Is my international shipping item lost?

[cantosprofanae]

I brought a 3D printed 3 inch doll head made of hollow plastic from Illinois to London UK and it was shipped out on the 18th and arrived in the UK on the 25th. It is now April the 9th and it has been stuck in the Heathrow Airport sorting center. Is this normal? The item's VAT was paid on checkout and it is worth nothing. It was a flawed 3D print that someone messed up, so they put it up for sale for me to get so I could fix it with clay. It has 0 value if I wanted to resell it. It isn't heavy and it isn't any kind of illegal chemicals.

The original tracking code is:  EPG071024002036854
When it came into the UK it changed to: WG084181256GB

I keep reading conflicting stuff. One hand I am reading that it can take up to four weeks if they are backlogged with stuff. But everything I've got with Int Shipping Program from US-UK has always been maybe a day or two, once it arrived in the UK airport, not 15 days.

On the other hand I am reading it is classified as lost and I should get a refund. Well that part I don't know how to move forward with, because the seller I brought from isn't a business. He doesn't have stock. He's just a guy selling stuff from his bedroom to make some pocket money. There is no refund item he could send out, this was the one and only one and there is no money he can refund as it wasn't his fault.

Should I wait longer? It has been in Heathrow for 15 days and Heathrow is a 40 min drive from me. Or is there some next step I need to take for eBay to step in and help me and the seller out without it putting some mark on his account like it is his fault, because it isn't.

Thank you!

[cantosprofanae]

this is the tracking where it stuck 

[barry.110]

Well it is only two days past the latest estimated delivery date so you can wait a while longer, like maybe give them a week to see if it arrives. If it still doesn't all you can do is open an item not received case with EBay for the seller to refund you, then it will be up to the seller to then put in a compensation claim with delivery company they used.

[tommystrezures]

It appears it left heathrow and is in slough? That tracking number is a royal mail one. So a couple of things to check have you had a grey card through the door from the postmen perhaps, regarding duty on on it? or a red card for attempted delivery? (alhtough tracking is or would be different if thats the case, but may have been miss scanned)

Alternatively and probably best, use the tracking number ending GB and ring Royal Mail customer services on 03457 740740 they do have other screens that any of us can see so they may be able to shed more light on its whereabouts.

[barry.110]

After a bit of googling the Heathrow International LC (Logistics Centre) is in Slough so it hasn't actually moved.

[tommystrezures]

DOH! Thanks for that! Would still advise the OP to call RM

[cantosprofanae]

Thank you very much for the help! I have had nothing in the mail and my house even has a CCTV camera so it shows when people have come and no one has been here. 

If I ask for a refund for ebay, does the seller keep my money and then they give me a refund too? Because it wasn't his fault and it was the international program people that did it. So I don't want to take his money from him or give him a strike against his account.

And weird it is in Slough, since I live only 26 min drive from that town so it is strange it is lost so close!

TY

[douglaspuglas · Accepted solution]

I think if the seller sent it through eBays shipping programme they will be protected if you open a not received case.

By that I mean you'll still get a refund but the seller will keep the money and the shipping courier will be liable for the loss.

By the way what happened with the jacket you were getting made?

[barry.110]

I must admit I was wondering about the outcome of that jacket too.

[cantosprofanae]

I am glad you remembered! I had a refund for that one. He had no intention of ever sending it to me!