Buying from Europe from UK on eBay - advice

[Woz]

While I know this is about a commercial transaction, involving money transfers - the swap and general proper gift exchanges went down the pan.

Some stuff from the UK to France - declared Gift, under valued at £10, shipping £10.95 still had to pay 10€ at the door. Was sent Airmail, so it was never going to happen to dodge paying fees.

Just sent some stuff to the UK from France - declared Gift, under valued at 10€, shipping 19€ ....... not arrived yet, but I have understood it's still a bit of a lottery. Just got an E-mail from La Poste it will be loaded Airmail this evening ..... will be interesting to see how it goes.

Will say, at least the actual logistics and from a user perspective it has improved, it's now more predictable how you and how much you are going to get shafted regardless of what side of the Chedder Cheese Curtain you are on.

 

[PhillB]

I've bought a few things from the EU recently and most have gone OK. Been double charged VAT a couple of times, but to be fair eBay sorted that out quite quickly. Takes a while though, and I have to admit that the item has to be something special to make it worth the effort. I agree with 66 triumph daytona's comments about packages going missing, I've had three UK eBay purchases that never arrived recently, from reputable sellers too, so I think it is the postal service. Thankfully most were low cost items.

 

[MSYT]

I'd say if buying through eBay then using the Global Shipping Program is probably the best way to go too.

I've sent a bit using that and they just go to a sorting centre locally and then forwarded on - updates all the way.
I've received a bit through it too, the latest was a crankset from Slovenia. Value of around $92 including postage. Sent on the 6th and would have been delivered on 10th but RM fucked up and I didn't get it until the 12th. No fees or anything. Although... come to think of it... I'm not sure if that was through the GSP.

 

[Factorycol]

Some things slip through, its a black hole / lottery at the border and has been for a couple of years now, and they still aren't doing the checks they should be on this side. They aren't putting them in because they know it'll cause even more chaos, and increase costs and time.