Quote Originally Posted by paulhenry View Post
@ thescot... the point that you are missing is that the seller does not have any control over the duties imposed, or not as sometimes happens, so there is no onus on the seller to work out what might or might not be added on once the goods are delivered. If you buy from someone, you buy on their terms, if you don't want to buy goods from a supplier you simply don't have to! But the fact remains you can't impose on a supplier how he does business....
I agree, but only to an extent. I think you do have the right to specify that the seller not use a shipper whose business practices you find questionable. If, on a seemingly regular basis, the local Post Masters (agents of the federal government) do not see fit to collect duty fees, why should the buyer be subjected to the arbitrary fees (not calculated/imposed and verified by the federal government) imposed by commercial carriers. The postal services of both the UK and the USA have an acceptable service record, and the buyer has a right to request shipment by mail. If the seller refuses to ship by the method specified by the buyer, the buyer can exercise the option/right to buy elsewhere. More than one seller has changed established business practices based on the requests/demands of the customers. If enough customers cancel an order over the refusal to ship by mail, a smart vendor will get the message.