Looks like I have made an expensive mistake, Sent an item to Guernsey with no customs form

[audio-visual-classics]

Help and advice please....

Silly me, I guess, but sold an item via my selling account, buying is in Guernsey, the details where sent across via eBay to my Royal mail account, I weigh the package, measure it etc, pay the postage and take the package to the post office and did not even consider that I might need to fill in a customs form, the item is a Playstation 5, its value £350....

I guess more fool me.......But the Royal mail website, did not request any further information or suggest I need to use a customs form for sending the package (I guess I am expecting to much there) also when I took the parcel to hand over at the post office, the person at the post office, never said, where is the customs form etc, they just accepted the package and gave me a receipt ....

I am currently feeling like a complete fool !!!!

I have read online, that a lack of paperwork, would suggest it will be returned to me in around 6 weeks time, I am unsure if I will be charged for that.

Has anyone had any past experince in making such a mistake, and why did the Royal Mail website not warn me or even the post office when I dropped it off.

Doh....not looking to blame anyone but myself, but in hindsight, I would of hoped, it would of been flagged up by the Royal mail website or the post office....sucks to be me...!?!?!?

[notstopbuying]

I have done a little bit of digging, and I can see that the information provided by eBay (or maybe the customer) the address shows as United kingdom, I have blanked out the vast majority of the information for data protections etc,  still more fool me, I should of known better....but when the address is detailed as United kingdom.

[slxhawk]

I go by if address has a UK post code you do not need a customs form.

[notstopbuying]

I wonder if it is a situation that the buyer can fix their side?!?!

[4_bathrooms]

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@notstopbuying wrote:

I have done a little bit of digging, and I can see that the information provided by eBay (or maybe the customer) the address shows as United kingdom

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The residents of the Channel Islands (GY and JE postcodes) and the Isle of Man (IM postcode area) have a deliberate habit of (incorrectly) entering their country as "United Kingdom" to avoid UK seller's shipping restrictions (and Jersey's 5% GST on imports where JE postcodes are concerned). These postcode areas are outside the United Kingdom so do indeed require a customs declaration whenever goods are sent to them.

If anything goes awry with the receiving customs in Guernsey - i.e. they refuse the package - you are not protected by eBay if the buyer subsequently opens an "item not received" case. You really do stand to lose the item and the money if the item isn't returned to you in that case. However, I'm genuinely surprised neither RM's website nor the PO counter picked up on the GY postcode as you would have needed a CN23 due to the value. Did you print the address label yourself or did you show a QR code to the PO counter? 

[audio-visual-classics]

I have the API setup so all my ebay orders go direct to click and drop Royal mail account, I weigh the item, check the size, pick the postal service, then pay for it, take it to the post office, they scan the label that has been printed with my label printer.

But I guess with the buyer picking United kingdoms as their country, it has totally flown under the radar via the Royal Mail website and the Post office counter....more fool me I guess, but I would never of thought to check.

[4_bathrooms]

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@audio-visual-classics wrote:

I have the API setup so all my ebay orders go direct to click and drop Royal mail account, I weigh the item, check the size, pick the postal service, then pay for it, take it to the post office, they scan the label that has been printed with my label printer.

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I'll confess to not knowing how RM's click and drop account integration works. Do you have a means of reproducing or otherwise viewing the label that was actually printed to see what that actually states? I do know that if you enter a GY (or JE or IM) postcode into Royal Mail's website after selecting "United Kingdom" as the destination country it won't let you proceed:

[audio-visual-classics]

Hi, thank you for your replies at this late hour, indeed I checked re-downloaded the label, and the post code was as shown, no mention of Guernsey on the label, just the buyers name,  main address and postcode, no country on the label.

But after realising that a customs form should of been filled in, I did a test label, using the postcode on a new label, entering manually and yes it came up straight away a form will need to be filled in.

My guess, due to the buyer stating United kingdoms, it has flown under the radar on the Royal mail website.... I was feeling pretty stupid earlier... Still am.... But starting to get the feeling, this is not all my fault..... But of course it is all my problem.

[ett1954]

Royal Mail's Click & Drop when integrated with your eBay account will flag if a customs declaration needs to be made.  The declaration is prompted by leading you to the declaration form which has to be made before the postage label can be paid for and printed.  At least that is the situation with my account.

In saying that I had a sale to Alderney a few days ago and the prompt wasn't made so there may be a problem with how the system is working.  This problem must be related to the Channel Islands only as all international sales since are requiring a customs declaration to be made.

[audio-visual-classics]

Did you manage to spot the issue with no form request by the Royal mail system and add the customs form?

Have you had experience of an item been sent out without the customs form attached by mistake?

Is there anyway to fix the situation whilst the parcel is still in transit?

Filling in a form electronically and adding the tracking number?

[bojangled]

@audio-visual-classics 

I’ve had the same, I don’t think you are at fault, it’s a RM C&D problem. 
I worked at a PO for a short period and was aware Channel Islands needed a customs form. 
I’ve personally sent a couple of low value items there and wasn’t prompted for the customs info on the Royal Mail account purchase.

Accepting Post Office should have mentioned it on scanning though.

