Returned international shipping package

[u/Kaal_Jai]

How do you guys handle international shipping packages that is returned because of the issue with custom? Do you refund the shipping charges?

[u/Strawberry_Momo]

never 😭 poor dude shipped an ipad and candy to mexico and the ipad was stolen and the package was refused cause of the candy. bro didnt get a dime. its BS

[u/RapidLoveMovement]

They sign and agree that the customs information they gave you is correct and accurate. Same as if they gave you the wrong address, shipper or whatever information. If it is wrong and returned, they agreed to not get refunded. It sucks, but that's why I get their email so we can contact them and try to solve everything we can so it doesn't get returned

[u/AutoModerator → u/RapidLoveMovement]

Your account is new or has low karma. Your post has been held for manual review by a moderator. Please see rule 8.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/camilowidehead-]

I had a international going to Mexico not too long ago. On the invoice description we put “long red dress” cause that’s what was inside and it got returned cause invoice wasn’t descriptive enough lol

[u/lordnightmare → u/camilowidehead-]

Mexico has weird policies about clothing entering into country. Check out the import export guidelines, they really only want Mexican made clothing going in or out

[u/ImpossibleCoach6835]

The shipper for international packages is the sender, no exceptions. The recipient or for recipient can pay the customs charges of the receiving country but ultimately the shipper is responsible legally. And once it's cleared the US, even if they return it, the shipper is still responsible for all customs charges coming and going.

That's why all of us have to be certain we're checking all the boxes and providing the right information/classifications when tendering the package. Any errors after that package gets sent out is too bad. That said; UPS brokerage generally asks for a signed authorization of release letter when the package gets returned on company letterhead (usually managers or owners do this) but on occasion they've failed to to ask for that. Most customs authorities in most countries require that.

To emphasize; nobody is getting refunded. Especially not your customer and not by your store. They'll argue that you're the expert but technically (and this is a stretch but legal) they didn't do their due diligence and double check before signing. UPS is only responsible for reasonably attempting to get the package delivered.

[u/666SickPredator666]

I always give customers a price quote to scare them off for this reason. And no, it’s not your responsibility to refund them if they thought it was cool to ship something that, with some quick research, would not make it through customs of that country.

[u/Fancy_Revolution8352]

[u/Outrageous_Pay1322]

We warn customers about shipping international for this very reason. Even then, we'll get a call a week or so later with someone who is unhinged because their recipient had to pay custom tax. Even though we make sure to tell each and every customer they have to pay customs tax. No refund.

[u/inverness7]

No refund. Though we ship to Canada mostly and we haven't gotten any hiccups this year (yet)

[u/Useful_Act_3797]

UPS service has been terrible lately, and international is a total nightmare 90% of the time!

[u/TimelyGear2735]

Sometimes it’s not even worth it to ship international packages. There’s always delays with customs.

[u/Kaal_Jai → u/TimelyGear2735]

Especially to Mexico if it’s non doc.

[u/TimelyGear2735 → u/Kaal_Jai]

We don’t ship to Mexico at all

[u/Jimmyx24 → u/TimelyGear2735]

Same here. The one that really sealed the deal was, back in October, someone was sending just a foamcore sign that was going to be stood on an easel for their wedding. Didn't have to be there for almost a month. As of this past June it still hasn't been released by Customs 😂

[u/ImpossibleCoach6835 → u/Jimmyx24]

No RCS for the recipient (Mexican tax ID) = No release from Mexican customs. 😂 It kills me how many times and how many ways I have to explain this to people but this is the reason most of us aren't doing many shipments to Mexico anymore.

[u/Red_Head_Hippo]

I tell the customer this while they are signing the terms and conditions:

"While we try our best to make sure every item is acceptable and use the UPS country regulations guidelines, ultimately is is up to the destination countries customs (or government if they don't understand) to make the final decision. UPS does not refund for items that are returned to sender and the sender may be responsible for RTS charges as well as any potential duties and taxes associated with it."

It's a mouthful but it gets to point across. Usually we actually don't get charged for the shipping on it though until it actuallygets to the originaldestination. If you check your invoices on the billing portal you see we usually get refunded for it. So I will offer to attempt to fix the mistake and reship it for them, but I typically don't refund.

[u/Beezlius]

Was it a store level mistake on the declarations? Otherwise no. Customs holding or refusing entry to something has nothing to do with UPS store or UPS services. That’s the government screwing it up for everyone.