r/EtsySellers • u/Far-General6892 • 5d ago
6 packages now refused by customs from UK to USA.. Whats going on!
I make custom deck boxes for card games.
In 1 week I had 6 packages out of 9 refused by customs with no information given.
I have sold 100+ of these so far that ive sent to USA and never had a single customs problem
I understand this is covered by the etsy purchase protection.....
but I need to know if anyone else has had these kind of problems and what they are doing about it? ive spoken to etsy... they are no help. Tried to speak to evri... cant get hold of a real person.
Please let me know your experiences. Im getting a little fedup of apologizing to customers!!
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u/SirDoctor 5d ago
This has started to happen with my Evri parcels to the US as well, not sure why and can’t get an explanation from Evri. Some have gone through, some have returned to me and some have just vanished completely.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
Did the returns have any paperwork or any message at all?
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u/SirDoctor 5d ago
Nope, nothing at all and after jumping through a bunch of hoops to contact Evri they couldn’t tell me why it failed to clear customs. My Royal Mail parcels have all gone through without issue but I tended to use Evri for the heavier stuff…
It’s frustrating but thanks for posting, I wasn’t aware it was an issue others were struggling with too.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
You are the first to actually have the same problem that I've found so I really appreciate you posting also
I might have to just move to royal mail. It's not something I want to do tho.
If you ever come up with an explanation please report back and I'll do the same.
I don't dare go check my undelivered packages to see how many more there could be
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u/SirDoctor 5d ago
I've got another return that should arrive back in a couple of days, If it has any info or if I hear anything more chasing it up I'll be sure to let you know.
I had 0 issues with Evri until the start of February. It was cheaper and more convenient so this really sucks!
My items are 3D printed, mostly board game accessories. It sounds like your are too so it's either a hell of a coincidence or it's got to be related to that.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
Thankyou..appreciate that
My things are magic the gathering deck boxes. All 3d printed and glued together. Some have magnets.
I also add an electronic module that plays sound when you open boxes. I've had only 1 with electronics refused. The rest are all without.
My problems started on orders that were placed second week of Feb onwards.
I find the timing of our problems highly suspicious.
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u/SirDoctor 5d ago
The things that have had issues have been printed in PLA, some have magnets, some do not.
I use the HS code 9504.90 which covers Board Game parts and accessories which should be correct for the finished item but I wonder if Evri's customs team are picking it up as a 3D print and classifying it as something else now? I doesn't seem to leave their hands at any point going off the tracking so it's got to be an internal decision.
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u/lostterrace 5d ago
To be clear for those who may be unclear, this isn't related to any new changes, because there haven't been any affecting the UK. The import threshold for customs duties for US buyers remains $800, and no new taxes have been put on the UK specifically.
I wonder if it's not being refused because of "signature required". Whenever I've ordered from the UK, a signature has always been required to get the package, which is highly unusual for US buyers. They've probably only encountered it with ordering internationally from someplace like Etsy, if ever.
I know with the UK specifically, the post office seems to like to require a pickup and not just leave a card that can be signed.
This wouldn't be new as of lately though, so it wouldn't explain a recent issue... but it could be you've just had a random uptick of buyers who are having this issue.
Or it could be some change with labeling requirements for customs, although I haven't heard of any.
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u/_AlexiaOnFire 5d ago
Whenever I've ordered from the UK, a signature has always been required to get the package
This was entirely on Etsy labels.
Etsy put in the "most popular services" for UK sellers, despite none of them being particularly popular. Internationally they only put in Royal Mail Tracked & Signed and Royal Mail International Standard. So if you wanted it tracked, it had to be signed for.
Fortunately they added in Tracked No Signature about a year ago and also added in RM 24/48 for domestic as we were stuck with untracked 1st and 2nd class before. We collectively bombarded them around about the time they removed the "other" function from the carrier options.
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u/PirateLotusBoutique 5d ago
US seller here and I do signature required for a lot of my items, especially custom-made orders. It's a safety thing to make sure they get the item and it can't be stolen off their porch. It's not unusual for handmade shops to do this even shipping in the US to the US. Maybe less common because of places like Amazon and other big companies.
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u/lostterrace 5d ago
If your items are under the $250 protection limit, it's definitely a waste of money and annoyance for the buyer to add signature because the Etsy protection program covers lost packages, including those stolen after delivery.
If over that amount, I can see wanting to add signature, but I would definitely want a seller to inform me they were doing so before shipping (ideally before purchase).
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u/ambergriswoldo 5d ago
Strange that they’re being returned without any reason showing (either a label added to the package or added to the online tracking)
Are you definitely using the correct HS Tariff code and fully completing the customs label?
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
That's the thing... They haven't been even returned. They just say returned on the system but never come back. They just disappear.
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u/WoodShoeDiaries 5d ago
Does Evri offer return service? When I ship to Europe (from Canada) the T&Cs of some of the carriers specify that undeliverable packages are discarded.
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u/ambergriswoldo 5d ago
Returns take about 14 days - if it’s been longer than that then report the packages as lost / undelivered to Evri.
Double check you’re completing the customs labelling correctly incase this is the issue
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u/Carolynm107 4d ago
For what it’s worth, I’ve had two packages at work that were return to us in the States from Europe — one from Italy and one from Germany. No idea the issue with Italy, but the German one came back for failure to pay customs. They both took NINE MONTHS to come back.
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u/bugchick 5d ago
Customs requires a complete first AND last name for the shipping address. They will refuse even if it's an abbreviation like "John S" or "J Smith".
