I wonder, why important things often go wrong! The parcel is held back at the customs, because no invoice is attached visibly on the outside! It took the customs office two weeks to send me this information. Now I am waiting for a commercial invoice from the supplier, so I can pick it up.
The answer to the first question: Professionals often think, that they are perfect and do not need to listen to their customers. I told the supplier precisely, what to do, and he ignored it. By the way, this is not typical Chinese behaviour, I have seen it from various companies all over the world.
I think, the main problem is the bad English of the supplier, I am not sure, if they understood everything I wrote. In the meantime, the customs office has returned the parcel to the supplier, who has received it already. I have instructed him, in easiest possible English, to attach a commercial invoice to the outside of the parcel, then send the parcel again and send a copy of the commercial invoice to my email address.
to be continued...
BTW, all Chinese sellers are gone from eBay because of Chinese New Year.
Apparently, Chinese are celebrating the new year up to now! Next Monday, I will ask the supplier to give me some news. So far, this story is a horrible mess, but no evidence of bad will. There was a parcel for me at the local customs office and the main problem was, that I could not present them the required documents in time. Of course, the real problem might be the real bad English of the seller!
If I don't get the necessary assistance from the seller, of if he refuses to send the parcel again, I will talk to the Chinese consulate, there is one where I live.
Looks like the next tutorial from you will be called: "How to avoid too much pain in the ass when buying from China".
But so far (fingers crossed) we did not have big problems with Chinese sellers.
