[Gearbest] I asked about customs, now item is stuck in customs, what do I do?

[Cyrics]

I ordered a phone on Monday, 10 April 2017.

I contacted Gearbest through facebook and their website before and after shipment and I asked them if I have to pay customs
They always replied with huge delayed automated answers with their rules & conditions and they did not provide me any specific answers

Here are the screenshots with our full conversation:
(If text is blurry, you can download them, zoom in and read)

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As you can see I also asked if it was possible to contact DHL and cancel the postage and change shipping method
The only thing they said was "There is nothing we can do", Making a phone call wouldn't break them a leg in my opinion


Today, Wednesday, 19 April 2017 I was contacted by DHL, they told me the parcel is stuck in customs
and I have to pay 54€ for customs handling and 24% VAT of Phone's price, total cost 124€

I asked DHL if I refuse the package will I, the buyer/receiver or the seller/sender pay any additional shipping charges or customs, they answered
No, neither the seller/sender or the buyer/receiver pays anything, there is only one condition, the seller/sender has to accept the return.

Immediately, after talking with DHL, I contacted with Gearbest again, for another time they answered me with Automated copied text.


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All I'm asking them is to agree with the return and resend it with a different shipping method, I still want the phone/item and I'm willing to pay for shipping costs as well, a simple additional service, nothing more, nothing less.

As a buyer do I have the right to refuse the item and ask for a refund?

[kernowlass]

duplicate thread.

[Cyrics]

Didn't mean to make a duplicated thread. I thought US and Uk were separate communities I'm sorry. Can you delete one or merge​them?

[Whac-A-Mole]

I am surprised DHL does not charge for returns.

[Cyrics]

Please can someone kindly answer

[Whac-A-Mole]

once the seller receives the item back,you can ask them to resend from their UK warehouse so you donthave to pay UK customs.

we cant do anything for you.

[Cyrics]

All I'm asking about is knowing my rights as buyer and opinions from your past experiences. The seller also has rights. And I'm simply asking around to know what I can do and can't and I have already asked the seller to provide with a different solution. I know you cannot do anything but you can still provide me your opinions from your past experiences. That is all. Thanks.

[Whac-A-Mole]

if they know you are in UK and they ship from non UK warehouse,it could mean they dont have the item in stock in their UK warehouse.

are you aware most of these electronic sites do not have the merchandise,they rely on dropshippers to dropship,these dropshippers could be in a different country,many are in China,right across from HK.

if they ship from CHina,Hk,Singapore,then you pay UK customs.

[Whac-A-Mole]

As a buyer do I have the right to refuse the item and ask for a refund?

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In USA,

You can refuse the item when postman tries to deliver to you or if you receive a notice foryou to go t o the post office and you never go ,it would be returned to the sender after 30 days.

if they always send you canned email response,you may have to wait for them to ask you after they receive the phone back.

[Cyrics]

But still,

I contacted DHL, I told them that I refuse to accept the package and they told me they will have to communicate with Gearbest and they will return it ONLY if Gearbest accepts the package.

I tried contacting them and Gearbest does not respond and if they don't reply back soon, package will get stuck on customs, get charged with rental costs and item might never return back to it's sender or get lost.

I'm trying to work out things with the SELLER, I tried communicating with them many times and what I really

want is to a) accept the item, b) send it again with a different shipping method and if there any additional shipping costs I will gladly pay them, I do not want a refund, all I want is to reach this solution, is it really so hard?