Have to sell... Tilt5 VR system - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: vivi-d
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2022, 04:56:22 pm
content: If anyone is interested, I'm selling a barely used Tilt5 system on ebay.https://www.ebay.com/itm/203864948409I'm sorry to part with it, but I need the money.Any questions, please ask. Thanks!

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2022, 11:03:10 am
content: Bought the item on EBay and now they have stolen it!Undeliverable - Item restricted at Global Shipping CenterThe item in question has been deemed restricted. This could be due to import/shipping restrictions or eligibility requirements within the Global Shipping Program. The item will not be shipped to you nor returned to your seller.Yeah the seller got the money and I got my money back but I'd rather have the item. I guess there's no sense in contacting them...

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 24, 2022, 12:27:15 pm
content: Weird... I guess someone at eBay or Pitney Bowes really wanted it for themselves? I can't think of another reason...I almost bid on it as I have an XE kit coming eventually, and wanted an extra headset and wand. I decided I can wait until they are more available and any teething issues are sorted out.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2022, 01:26:14 pm
content: Quote from: Kean on March 24, 2022, 12:27:15 pmThat was exactly the reason I bid on it

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2022, 09:07:05 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on March 24, 2022, 11:03:10 amWhat was the shipping cost you paid? Maybe they found out it wasnt economical to send.Ebay is useless for getting any actual details from support.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2022, 08:36:11 am
content: I paid $44 for shipping, not unreasonable I think. I contacted customer support but all they can give me is a link to restricted and prohibited items and I can't see why this object would be restricted:https://www.ebay.com/help/global-shipping-program/default/global-shipping-program?id=4646

author: austfox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2022, 09:07:50 am
content: I had heard they have a policy of confiscating items and not returning them to the seller, but why? They got paid $44, surely they have enough funds left over after their 'inspection' to send it back?I'd be inclined to call them back and go through the prohibited list with them... ie it's not heavy machinery, it's not heavy machinery attachment etc.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2022, 09:30:01 am
content: It would be interesting to hear from the OP / seller what he has been told. Seems unlikely to be a scam, or a counterfeit item.

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2022, 09:49:23 am
content: I've had GSP send me something where the shipping fee seemed exceedingly unlikely to cover their costs - a very large but lightweight length of stainless corrugated flue liner tube (thin walled but large diameter), which must have been charged by actual rather than volumetric weight. Was something like $20 to send from UK to NZ, yet they didn't pull this sort of BS then, while you'd expect they'd be happy with $44 for an item like this which is a fraction of the size.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2022, 10:00:54 am
content: I asked them twice which restricted/prohibited category applies to this item and all I got is a "likely because of restrictions on batteries". I'm close to giving up because it looks like there's nothing to win here and the item is probably already hiding in the Pitney Bowes cellars.So apparently they can steal/confiscate anything they want without giving a better reason than 'restricted item'. Yes I got back what I paid, but that is not necessary the value of the item. Maybe it's an interesting item for one of Dave's blogs so others are warned.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2022, 01:55:53 pm
content: This is nothing new, they have been doing this for many years, the terms & conditions might give some clue to items which you should avoid buying using this service.Also be aware that parcels over theirsize/weight limitwill get seized. I suspect the process is automated & based on certain keywords, or clueless employees that stop the items, they rarely open parcels these days.Items they can seize include stuff with batteries, fuel or other liquids, hazardous materials, etc, anything with vacuum tube/valve in the listing ( this includes old test gear & audio equipment, as well as individual tubes), small engines, engine parts & generators etc.It is a little harder to find items that may get restricted these days, as I suspect some ebay categorises are now blocked from the GSP lottery.Personally I've lost a NOS kit of parts for a HP 130 scope to them, they lost it after shipping internationally, but I suspect it never shipped and wasactuallyseized. My Dad lost a working 1920s magneto to them, it was listed as "hot spark" if I remember correctly.USPS seem to have no problems with tubes/valves, chainsaws, generators, small engines and engine parts (providing the box isn't dripping fuel out in the post office) from my experience. These days I contact the sellers of certain items and try & get it sent by USPS instead, I give up if they can't, as it's not worth the risk to me.Oh and GSP pass the seized items on to liquidator/resellers in bulk, the entire listing & pictures are identical (again this is in the Ts &Cs), the next buyer might even find they never opened the parcel.They won't be visible internationally without using third party websites to get round the geoblocking, they often price it way above what it sold for, presumably to try & recover the costs, 8ten1944 is one of the resellers.David

author: vivi-d
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2022, 05:28:43 pm
content: It's hard to call this anything but a scam by ebay!Also, I don't think there ARE any batteries involved. The wand takes AAAs and the headset has to be plugged into a PC thru USB.It's stupid that they just keep the item for themselves... unbelievable!

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2022, 07:28:13 pm
content: What did they tell you?

author: vivi-d
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2022, 11:33:59 pm
content: That the item was 'restricted' and could not be delivered. They didn't give me any more info than that.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 10:31:42 pm
content: Quote from: Kean on March 24, 2022, 12:27:15 pmI'm also waiting for my backer kit. And I can't see a way this could be considered restricted tech either.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 01:04:33 am
content: I reached out to Jeri at Tilt Five about it on Twitter just to see if she had any ideas.https://twitter.com/KeanM/status/1509199437071011844QuoteQuote

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 07:21:35 am
content: Quote from: barycentric on March 31, 2022, 06:49:45 amI think it was, that's why I'm sad that GSP confiscated it!

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 05:55:21 pm
content: Quote from: Kean on March 31, 2022, 01:04:33 amEbay are not restricting sales or it wouldn't have been visible in the first place, yes they do search & communication geo-blocking, for countries that sellers don't ship too.The GSP (global shipping program) is actually run by Pitney Bowes, once they receive the item they decide if it's restricted, I don't know if they use an algorithm, or low paid people to decide what's OK to send onwards to the destination, or not. They also decide whether to dispose/destroy the item, or to pass it on to a reseller in the country of origin (blocked to international sales).https://www.pitneybowes.com/us/support/shipping/ebay.htmlBatteries are prohibited, but apparently there is an exemption for certain types included with consumer electronic items.Quotehttps://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-global-shipping-program.html#m17-2-tb3Take note of the size/weight & item price restrictions too, they vary depending on where the buyer is located.And you can always opt-out of the GSP and send international items by regular USPS or other services (could be more expensive for the buyer, depending on the type of item), I believe US business sellers have the option of using "ebaysend" or whatever it's called now.David