Australian Members

[Spandexter]

I find it quite sad that I didn't even bother to check out the HB sale. I rarely bother to check out any others sales either. Being a 36R means there is never anything my size. My shoe size is 6.5uk so that's not helping either. Paying full price is not my idea of a good time but I'm rarely left with much alternative. Boooooo!!

Sucks to be me. Haha.

 

[Henry Carter]



Since there are many experienced online buyers here, I wonder if I could ask some advice about sending returned goods to Italy.
I realised there are risks with online buying, and in hindsight I might have handled this one better, however I would still appreciate your input (and still think the benefits of buying online outweigh the negatives).
I returned a jacket to an Italian online retailer as it was too big and arranged for him to send the new in the right size (it wasmy error in selecting the size), paying for the new one on the agreement they would refund the one I sent back once it arrived (minus original shipping costs).
The new jacket was paid for, arrived promptly and fitted perfect. Happy there.
I sent the original back, mark as "Returned Goods", and emailed the retailer. I then stayed in touch over the next four weeks to find out what was happening (they have very good, fast communication, even if the English is a little broken [far better than my Italian!]). The jacket was delayed in customs, something he said was an unfortunate regular occurance in Italy. Anyway, eventually it arrived with him and he refunded me, minus customs fee (which were very high). He did attach a copy of the custom fee receipt (in Italian but the numbers are there).
My question is, why should there be any custom fees on returned goods, and if so, who should be charged them? Do I have any ground to claim these back or where the rightfully charged? And if the retailer will not repay them (presuming I am correct in think no custom fees should be charged on returned goods) is it worthwhile opening a dispute through paypal?
The seller has been quite nice and helpful (and apologetic about the custom fees, though they were never mentioned when I arranged to send the jacket back), but I am not sure I should be expected to fork out for customs fee that are not required to be paid. I did buy another jacket after all. In hindsight I might not be wise to pay for another jacket to be sent before sorting the original one (though how that would avoid this problem with custom fees I am not sure, really I should have got more detailed measurements to start with).
Still cost less online that in would have here and maybe I just put it down to experience and learn from it but just wanted to get any advice from those who might know something about it?

There should be no customs fees either way if it is a return, as the retailer paid customs on it the first time when they paid for it or if it was made in Italy as well, no customs would have been payable. My only guess is something has been lost in translation on the customs form maybe, but you certainly shouldn't be liable for customs fee's yourself. Even if they have mistaken it for an item you have sold rather than returned, the seller doesn't pay customs, the importer/buyer does.

I do know Italian customs and indeed the postal system in general is really ****, which is why we always use DHL or FEDEX, which costs a lot more but is more reliable.

 

[lachyzee]

I too have heard that Italian customs and post is dodgy. Many online retailers refuse to ship to "Italy/Russia/Brazil".

I have returned two pairs of sunglasses to Otticanet in Italy and never had to pay customs fees on he return.

 

[Plestor]



What do you guys think is the perfect size canopy for a city umbrella? 42"? 50"? 60" would be getting to the "unwieldy" stage in the conservative business dress I imagine.

Height dependant. A taller man can easily keep his umbrella above the umbrella line and hence can get away with a larger canopy, furthermore it stops the stick having excessive amounts of stick showing^. Also situation dependant, I prefer something a touch larger for the country*.

^ Given one has a cut to length umbrella.
* I include suburbia here, sadly I'm far too cheap to actually bother here. But it would be nice... in theory.

Pink socks if its a really high number it may be worth contacting (their) customs, or ideally getting the seller to lodge one. Normally IME it is normal for the sender to wear it if you screw up the return forms for returns (or repairs). To be clear there should be no charge here however as fox81 pointed out you need quality documentation *especially* if they have dodgy customs.

 

[lennier]



if beating customs was as easy as writing returned goods on the form, everyone would do it. yes the product was exported, but now its being imported.

Many seem to do just that, successfully. Returning Lewin goods to the UK with the moniker 'returned UK goods' as they advise seems to avoid any problems with customs. Italian customs probably functions at a whole different level of process than UK customs, though

 

[Pink Socks]



if beating customs was as easy as writing returned goods on the form, everyone would do it. yes the product was exported, but now its being imported.

Original receipts were in package too.

Thanks to all for the feedback. I will get in touch with the seller using the information provided above ("don't you know if post on the Australian Members thread!") and take it from there. Might have to raise it through paypal.

Appreciate the input. That is why this is such a great thread.

 

[Romp]

Original receipts were in package too.
Thanks to all for the feedback. I will get in touch with the seller using the information provided above ("don't you know if post on the Australian Members thread!") and take it from there. Might have to raise it through paypal.
Appreciate the input. That is why this is such a great thread.

Did you mark a customs value on the package? Usually goods with no commercial value attract no customs i.e. if my mother knitted a scarf and sent it to a person in italy i doubt ud have customs on that?

 

[Romp]

There should be no customs fees either way if it is a return, as the retailer paid customs on it the first time when they paid for it or if it was made in Italy as well, no customs would have been payable. My only guess is something has been lost in translation on the customs form maybe, but you certainly shouldn't be liable for customs fee's yourself. Even if they have mistaken it for an item you have sold rather than returned, the seller doesn't pay customs, the importer/buyer does.
I do know Italian customs and indeed the postal system in general is really ****, which is why we always use DHL or FEDEX, which costs a lot more but is more reliable.

very, very expensive

I used DHL for our pants from florence to australia... let's just say im trying to investigate whether there must be a slower/cheaper way for our goods!

 

[The Ernesto]



very, very expensive

I used DHL for our pants from florence to australia... let's just say im trying to investigate whether there must be a slower/cheaper way for our goods!

If you pay the airfare I'll pick them up for you.

 

[Henry Carter]

You could look in to sea freight, but have about a 4-5 week transit time and unless you are bringing in large qty's it often isn't worth it, with the multitude of paperwork that needs to be done. All the big carriers like DHL, FEDEX, UPS etc seem to be about the same prices unfortunately.

 

[I am DIL]

very, very expensive

I used DHL for our pants from florence to australia... let's just say im trying to investigate whether there must be a slower/cheaper way for our goods!

Romp, I'd just like to commend you on your O & J work. It's great when Australians do good things competitively.

The same goes for HC Neckwear.

****, I miss home.

 

[MickyD]

There's a Gerry Nelson pictured in the Herald Sun today, is it our esteemed colleague?

 

[tobiasj]



Romp, I'd just like to commend you on your O & J work. It's great when Australians do good things competitively.


The same goes for HC Neckwear.


****, I miss home.

Are you suggesting that it's the norm here for people to sit back and wait for a handout or a government subsidy or a tariff rather than doing things the hard way and competitively and that we're a nation of overpaid whingers who think we deserve a comfortable life as our birthright? How dare you! Banzai!

 

[I am DIL]

Nail on the fuckin' head I am.

I did say I missed it though, so please, let that exonerate me from future corrective discourse.

 

[Gerry Nelson]

There's a Gerry Nelson pictured in the Herald Sun today, is it our esteemed colleague?

Yep, that would be me

I'm slowly finding out which of the people I know read the Herald Sun.