Buyee Have Lost The Plot (And It’s Sad)

20Nov/250

Buyee Have Lost The Plot (And It’s Sad)

So, as I usually do... I was obsessively buying random stuff on Buyee, ready to consolidate it and ship to Australia.

The Shopping Cart
	IODATA GA-98NB2 郵送無料 PS3-11	Cirrus Logic graphics accelerator
	PC98 Cバス用インターフェースボード CONTEC コンテック C-NET(98)E-11 LANボード	LAN Card
	■Creative サウンドボード+グラフィックアクセラレータ CT3730 SoundBlaster 16GA【VRAM 2MB】	A soundblaster for a PC-98!
	【送60サイズ】Canopus　Power Window 801 REV B　Cバス用グラフィックアクセラレータボード ※未チェック	An s3-based video accelerator
	◇NEC　増設用メモリ　TEC-26M　PC98用　2枚セット	Some RAM for the PC-9801FA
	PC98 Cバス用インターフェースボード CONTEC C-NET(98)P No.8164B LANボードサビ有り動作未確認ジャンク扱いにて 0343-0892	Another LAN card
	PC98 Cバス用イメージクリップセット BUFFALO CBN-CS 現品のみ動作未確認現状渡しジャンク扱いにて 3545	Another LAN card
	動作確認済ネジ交換モニタ変換アダプタ DSub15ピンオス-ミニDSUB15ピン(VGA)メス PC98 X68k等レトロPCに(CA230226)	A video adapter to standard VGA pinout
	NEC　PC－98用　グラフィック　アクセラレーターボード　　ジャンク	Another Cirrus Logic video accelerator
	【中古】NEC G8VYS E105181S PC9801-120 管理番号ci434	A modem, just for fun and future projects.
	メモリ　2004MC - B　PC-9801-61U	Some more RAM for the PC-9801FA
	【DOS6.2で動作確認】PC-9801FA-35 PC-9801FA,PC-9821A A-MATE用SCSI HDD 100MB	An internal SCSI HDD for the PC-9801FA!

It all looked great. Buyee had taken all the initial funds for the bid amounts and then consolidated my shipment. They then asked for the EMS payment and I sent that through also. It must have been at the 11th hour, when filling out the customs forms that they realised they didn't know a $#%$#$% thing about electronics.

I received the following email:

Dear Customer,

This is the Buyee Customer Support.

Thank you for using our service.

We would like to inform you that your package【H2509179102】contains prohibited item for international shipping, which makes the whole package unable for overseas shipping.
-----------------------------------------
Order ID：【R25090402512
R25090302257
R25090402351
R25090403314
R25090403448
R25091004012
R25091100690
R25090902556
R25091302034
R25091504863】
Prohibited item：【Semiconductor】
-----------------------------------------

Please kindly choose one of the following options for your package:

OPTIONS:

I. Dispose of prohibited items that cannot be shipped, and send only the remaining items overseas.
(*If unopened, I agree to open and proceed with the necessary processing.)

Ⅱ. Ship all items in your package to a domestic (Japanese) address, such as your friend's address.

Ⅲ. Divide your package, ship the prohibited items domestically, and register the remaining items into your My Page as normal.

I knew a similar modem listed had a "you're unable to bid on this" banner, but everything I bid on I was allowed to purchase. Buyee already had my money and they'd bin everything if I didn't work out an alternate option? WTF?

Hello,
It is impossible that computer parts are prohibited. Can you please explain where this rule comes from?
Steven.

They took 24 hours to respond with...

We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.

Regarding your package number [H2509179102], we would like to inform you that semiconductor is prohibited by  the Japan Export Trade Control Order.

In addition, please be informed that all semiconductor products are considered prohibited items, except for commercially available pre-assembled laptops and desktop computers. It is extremely difficult for Buyee to determine whether products used in assembly (graphics boards, motherboards, conductors, audio equipment) require or not permission for export.

Semiconductor products? INCORRECT. I get that Japan doesn't want to export semiconductor-manufacturing items, of which it's blatantly obvious that these components are not, but how can they get these rules so wrong?

Thank you for the further information. Can you please provide a link to the actual laws from a Japanese government website? I'd like to learn more. Especially to know since when this law has come into effect.
Also, if you look at my account and purchase history on Buyee, I've been buying things like this for decades! I love vintage computers and there has never been an issue in the past. All items are always finished products and maybe only available in Japan, but definitely there are machines in Australia that use these parts.
Finally, this must be causing a lot of frustration with customers since we haven't been told of these new laws coming into effect and are allowed to buy things via your site and then lose all our money?
I would love to work with your team to get items certified so that we can continue.

They came back with a blanket

We understand the importance of this matter to you.

In line with this package [H2509179102] we regret to inform you that the following items below are prohibited for international shipping:
* Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
* Semiconductor substrates
* Semiconductor devices for power control

The above-mentioned legal restrictions apply to a wide range of products, so products not listed here may also be subject to the restrictions.

For more information on the Export Trade Control Order, please refer to https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3389

Again, the rules apply to "raw materials" for semiconductor manufacturing and not completed modules for PCs! It's really sad that they don't have staff onboard who can determine the difference.

Hi again and thank you for the quick response.
Can you please confirm which items in package H2509179102 are prohibited?
This way I can understand to split/destroy/send domestically.
For future purchases, it would be helpful to understand how to determine which items would be prohibited in this category:
https://buyee.jp/item/search/category/2084045751

NO RESPONSE! And so I just sent it to a domestic address where it waits for me to grab on my next japan trip.

So, they answer is... if you can see green PCB in an auction listing, then Buyee will let you buy it, only to then tell you it's illegal and that you can't have it. The fact they threaten to throw it in the bin, if you can't work out how to send it domestically in Japan, makes me a little sad.

Of course, this is the internet and people have already dealt with before. Buyee even has a prohibited items list, of which semiconductors aren't listed. Even funnier, if they were, I'd disregard it as what I'm trying to buy are FINISHED COMPONENTS.

Even funnier, the law seems to be targeted at China and shouldn't even apply to us lowly nerds just wanting to upgrade our vintage machines!

And It Gets Worse...

I thought I'd try my luck and ask them about a listing. I'm after another PC-9801-86 sound card...

We highly understand the importance of this matter to you.

Regarding the auction [https://buyee.jp/item/jdirectitems/auction/j1208451738], we have confirmed that the auction is not blocked. However, we regret to inform you that we are unable to ship this item internationally due to the presence of a capacitor, which classifies it as a prohibited item.

Capacitors can pose significant safety risks as they may be flammable. In particular, liquid-filled capacitors can leak or burst, while solid capacitors may ignite and release smoke and harmful gases if they overheat or fail. These hazards could potentially lead to fire or explosion.

We appreciate your understanding on this matter and apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions or concerns.

Honestly. That is just icing on the capacitor cake.