Global Shipping Program Steals Tube Electronics!!!!! (Won't ship or return them to seller)

[scutcher0]

 I am writing this as a warning to anyone buying or selling vintage electronics.  I just had a vintage Eico tuner "stolen by Pitney Bowes for no good cause, deemed "undeliverable".  I also had this problem with a miniature oscilloscope CRT last year.  No real explanation has been given in either case.  My guess is that there is a faulty assumption that vacuum tubes are an implosion danger.  Makes real sense when you consider that they would be less likely to cause a problem when in high altitude situations and that CRT displays were used extensively in aircraft cockpits  until LCD displays came along.   I have since had success with having another oscilloscope full of vacuum tubes shipped to me by USPS/Canada Post after specifically asking the seller to ship that method after my first GSP incident.  I never would have guessed that something with ordinary vacuum tubes would get flagged by GSP, which it just has.  

BUYERS/SELLERS BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!    DO NOT USE EBAY GLOBAL SHIPPING FOR ANYTHING VALUABLE OR VINTAGE IN ELECTRONICS!!!!!!!!!!   I NEVER WILL AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[femmefan1946]

While this is a useful warning to Canadian buyers, at most all they can do is ask BEFORE BIDDING OR BUYING if the seller is willing to change shipping method to a courier or USPS.

Only sellers in the USA or UK can opt into the Global Shipping Program which is a freight forwarding program designed for Seller Protection.

The GSP offers nothing to buyers.

Although any sellers of tubes are likely also aficionados, and would find it painful that the GSP has likely destroyed* or auctioned off  the items they sent, buyers should be aware that this does not cost the seller anything in terms of payments received or black marks from eBay.

The buyer is responsible for making sure imports can be brought into Canada.

It would be a good idea when you run into listings for similar items that use the GSP, to let the seller know what may happen to their products.

Many may not even know that they were defaulted into the GSP.

I have no good answer to your situation. Only sympathy.

* as apparently they do vintage guitars that do not meet CITES standards.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

I personally look at situations like this from a different perspective after seeing, in the past was is NOT allowed into some countries. Like it is a sellers responsibility to know what they are selling and describing properly, they should also be researching at the bare minimum before they ship to a customer in a foreign country. All part of due diligence. Do you really want to waste your money shipping something if it has the potential to not arrive at the customer? The link is at the canadapost website, free to use. Simple and quick to investigate. It is true you can't predict every scenario but it's still in everyone's best interest to make an effort before you do have a problem. Example below:

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/wtz/business/displaySpecialRequirements?execution=e2s2     Example: Russia

-CM

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/wtz/business/displaySpecialRequirements?execution=e3s1     Canadapost Tool

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Follow Up:

Some countries require customs invoice in a particular language. Example: Portugal - French or Spanish. It will get processed...but there could be delays. Translation is currently not possible with Shippo(You could use google translate & add to notes section of detailed invoice as a quick fix). A request has been made to add this feature.  With online shipping in Canadapost it is possible to switch to French when you begin to process a package. 

-CM

[reallynicestamps]

The relatively new HS codes should in theory help with the language question.

However one of the Universal Postal Union standards is that all postal systems must accept addresses and information in the languages of the Union. (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish). English was only added in 1994  and Portugese is not one of them.

But that's postal and you are talking about customs. So my point is moot.

(I like saying moot-- it's a fun word.)

[joseph_scallywag]

That is so weird.I've received tubes through the GSP before.Is this a recent thing or is someone in the GSP just being stupid?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Harmonized codes according to the US government have been around since 1989. (As of 2015, 180 countries use the HS system for exporting & importing goods.) I've been using them with work since early 2000's. I would like to say shipping samples and equipment to US tradeshows was a pleasure, but I would be lying. It was a nightmare making sure everything was 100% and all was okay for items to return. Regarding the language on customs invoices, that tidbit is as per Canadapost. Would apply also if you were shipping to a foreign country with FedEx that had those requirements. The weird thing is that it is mentioned on the Canadapost website but it isn't very clear as to how one is to proceed and meet that standard. I go by the suggestions to do anything in my power so items are not delayed when they reach the destination country and can get processed for final delivery. (Very few buyers have limited  knowledge regarding customs rules for their own country and are usually very surprised when they are advised of these rules.)

-CM

[scutcher0]

I've since been able to research this some more and discovered some help from other non-Ebay sites.  They are as follows:

https://canadianvintageradio.com/cvrs-forums/topic/i-found-out-why-e-bay-and-global-shipping-have-re...

www.antiqueradioforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=327484

https://hackaday.com/2018/01/20/vacuum-tubes-shipping-through-ebay-now-challenging/

What I glean from all this boils down to the fact that somebody at Pitney Bowes has decided that all vacuum tubes contain mercury and are therefore not to be shipped-  which is ABSOLUTE BULL**bleep**!!  There are a few tubes that did use some but they are mostly industrial types, one that might be seen in some equipment they would process is the 83 rectifier tube.  Still VERY ill-informed and capricious of them, which is why I'll never use GSP for anything electronic again, tubes or not, unless it is modern and replaceable.    There don't seem to be any import/export restrictions between US and CA on these.  Next thing you know GSP will say they can't ship vintage electronics because they contain leaded solder!!!!!!   

No one at customer service told me this the last time I had that oscilloscope CRT stolen (May 2017) I believe and I couldn't find any of this info then that I have linked to.  I had to formulate my own opinion based on the blanket response given me by "customer service"  that included the phrase about explosion hazard in aircraft.  Tubes would present an implosion, not explosion hazard, and that would be considerably less at ground level than in the air.  It wouldn't surprise me if that person (and others at PB) don't even know the difference between an implosion and an explosion!   Anyway, I did my best with the info I had at the time and that is why I took care to have that vintage oscilloscope I mentioned in between  NOT shipped by GSP.  Incidentally it was a tube-driven model so I'm even more glad in hindsight that I did that, and that scope arrived safe and sound courtesy of UPS!

I would love nothing better than to see a clever lawyer find a way to sue them over this, but as others on my linked sites have said, it may not be possible.

CONSENSUS: Don't use GSP for shipping anything with tubes.  PERIOD!!!

[scutcher0]

Yes, it does seem to be the case that they are being capricious jerks.  See my updated comment, I've explained it batter after doing some more research.

[amac4993]

A am releived to see some people have experience with this exact issue... I have learned my lession now and now know vacuum tubes have become a "forbidden" item of sale if you are outside of the US it would seem (I live in Canada).

They really need to do something about this if they want to generalize "all" vacuum tubes in this category, like they don't even tell you what aspect of an item is restricted they just take it from you and the seller but it is clear to me why my most recent purchase of a tube amplifier that has a whopping 3 tubes that FYI Ebay do NOT have mercury in them has been confiscated.

I have learned my lesson now, will be much more caucious about purchasing tube gear and weather or not it is going through EGSP and will never purchase anything that will be going through it again regardless of what it is.

[kh-leslie]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.