Buyer Beware Online

I found these listings to be VERY interesting.

6 different sellers
6 different prices
6 different item numbers

same photos
same descriptions
same ring

pays to shop around???

I wonder what you would get if you purchased all 6

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This is a known issue with Japanese resellers of luxury handbags. They work as a collective and post at multiple sites or on the same site as with Ebay, and at varying prices. Obviously, the goods exist as singles, not as multiples, and whoever sells it completes the deal. It’s shady and not remotely transparent, but the goods have been authentic and sometimes a good value. I don’t know if it’s a reportable offense, but of course by definition, those sellers do not have the items in their possession (except for one, presumably). But this is true of drop-ship selling, too.

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Yes I saw some of that too and it made me raise an eyebrow; especially when I read the fine print about buyer being responsible for any imports taxes etc.
@chicfarmer thanks for your clarification also. I think I’ll stick with the USA.

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Gotta watch those Asian Native Americans :exploding_head:

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I’ll admit to being highly suspicious of those types of listings - seems I’m in good company. :wink:

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It’s a good idea to image search anything you want to buy. If you see duplicates, steer clear.

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This cuff is listed here on FB. Signed LT MEXICO $300. I DON’T think so. Looks more like pewter and no sterling mark. Nice stones. Comments?

IMG_0234

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That looks really bad.

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Probably not pewter. I’m guessing it could be silver plated and looked really good until someone cleaned it. Needs to be tested.

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I agree that the stones are the only redeeming feature.

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probably nickel silver from the years when good stones were easier to come by than silver, when the metal price skyrocketed. metal looks super soft, with that flat, ashy color of old nickel silver.

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And also Hermes scarves.

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Stating the buyer is responsible for any import tax or duties is pretty standard for online offerings.

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Yes, definitely a standard statement — and more for the benefit of other international customers, I suspect.

Is it true that most American buyers aren’t hit with duties and taxes when their item arrives from outside the U.S.?

Here in Canada it happens more often than not (unless the declared value is very small), which is something to factor into the total cost. Technically anything above $20 Cdn ($15 US) is subject to applicable duties, provincial and federal taxes. Some Canadian customers get a bit grouchy about it, I know, but the foreign seller can’t do anything about that — and anyway we always have to pay taxes when we buy something inside the country.

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@chamekke In my experience it depends on several factors: the stated value, the carrier, and the accuracy/honesty in the sender’s disclosure of the declared value and nature of the contents. DHL delivery to the US is almost guaranteed to incur duties payable in person when delivered.

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@chicfarmer Very interesting, thank you so much!

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The only things that I have ordered online from another country (that I can remember) were items from a t shirt company in Vancouver. I don’t know if that’s the same as what you are talking about, but I was not charged anything (duties or taxes) except shipping, but maybe I am forgetting.

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I’ve had Canadian friends ship things to my house, and then on their next trip down come pick it up. Not sure which taxes/duties are being worked around, but it’s usually significant.

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I tried to ship a watch to Canada for repairs. The Canadian customs system is a s**t show. I feel bad for the citizens. This watchmaker lost a good deal of business because of it. I can provide the diatribe I was sent telling me what hoops I had to jump through plus pay an authorized “agent”. It is so bad they warn you not to use foul language when asking them a question.

I can say we have no duty on incoming goods and any tariffs are levied on the other end.

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@StevesTrail I’m sorry you and the watchmaker both had that terrible experience. Most of the time the customs officers are OK, in my experience, but sometimes you get an officious person and then it is very frustrating indeed (example at bottom*).

Incidentally, I have a petit-point turquoise brooch whose hinge needs a repair. Ideally I’d send it to Perry Null, but I fear that Customs would stop it on the return journey and demand that I pay duty and taxes on this item that I already own. One of these days I’ll have to see if I can find someone on this side of the border who can tackle it. Fortunately I think it should not be too hard as it’s just a hinge fix.

‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’

*Once a customs officer turned back my online order of second-hand vintage kimono (shipped all the way from Japan) because the garments did not contain “markings” with country of origin in English or French. I literally read her the Customs Act, namely the section stating that “used goods” from a non-NAFTA country are exempt from this requirement. (In fact, as these were vintage/antique kimono that had been custom-made for the original wearers, as was traditional, they never had any sort of label in them, not even in Japanese!) So the seller re-shipped them, and they arrived on the second try, but it was a long wait and of course doubled the shipping cost.

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