To My International Customers

~Insurance~

I DO NOT REPLACE OR REFUND DAMAGED OR LOST ITEMS UNLESS INSURANCE IS PURCHASED!!!! 

Althought more expensive, insurance is available for international packages through Airmail Parcel Post.  Airmail Letter Post is the fastest and most economical but cannot be insured.  If you chose not to purchase insurance...DO NOT FILE CLAIMS AGAINST ME THROUGH PAYPAL TO TRY AND GET YOUR MONEY BACK!!  Paypal will see that insurance was offered and turned down and you will be left grumpy.  It is more money, but well worth it if your package disappears or arrives with damage.

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~Customs & Duty~
Due to the unpredictable practices of individual customs officials in other countries, I will not be leaving feedback for my international customers until I have first received it from them. I have had two customers that had to pay additional fees when they went to pick up their packages and in one of those cases I received a boat load of neutral feedback because they were upset about the extra charges.

I have done some “research” into the reasons for these extra charges and will share them with you so that you can be more prepared for the possibility of having to pay them yourself.

When a customs form is filled out for international packages, a value must be declared. This value will always be what you paid for that item. If customs officials, in your country, decide to open the package, they have the ability to determine if the contents inside are the same value as what was declared on the form. For example….If you purchased a diamond ring from me for $100, I would declare the value of that ring as $100 on the customs form. When customs officials from your country open the package and decide that the value is $1000 instead, they will charge you an extra $900.00 to take possession of that ring. The same will be true for the items that I sell. I can only declare on the customs form what the value truly is.

More information that needs to be declared on this customs form, is what kind of items are inside. The choices are “Gift”, “Commercial Sample”, “Documents”, or “Other”. I will only select “Other” and I will not mark the package as a gift. Not only would that be incorrect to classify a purchase as a gift, but it is also ILLEGAL. I will not defraud the US Postal Service and risk being penalized just to try and get away with fooling customs officials. Even if a package is marked as a gift, customs officials still have the authority to open the package to examine the contents. I think the invoice would clue them in that the items inside were not gifts! Please do not ask me to claim a package as a gift, or assume that I will automatically do so to try and avoid extra fees.

Before purchasing from me, please be aware that you may be charged extra when you receive your package. I want my customers to understand that I do not have the ability to stop your customs officials from charging you extra money, nor is it my fault if they do.

I am an honest seller selling on eBay to be able to stay at home with my children. I am never worried about negative feedback because I stand behind my sales 100% and I feel confident that I have done the best job possible. Unfortunately shipping internationally has become a feedback hazard because of the customs fees issue. I hope you understand…please feel free to ask me any questions!!!

ALSO...(as if you didn't have enough to read!)...My policy on replacing lost or damaged items has changed.  Here is ANOTHER link to very important information regarding damaged or lost items:  http://stores.ebay.com/Turtle-Crossing/Buyer-Beware-Information.html

Thank you, Lisa, romewith5