eBay

jafeter · ‎09-23-2014

Hello,

I'm a new seller who sent a Hermes scarf to France via Canada Post Small Packets air mail. I foolishly didn't get tracking for my package. I have no way of knowing where the scarf is. Seller has been messaging me..she is concerned. I've been doing a little research and it appears France has a bad rep when it comes to packages. Could the package be stuck in customs? Could someone shed some light on this situation?

rose-dee · ‎09-23-2014

@mr.elmwood wrote:
Unless the original packaging is important. I remove it and downsize in weight and dimensions.

Mr. E., I think that's usually the best choice with ordinary products, but where a designer item (especially vintage) is involved, the original box is part of the value and provenance, especially if it carries the designer label (as I think I saw in this one).

The box is considered, at least by collectors, as an important asset. So if it were to get damaged in any way, a buyer could be very upset. I think the OP did the right thing in placing the original box inside a larger box, but she unfortunately made the choice to trade off cheaper shipping for the risk of non-delivery.

To the OP: You're very lucky to have an understanding buyer who is willing to wait until the end of the month. That was a very good thing! Just keep your fingers crossed, otherwise be prepared to follow through with an immediate refund on Sept. 30th.

jafeter · ‎09-23-2014

You are correct about the box! The buyer was also clear she wanted it well packaged...

I did learn a lot from this experience. I'm sure a few new sellers go through this. Sometimes we just learn the hard way...

mr.elmwood · ‎09-23-2014

Being "new" has nothing to do with it. Every parcel presents new "opportunities".

You take any one of the veterans and every day we go "Oh, fer? Now what am I going to do?".

.
.
.

cumos55 · ‎09-24-2014

For me....

France was always a "difficult" country. It always seemed to take longer for delivery than elsewhere....in Europe..

Couple that with impatient buyers... and that is when I no longer shipped to France.

It could be customs. Couple that with the "character" of the buyer and France became a blocked country.

It was as if the buyers knew there would be problems.... and could not face this reality and adjust to the fact that it will take longer for the parcel to arrive.

For me France fell into the same group as other Mediterranean countries... buyers of similar character....

and that included ..... France, Spain, Portugal and Italy... full of impatient buyers....

gifts_of_elegance · ‎09-24-2014

I found France worse than Italy for packages vanishing. INR is on the rise in England.

cumos55 · ‎09-24-2014

Many sellers have concluded that for Italy it was the postal system... or.. customs... or both.

A perception of theft was not removed from the problem list

Over the years... I have read a lot about Italy on eBay.com discussion boards....

maggiebvintage2010 · ‎09-24-2014

Until the early 1990s, La Poste was called Postes, télégraphes et téléphones, which abbreviated to PTT - known popularly as "Petit Travail Tranquil", because...well, the obvious - nobody who worked there busted their *** to provide any service. Today, the 2 biggest complaints for France La Poste are packages never getting delivered, and leaving notices of delivery attempt without checking if anyone is home. The Gallic shrug seems to be the usual response received to these complaints. Vive la France!

mr.elmwood · ‎09-24-2014

Maggie, I have not an attempted delivery in a couple of years, from Canada Post. I have caught the mail carrier at the door leaving the card saying they attempted to deliver. Liars! LOL!!!

If they are not going to try, enough with the subterfuge. Save the dance, tell me to pick it up at the PO.

.
.
.