

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

Yes, it is.

visidigi

kgbow said:

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

The origin of the dress isn't relevant to this this problem - as ultimately its a shipment you sent using parcel compare that the recipient refused to accept. So the terms you are looking at are Parcelcompare's.

Usually in this scenario, if the recipient refuses, the carrier should contact the shipper to ask if they want it returned/destroyed. I guess as you used a middle man and not the carrier direct you have lost this option to have it disposed of so you didn't incur the fees to return. So its really going to depend on the terms and conditions you agreed to when parcel compare was contracted for the outbound delivery.

DullGreyGuy

kgbow said:

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

Would need to read their T&Cs, almost certainly it will say that they will retain the card details and you give them permission to charge the card for any additional fees that become due on your parcel. 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

kgbow said:

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. 

As an aside note, when returning via eBay you should use the returns flow, if the listing said the item was in the UK but the seller hasn't been truthful eBay would expect it to go back to the UK and will offer some cover if the seller is saying to ship elsewhere. 

If the listing did say shipping from China it's usually better to write off due to the issues with returns.  

born_again

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

kgbow said:

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. 

As an aside note, when returning via eBay you should use the returns flow, if the listing said the item was in the UK but the seller hasn't been truthful eBay would expect it to go back to the UK and will offer some cover if the seller is saying to ship elsewhere. 

If the listing did say shipping from China it's usually better to write off due to the issues with returns.  

Wonder if it was a drop shipper?

End of the day, retailer has not received item back, thus can reclaim the refund.

Very common for Chinese co's not to accept through customs as it costs them.

TripleH

I've learnt to never go via a third party for shipping as when things go wrong, the intermediary washes their hands of you.

savergrant

kgbow said:

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

I would guess that at some point you have given them continuing authority to charge your card such amounts as become due.
What surprises me is why it has taken eight months?
Was the returns address in uk or in China and if China what paperwork did you send with it? Who actually returned the dress to you? If the item is undeliverable I would expect them to return it to you free of charge.

sheramber

How much is the charge?

Is it the handling charge or customs/VAT?

kgbow

savergrant said:

kgbow said:

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

I would guess that at some point you have given them continuing authority to charge your card such amounts as become due.
What surprises me is why it has taken eight months?
Was the returns address in uk or in China and if China what paperwork did you send with it? Who actually returned the dress to you? If the item is undeliverable I would expect them to return it to you free of charge.

The return address was in China and I had to fill out customs forms which I am used to doing as we have dispatched items abroad many times with our business.

sheramber

savergrant said:

kgbow said:

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on this please.

I bought a dress via eBay that ended up coming from China. When it arrived it didn't fit so I arranged with the seller to send it back.

I had to pay all the return postage. As soon as I proved it was on the way back to them they refunded me for the dress, not the postage. That was in August 2024

This week, 8 months later the dress arrived back at my house and ParcelCompare charged my card for the return. 

I questioned ParcelCompare about this and they said that the carrier reported that the parcel was returned from customs as the receiver failed to deal with import clearance so they have charged me for the return.

My question is, is it legal for a company to charge my card again 8 months after it was initially used on their website without asking me for payment first?

I would guess that at some point you have given them continuing authority to charge your card such amounts as become due.
What surprises me is why it has taken eight months?
Was the returns address in uk or in China and if China what paperwork did you send with it? Who actually returned the dress to you? If the item is undeliverable I would expect them to return it to you free of charge.

I expect the charge is for collecting the parcel from customs and delivering it back to OP.