Natural pearls restricted? Ebay cancelled my shipment.

[aerinha]

I won a lovely 14” natural strand, missing clasp, on ebay from a UK seller. They were lovely 2-6mm with pink shine to them in the two poorly light pics. For $137 I figured I couldn’t miss. Seller used the global shipping system so it took a week for me to get shipping confirmation...two minutes later I got an email from ebay saying my pearls were deemed restricted by global shipping and would neither ship to me nor be returned to seller. A minute after that a refund email came. Anyone have a clue what just happened here? Can you not ship naturals from the UK to US?

Supposedly I have been refunded, but it isn’t showing on my card yet or on paypal - all this just happened 4 hours ago but i sense a headache coming on. nHad the seller done their own shipping would this have happened?

I am crushed, they were so pretty and I was looking forward to finding a clasp and stringing them.

Here are the two pics from the listing if it helps any.

 

[lary007]

I've never had this happen to me, but I do know it can take a few days for that credit to show in PayPal.

I hope someone else has some insight on this.

 

[aerinha]

Wondering if the ban on Scottish pearls triggered s no natural black and white rule with eBay global shipper.

 

[Katbran]

Well that's weird ! Maybe Wendy has an idea ?

 

[MSC]

Sounds like a scam...

 

[amti]

I don't believe pearls are restricted. This all seems really weird. Are you sure that your email was not a phishing scam?

 

[aerinha]

Totally, I already have the refund straight from ebay/paypal. What happened was legit. I don’t think I clarified enough. International sellers who don’t want the hassel of shipping to the US can use eBay’s global shipping where you mail your item to them and they send it across the world. This was my first time buying from a seller using it and my last after this. It took a week from auction end for me to get shipping notification, two minites later I got two emails from ebay saying my item was restricted I was being refunded and the seller not getting it back. A minute after that I got the paypal email saying a refund had been issued. The refund is already in my pending transactions for my CC.

I just don’t know why the shipping company would restrict pearls or why the seller isn’t getting her item back either. It’s not like she was sending me an elephant.

 

[nynic715]

that does sound odd, but at least you got your refund, and are not in the sellers shoes where s/he is now out of the strand itself....

 

[jshepherd]

There are two possible reasons that I can think of: the shipper won't accept jewelry or the shipment was listed as "natural pearls" and a F&W certificate is required.

Some carriers refuse to ship jewelry. We have a special allowance with FedEx and UPS, but some times are forced to prove that to move packages across some borders.

Natural pearls are not the same as cultured pearls in border crossings. Natural pearls require a Fish and Wildlife certificate to enter the US. It's the same certificate required to import shell. Natural pearls are not duty free either.

 

[lary007]

Good to know, Jeremy!

 

[amti]

AGreed! I had no idea natural pearls would need a F&W certificate! I guess the age of the pearl must not matter.

 

[Katbran]

That's interesting ! I thought maybe it was a UK thing so thought Wendy would know. But she can't get onto the Forum apparently has problems with her password again.

 

[aerinha]

There are two possible reasons that I can think of: the shipper won't accept jewelry or the shipment was listed as "natural pearls" and a F&W certificate is required.

Some carriers refuse to ship jewelry. We have a special allowance with FedEx and UPS, but some times are forced to prove that to move packages across some borders.

Natural pearls are not the same as cultured pearls in border crossings. Natural pearls require a Fish and Wildlife certificate to enter the US. It's the same certificate required to import shell. Natural pearls are not duty free either.

Thanks Jeremy. I feel bad for the seller. Ebay shut you down fast on stuff like ivory, I am surprised they allow international shipping on a natural listing after reading your explanation. But, note to self, stick to US sellers for any future natural buys.

 

[BWeaves]

Wow, this is all good information to know.

 

[MSC]

There are two possible reasons that I can think of: the shipper won't accept jewelry or the shipment was listed as "natural pearls" and a F&W certificate is required.

Some carriers refuse to ship jewelry. We have a special allowance with FedEx and UPS, but some times are forced to prove that to move packages across some borders.

Natural pearls are not the same as cultured pearls in border crossings. Natural pearls require a Fish and Wildlife certificate to enter the US. It's the same certificate required to import shell. Natural pearls are not duty free either.

That doesn't seem surprising to me, but also lovely to know that border agents are also keeping this a priority among all the other much higher level wildlife poaching/smuggling that occurs.

 

[Parrot Lady]

If the order of natural pearls was confiscated and not returned to the seller, I wonder what they do with them.

 

[aerinha]

If the order of natural pearls was confiscated and not returned to the seller, I wonder what they do with them.

They should have to destroy them but I tend to think the good stuff walks out the door with people