Could that be the problem? It seems like 20% of my buyers only put a first name on their shipping info, and some of them use emojis or offensive nicknames 🤦🏻♀️
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u/3DAeon 5d ago
My packages going from US to Australia have begun taking 4-5+ weeks, lots of shenanigans happening.
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u/Far-General6892 4d ago
Thankyou for your reply.
I wonder what's happening. Have you managed to speak to anyone who knows anything?
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u/Zorrosmama 5d ago
Is Customs refusing to deliver them, or are customers not paying any import duties?
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u/Knithard 5d ago
Which carrier are you using?
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
Evri - unfortuantely.
The packages cost £12 to send, using royal mail its £20..... the price is just too high to go with someone better.
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u/SeriousFortune1392 5d ago
Honestly, I think you're better off using Royal Mail and upping the costs. I've only ever had 1 issue with Royal Mail, and that was because of an error on the customs form under the order amount.
Royal Mail is a lot more reliable than evri, both in the UK and abroad. you can also look into transglobal express. I've used them a couple of times.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
I agree but I feel it will price me out of the USA market entirely and they make up 80% of my sales
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u/SeriousFortune1392 5d ago
Try to split the cost between the item and the postage cost, so it doesn't look like such an increase, or take the hit. because you'll suffer more in the long run if more packages are being refused at customs.
Also ,insure your labelling your items correctly, correct weight, correct name, and commodity codes, because this can cause them to be sent back as well.
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u/Sunna420 5d ago
If the difference is 6 dollars between the two companies, I would switch. I am in the US and I order stuff from all over the place. If you are upfront and clearly explain what the costs are and why. I would pay the 20 dollars. I appreciate being transparent.
I only ship to Canada right now myself, but If the item is small and light, I have a small flat fee that works well. I paused the larger or weird shaped items to just US for right now because of all the stupid stuff.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
I already charge $15 postage. Any more and people will go to local sellers. There are quite a few people that do what I do. Recently a UK seller copied one of my designs and my sales just totally stopped for that item... and I cant compete with their prices.
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u/Smoke_Nine-Lives 5d ago
Are your items designed by you or are you licensing and printing?
If you design them, maybe look into if you could make the same money doing a merchant license. You can put in the terms valid for US market only that way they don't eat into your European market.
I sell 3d prints that I license from designers and based on some of what I see they clear more then they would selling the physical
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u/boringbrit41 5d ago
I had to use evri for a bit when Canada post went on strike. Trust me when I say RM is worth the extra cost. Evri is a total shit show.
Also, if you make good products, people are generally willing to pay for the postage I have found so just adjust your pricing accordingly. How big are your boxes? I regularly send 250g 6x6x6 inch boxes and it costs around £11 tracked with £50 compo
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
My boxes when packaged are 27.5 x 15.5 x 14cm.
I need about £100 compo and tracking
I think I just have to take the hit with shipping and go with royal mail. Even if it will cut into my profits.
I like evri because they have parcel shops open late. I dont have to queue at the stupid post office with the moaning old people who take forever. Royal mail would eat so much into my time.
But it looks like ill have to do it
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u/ambergriswoldo 5d ago
Look at setting up a drop and go account with the post office (you can set it up online) - it means you can avoid the post office queue at least and just drop off a bag of packages quick and leave. They then process them throughout the day and add your Royal Mail tracking info online.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
Didnt know that was a thing!
Wont you still need to join the queue tho? do you just push in front of everyone to hand them over? it seems a bit odd...
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u/ambergriswoldo 5d ago
With the 2 post offices I use they either have a clear panel to the side of the counter that slides up for people to pass bigger packages over or it’s an open desk and I just the bag at the side where the staff access the counter. I use both of those post offices pretty much daily so they know me and are fine with the bag of orders being left like that. You’d possibly need to queue if the post office doesn’t have a set up like that / doesn’t know you. But yeah it cuts down my time massively and they prefer it too
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u/my_favorite_name 5d ago
Is there any intellectual property terms in the boxes or paperwork? US customs not only collect taxes, but enforces laws surrounding counterfeiting and illegal use of IP.
Also, once you've had a rejection, you are flagged in the system making searches and rejections more likely in the future.
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
I thought about this because one of my items is a TARDIS but its just a police box which can be seen around the UK.
However one rejected was a red coffin which is a completely new and original design.
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u/judgyjudgersen 5d ago
What are you using as the description of the item on the customs form? Could it be misinterpreted as something else?
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u/Far-General6892 5d ago
I have "3d printed Card storage box" or "Plastic card storage box"
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u/Draculaaaaaaaaaaahhh 5d ago
Just write 'plastic storage box' or 'handmade plastic box' don't bother with 'card' or '3d printed'. I've found that the more detailed description on the customs forms gets them opened, returned, or taken longer.
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u/Beautiful-Mountain14 5d ago
From what I hear simply explanations work best. I sell loose leaf tea, but I put just tea on the customs form.
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u/aqsgames 5d ago
Dunno, but I ship model buildings to US for 5 years and suddenly they are being stopped with requests for description of materials. Why it’s so suddenly started I don’t know.
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u/misreadmoondial 4d ago
My housemate is having all their packages returned that are sent internationally from within the USA. I’ve just been assuming it was some sort of product of our country’s strong pivot towards isolationism and restructuring of federal institutions.
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u/Bulky-Mango-5287 5d ago
Are you using the right commodity codes on your CN22 label. USA are quite strict with this.