Ebay Seller protection has failed, buyer refused item due to tariff

[netjunky6947]

Sold an item to a buyer in the US. Shipped with UPS. Buyer refused the shipment stating that I did not disclose the high tariff ($64us on a $350cdn item, made in Germany) to him. Shows in chat and tracking number that the buyer refused the item. The item has been in limbo for a month on the tracking number since then. Buyer then submitted a item not received claim against me, also stating that I should have disclosed the high tariff. 14 days later the buyer has received a full refund. I have called ebay thoughout this process. Even had one rep state that I should have disclosed the tariff and the buyer is right. So now I'm out the cost of the item, shipping of the item to him. Hopefully the item eventually returns to me at some point. I have appealled this desision.

This happen to anyone else? I'm struggling to keep shipping open to the us but this has me tempted to shut it down.

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

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@frozenthreads wrote:
Thanks again for sharing this. I’m currently dealing with a very similar situation and your outcome is reassuring. I shipped an item from Canada to the US via UPS with a declared value of approximately $300 CAD. The current tracking status states: “We tried to deliver the package but were unable to receive payment. A second attempt will be made the next business day.” The buyer has since reached out questioning the duties charged at delivery.

If you don’t mind sharing, I’m curious how the appeal played out on your end. Did the item eventually make its way back to you, or was it released after the appeal? And was the key factor simply that tracking showed an attempted delivery or refusal?

I’d also appreciate any insight into how you submitted the appeal with eBay. Was it done directly through the case page or over the phone with a rep, and did you include anything specific beyond tracking, such as screenshots of messages or shipping documentation?

Thanks again for taking the time to share this. Situations like this can be stressful, so learning how others navigated the appeal process is genuinely helpful.

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If they were unable to get payment from your buyer, when it gets sent back to you, the payment will be billed back to you. If this is UPS or FedEx, tariffs are paid up front, and they need to recover those tariffs from someone. If the buyer won't pay, the seller would have to pay.

C.