I've currently got a Coleman lantern on the eBay and Japanese collectors are inquiring about whether I will ship there. One wrote that eBay does not allow the shipment of lanterns/stoves and asked if I would find an independent method for shipping. I've sold goods on the bay before (Europe, China) and when the auction is over I'm able to print out an international shipping label via eBay, take the package to the Post Office and it's a done deal. I'm open to sending it world wide but want the convenience of the what I described above in bold. Anyone have and recent experience here? Thanks, Jerry
Hi Jerry, I have a recent bad experience with Ebay shipping. I purchased and extremely rare lamp in England. The seller boxed and shipped via Ebay shipper. The lamp made it out of rural UK to Heathrow area where it ran into trouble. An agent of the shipping company Ebay contracted (Pitney Bowes) decided that a kerosene lamp not used for nearly 80 years and empty as well as dry on the interior was a threat of explosion. Ebay contacted me said they could not send the lamp, I could not have them move to another shipper and there was no possibility of reconsidering their decision. Further, they would not send the lamp back to the sender and would not allow me to have a friend come and collect it from them for other arrangements. That rare lamp was probably sent to the trash or went home with an employee, I don't know and they won't tell me what they did with it. What a pity! Read the fine print of the shipper. It probably says something about liquid fueled objects not allowed. Best, Brian
metropolitantrout, If a lantern was used and thus "got in contact with" any type of fuel (no matter when!) it is a dangerous item. (Which will certainly explode at once when it gets into a certain distance to a plane) If you have a NIB lantern which really is new in box and never was out of it . it may look dangerous to the extremely well-educated and well-paid person at the X-ray machine at the airport... it is a dangerous item. (Which will certainly explode at once when it gets into a certain distance to a plane) The shipping company even may "dispose of properly as dangerous goods" on your expense if they like to. So the only thing is: Ask the seller to - or if you aer the seller of a mightbedangerousitem - add some wiring, an old plug and may be a bulb from the local flea market and ship as an old electric lamp. Erik
There are plenty of used pressure lanterns sold on eBay and sent to Japan through their global shipping program. There doesn’t seem to be recent mention of sellers losing lanterns over on the CCF. Was there a recent change? From people selling it appears there can be no odor of fuel in the fount. I can see why some don’t make it. I’ve bought a few sent to me full of old and new fuel. One time it was fresh gasoline.
Not Japan but twice my eBay items seized by Global Shipping coming from UK to Australia. I only buy if proper post now.
Fairly regular occurrence here too.. It must happen a lot even with things tightening up I feel like a right old curmudgeon asking folks to take care of this and that before they post but lately the couriers have mashed 2 out of 4 items Sorry to go off topic.. I’ll get me coat …
I have just seen one of my two seized items advertised on eBay. I had been refunded, but hurts to see it again with another seller and this time by Royal Mail postage. I am not bidding again as whole episode seems odd. Iain
Sorry to hear that.. must be very frustrating Don’t forget you have friends this side of the globe mate
I’ve lost 2 UK lamp purchases via the Global Shipping and like others, I won’t purchase without it being re-routed via a mate in the UK using the postal system. It’s a bit rough that eBay auctions the article and then have their Global Shipping condemn and confiscate it. It both cases I got my money back but the seller didn’t get the lamp back. Not satisfactory at all.
i think part of the problem is badly packed lamps. I’ve had a parcel arrive dripping paraffin, another parcel seized as it smelled of paraffin. When I send lamps abroad from the uk I only use tracked post and always list contents as ‘lamp parts’. All parts are individually wrapped and sealed in poly bags. If a smell of paraffin is detected by the carrier or service, the parcel won’t fly. As to Japan. Japan Post is an excellent and secure service within Japan, though I would stress that it’s very important to address parcels very clearly, also make sure the customs information is readable and correct. After all that rambling, the eBay GSP is not the best, I avoid it.
Royal Mail and Ebays Global shipping program seem to have quite a bad name, i use Parcelhero and so far.... i'm not saying anymore
Icing on the Cake! Update to lost rare lamp on Ebay. A couple days ago I was looking through items listed recently for sale on the web. There is my exact lamp taken during shipping by Pitney Bowes UK Ebay shipper. Now for sale by the "buyer" from an undeliverable (because they grabbed it) mail auction. Just after 90-day eBay purge of links.... Amazing how that timing works! Beware Ebay shipping!
Yes, if a seller will only send internationally via ebays gsp its worth an ask on here to see if anyone will forward it using a decent company, i don't mind helping out if someone gets stuck.
Yes I am also happy to assist as i live 100yards from a post office and always have bubble wrap and cardboard hanging about. Chris
@Fireexit1 I believe Royal Mail/Parcelforce also aren't too trust worthy either when it comes to pressure items although Royal Mails small parcel International prices are hard to beat.
If you use the cheapo Royal Mail international parcel service be warned your parcel may take months! I’ve never lost a parcel through Royal Mail, though have had some worrying waiting times...
I know this is an old thread, but I just thought I'd share an unfortunate experience with Ebay Global Shipping that occurred just before Xmas 2023. I sold a Thuringia wick lantern with the Bat logo on the glass, to a buyer in Germany where it was made. Ebay intercepted this and disposed of it with no chance to address the fact that it was not a pressure lamp, and nor had it had any fuel inside for many years. It seems just about impossible to get anything other than parts to be shipped overseas without the fear of it being disposed of . If anyone out there knows of a way of sending by surface mail I'd be most eager to hear of it please.
Don't use Ebay shipping service. I have sent/recieved many parcels to/from abroad via Royal Mail. Pack it well and airtight and label it with imagination. "antique light" for example.
Are you certain it was disposed of? In a case that happened to me I am fairly certain I saw it online a little while later.
Just as Iain noted, My lamp was not disposed either but appeared for sale later online. Said to have been purchased at auction of Non Deliverable mail. As others have said Take the lantern/lamp apart. Put a bit of old electrical cord in with it, put an old light bulb in the box and list it as lamp parts. Best, Brian
Thank you all. I've had pressure stoves as well as lanterns intercepted before now, and by Royal Mail too. Maybe I'm feeling unlucky, or maybe I'm overly worried about some sod getting their hands on a free item to sell otherwise. I doubt such things are disposed off by way of a controlled explosion in some field near the GSP Fradley depot!
