No more shipping to Russia!

[Joe Jazz]

Sold a mouthpiece to a guy in Russia. Shipped it by USPS Express Mail International. The guy tells me after it was stuck in customs for almost a month that they won't release it and are shipping it back to me. I told him when I receive the mpc back I'll refund his money. The tracking system showed it was on the way back. He opened a dispute with Paypal(I guessed to protect himself, I've done the same thing)and I refunded his money. The package just arrived a day or two ago and when I unwrapped it(the USPS had apparently wrapped it in their shipping paper and used one of the forms I had filled out as a return label)the bottom of the box was open and there was just bubble wrap inside, no mouthpiece. Now I have to see if the USPS will make good on the insurance. What a pain!

[Pete Thomas]

That is a pain and I'm sorry to hear that., but I'm sure your insurance will cover it.

I wouldn't stop sending to an entire country just because of one very bad experience. If I did that I wouldn't be shipping to the USA!

As long as you are insured and have proof of shipping for Paypal then the worst pain is the form filling. It's part of the risks of selling.

I'd be interested to know the Russian customs's reason for not releasing it though. Could it just be he was shocked at a customs charge?

Or else it's a scam. He got the mouthpiece, broke the package open and then just posted the broken package back to you.

The odd thing I find is that it would have been returned by a Russian postal service, not USPS.

[Raphyel]

That sucks big time....I hope it wasn't too much of an investment on your part. It always seems that things could be so easy if people wanted them to, but it never works out that way.

[Sigmund451]

Well, Russia just went on my no ship list.

I only ship to questionable mail systems if people wire the money and assume the burden of loss or theft. So far its worked out on both sides but one of these days stuff is going to disappear. Sorry for your hassle and loss.

[Joe Jazz]

Thanks guys. I really have no way of knowing who slit open the bottom of the package and took out the mouthpiece. It could have been the guy I sold it to, or maybe a crooked Russian customs or mail person. Seems odd that the U.S. postal service would have wrapped the package in shipping paper and affixed one of the forms I filled out as a label without noticing that the box was open and empty. Maybe it was see no evil speak no evil?

[milandro]

in all fairness, it could have happened anywhere .............
http://billingsgazette.com/news/loca...f8634d8ab.html

[Sigmund451]

Maybe Im going to extremes. I wonder what other persons experiences have been shipping to Russia.

I have shipped to Eastern Europe without incident but not Russia.

[saxmanjack]

I'm through dealing with the damned canadians...

[Pete Thomas]

I'm through dealing with the damned canadians...

I'm not,

but then I think I only ever sold one CD to a canadian (rleitch), who is unlikely buy my next one anyway as he seems to dislike me now.

[milandro]

I'm not,

but then I think I only ever sold one CD to a canadian (rleitch), who is unlikely buy my next one anyway as he seems to dislike me now.

was the music that horrible...........!?????

[Pete Thomas]

was the music that horrible...........!?????

Yes, it was really horrible.

But I will give you a free copy if I see you this year at the MusikMesse.

[milandro]

well, I'll give you some horrible vinegar then.........

[Joe Jazz]

was the music that horrible...........!?????

Somehow I don't think it was the music....

[Joe Jazz]

well, I'll give you some horrible vinegar then.........

What? No horrible coffee?

[milandro]

although I am credited to be a coffee guru , I am no longer dealing in that type of black ambrosia and have a good source of Balsamico Vinegar......

[Pete Thomas]

well, I'll give you some horrible vinegar then.........

I could then reciprocate with some lovely English vinegar:



Back on topic: how about Russian vinegar?

[milandro]

Russian Vinegar? G-d forbid! Mat Vinegar? Chips salt and Vinegar!

Russian postal roulette (sometimes it gets there sometimes it doesn't )............in Italy it might happen too

[Joe Jazz]

in all fairness, it could have happened anywhere .............
http://billingsgazette.com/news/loca...f8634d8ab.html

Is that a tenor sax mpc in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

[Joe Jazz]

Russian Vinegar? G-d forbid! Mat Vinegar? Chips salt and Vinegar!

Russian postal roulette (sometimes it gets there sometimes it doesn't )............in Italy it might happen too

I don't ship to Italy either anymore since I got screwed out of a mouthpiece there previously.

[Pete Thomas]

I am no longer dealing in that type of black ambrosia and have a good source of Balsamico Vinegar......

And I can attest to that, after the bottle from last year.

I just got back from Modena, and although it was my first visit, my wife is a regular visitor (we are looking for a property to buy there).

Proper Balsamico (note the "o" now I am a cognoscenti ) is extremely tasty and has many levels. You can get one that you put on ice cream. It is beautiful, but quite expensive as it must be matured for years. Milandro will be able to give more info.

Damn, I've gone off topic, sorry Joe I think either I or milandro should start a new topic. I promise I'll stop banging on about Italian vinegar in a thread about Russian customs. Sorry.