I don’t have a solution, but maybe worth trying to contact RM? 
Jo

[audio-visual-classics]

Thank you all for your replies, sadly it does look like the API data sent from eBay to my Royal mail Click and drop account, might be the reason why the required CN23 form was not requested (value over £270) but I am unsure why it was not flagged at the Post office counter, I did not use a main Post office counter, it was a Post office counter that is part of a very friendly family owned shop....they have always been great.

So I messaged the buyer last night to explain my plight of woe with regards to sending the Playstation 5 console with no customs forms, they replied say not to worry that Guernsey is part of the U.K.....which after Googling last night, it is not really part of the U.K and yes it does require a CN23 form.

So with me having the buyers number, I thought it best to contact them directly and explain over the phone the situation, so I called them this morning at around 8.55am just after they had sent a reply to my messages, I introduced myself and explained the situation, the buyer was extremely friendly and said hey do not worry about it, all that will happen is that customs will open the package, check that the contents are okay/not illegal and send the parcel onwards a little bit late, but it will arrive and they said no rush for its delivery and have a nice Christmas etc.

So I am currently less worried, lesson learnt etc, and because I have spoken with the buyer who lives in Guernsey and has had plenty of past experince with how their mail system works in general and with them been very relaxed about things, I shall of course wait it out and hope the package arrives, but just a little bit later.

Ultimatey though, I fully understand that it is my problem, regardless of how nice the buyer has been.

So, fingers crossed at this point with regards the £350 PS5 Games console arriving.

[bravergrace]

I've occasionally forgotten to fill in the Customs forms for the Channel Islands, and I've never had a parcel returned because of it.

Honestly, I'd GUESS that at this time of year, they probably get an awful lot of Christmas presents etc with no Customs forms, too many to deal with them all according to Hoyle unless their system is totally automated, which I doubt.

I don't think there's anything you can do.  Was there enough paperwork with the item for Customs to charge the buyer accurately if they do decide to?  If so, it will probably just mean a slight delay for the buyer.

[audio-visual-classics]

Thank you for your reply, sadly no paperwork at all, I am not VAT registered, so I did not include a VAT receipt.

The item is 2nd user, it is not brand new, it looks like new, as it was my own personal purchase from around 4 years ago, I really look after my items, as I know they have a better chance of selling at a later date if looked after....

But it would not be hard for them to look up the value of a PS5 console, 2nd user, going rate is around £300 ish, I included  four cheap 2nd user games with it, each worth maybe £5 each, then the cost of postage which was just over £17 for Special delivery, due to the weight of the package, I did it all as a buy it now , free postage £350.

So I have my fingers crossed based on talking to the buyer, that hopefully all will go well.

With it been sent from the U.K, to Guernsey, I have read that they do not pay an import dutie ( I could be wrong) Guernsey appears to be one of those places that has half a foot in the U.K and half a foot else where and due to Brexit, custom forms have become the norm, even though there is no extra tax to be paid.

[davrman]

This page confirms that there should be no import duty or VAT for items from the UK to Guernsey:

https://gov.gg/article/153086/Customs-and-Excise-Duties-and-Rates

[ojewellery]

I've also missed a few customs forms/ stickers over the years with Jersey/ Guernsey sending royal mail.  I've not yet had anything returned.

All I think you can do is watch the tracking and hopefully see it out for delivery soon.

[ett1954]

"Did you manage to spot the issue with no form request by the Royal mail system and add the customs form?" - I just affixed manually a CN22 label.  I have a roll of these from the Post Office which I keep for such contingencies or for use with orders taken over the telephone via my other sales avenues.

"Have you had experience of an item been sent out without the customs form attached by mistake?" - No, but to my knowledge I haven't sent anything without the appropriate documentation.

"Is there anyway to fix the situation whilst the parcel is still in transit?" - Only inform the recipient, which you have already done.  Good customer service.

"Filling in a form electronically and adding the tracking number?" - I don't believe there is a way to do this.  Personally, I don't think you will have a problem other than a delay in delivery ........... unless of course you are a French fisherman. 🙂

[4_bathrooms]

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@audio-visual-classics wrote:

the buyer was extremely friendly and said hey do not worry about it, all that will happen is that customs will open the package, check that the contents are okay/not illegal and send the parcel onwards a little bit late, but it will arrive and they said no rush for its delivery and have a nice Christmas etc.

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Out of curiosity what is the latest estimated delivery date shown in the sales record? eBay likely calculated that date on the presumption the item was being delivered within the United Kingdom. 

[audio-visual-classics]

The estimated delivery date is 7th - 12th of December, it was posted on the 6th.

The buyer did say, they have not had any post for many days due to the recent very bad weather.

Please see below for the current tracking history.

Tracking history

Friday 06 December 2024

20:53

Item Despatched to Guernsey

South Midlands MC

19:41

Item received at

South Midlands MC

10:48

Sender preparing item

 

10:38

Accepted at Parcelshop

[pillarboxred]

I've noticed the Royal Mail have the attitude that they are there to do what you request. I've been in your situation and it is expensive to sort out, I lost money. If you lose money, you pay less tax not that that brings comfort.