Ebay buyer protection

[jangoux]

So guys,

Exactly 2 months and 3 days ago I bought a guitar off Ebay, an Edwards Les Paul. The seller sent the item but somehow, it is stuck in customs since the october 28th. I've tried contacting the local post office, and they explained it is 'normal' to take that long (and no, it isn't) and that someone would contact me (that was one month ago). However, I didnt receive any contact regarding the status of my package, so today I called the local P.O. again and the person who I contacted basically said 'WTF/!?!?!?' to the product being held on the customs for the last....53 days. I've had products being stolen IN customs and that's one of the reasons a lot of Ebay sellers don't ship to South American....

Anyway, obviously this is not the seller's fault, so I am a little worried to open a case on Ebay's Buyer Protection program, because basically I read that the seller will need to refund Ebay after they pay me. I've had somewhere that the seller MAY NOT need to refund Ebay if he has some proof he sent the product, but I am still a little worried.

Any experiences with that?

 

[Trevoire520]

Hmmmm, don't know how you'd get on with a claim like that man. Really your beef is with customs and not the original seller.

Was the guitar sent insured? Then one of you could claim the money back.

 

[jangoux]

Exactly. I read Ebay's BP policy and it says somewhere that as long as I didnt receive my product, I can get my refund, independently if it was the seller's fault or not. But I am a little worried about opening a case and that being unfair to the seller.

 

[SimonSez]

I look at this way: it's the seller's responsibility to get the item to you. The seller took the risk of this going sour when he decided to send things internationally (and it's a reason I don't do international deals on eBay).

You could either: Keep waiting, sometimes it can take up to three months with things from customs. The problem is that I don't think eBay gives you that long to open a case, it has to be done within 60 days if I remember correctly...
Or just open a case, and let eBay investigate it and you could wait up to 30 days to close the case and get your money back.

Hopefully the seller had insurance so he could get his money back if the item got lost in shipping. If he didn't then it's going to be a tough lesson.

 

[jangoux]

Yeah, I am screwed. Had 45 days after the purchase to open a case. Now I need to pray...

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

This is why international shipping such a fucking bitch. I don't even like selling shit to Canada.

 

[jangoux]

Apparently a lot of people are having problems with brazilian customs...I called it and the local post office and they will investigate it. It looks there are new laws in Brazil to avoid illegal importing and stuff.

 

[Derpsicle]

Kinda off topic and to little help:

Nice choice, what edwards is it?

Hope you get your guitar man, I'm really happy with mine.