Hello Tibor,

Thank you for contacting eBay, my name is Nathan, and I am happy to help you today.

I can respect your passion behind this, and your willingness to keep this conversation professional going forward. You have been looking a long time for this metronome, and I do understand you do not agree with this restriction. I also see you are very knowledgeable behind this, and want to help clarify. This decision is not available for appeal, and we are not able to forward the item to you. The issue is that the wood itself is restricted, and although you may state the item is actually plastic, it was clearly listed as mahogany. I apologize again for this, but the restriction is in place not to prevent you getting items, but to ensure you and your seller are protected. This will help prevent if your seller sends it to you directly that it won't be stopped by customs and neither of you are possibly covered. We have this in place to ensure even if you do not get the item, that you will receive the refund.

While the refund is not the item, I do hope it helps you find a suitable replacement in a timely manner. I understand how important this is, and so I have provided all information that we have available. Regrettably we do not and will not have any additional information that we can provide on this matter and are not able to take further action. Because of this, we will read future replies, but may choose to no longer reply.

I hope you have a great weekend, and please stay in good health.

Thanks,
Nathan K.
Global Shipping Specialist

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Dear Nathan,

Thank you for the answer. But I can't agrre with you, in many points.

You: "This will help prevent if your seller sends it to you directly that it won't be stopped by customs and neither of you are possibly covered"

My opinion: In this case, why you seize the item? If you would like protect the seller/buyer just from customs problem, why not send back to the seller? And give another chance to the seller to sell within their country. If you see only problem with customs, why the dispose is the only decision? This is not a logical consequence. I think this is hard to explain.

You: "This decision is not available for appeal, and we are not able to forward the item to you. ... This will help prevent if your seller sends it to you directly that it won't be stopped by customs and neither of you are possibly covered"

My opinion: Why not P&B gives a chance (when buyer ask) for the import/export would be successfull? Why not give this risk decision to buyer hands? What happened at the worst case scenario? The buyer lost the item. If I had made a decision, I would have taken that risk.

Otherwise... I don't understand your business model. Ebay has now lost money without giving it a chance to the contrary. I don't understand. Why not tried the export/import process? If it failed, you could still give refund. But if it did, everyone would be happy.

Why not entrust the decision to expert customs? And why do you make decisions, when P&B hasn't enough knowledge for this? (Your collegaue wrttten Me: you can't make any test on your hub.)

It looks, you are taking over the decision-making power of the authorities. I would be very curious if this is legal, regardless of whether this right is included in your T&C.

Addtionally: Before P&B make decision, why not ask a seller/buyer for evidence? I could have asked for a certificate from the original manufecturer, what type of wood used in this item. (Trust Me, this is a well knowing manufacturer and don't use illegal materials... already sold millions of metronomes in the last 100 years.)

For example, at import/export process in front of customs give a chance to present any evidence. At the "same" process by P&B exculde this possibility. From my viewpoint, P&B has a much more worst process than the customs. If this is not illegal, but very immoral I think.

But never mind, next time when I will bought on Ebay, I will bypass the P&B GSP with an "external" forward shipper (as meny times before). They don't have a problem with that. As you see, I ordered an another (much more older) WOOD metronome from USA. But I asked the seller to shipping the item to my forwarder address. They were already forwarded to Hungary without any word. And trust Me... the Hungarian customs will not object to anything.

Genarally GSP not provide any security for Me... just a black-hole sink and makes many problems. And please... read the Ebay Community, This is not my opinion. It would certainly be worthwhile to pay attention to the opinions of customers as well.

Reagards,
Tibor