Shipment trouble from Czerny's (Auction #108 Dec 20)

Green · 25th March 2021, 12:19 PM

Dear all;

Did any of you that won keris or other types from Czerny's Auction in Mid December 20 have trouble receiving your items?

This is the first time Czerny's contract out shipping to other entity instead of handling themselves as in previous auctions. I never had problem before but this time, when the items were shipped (Fedex) it got stuck in Italy due to "documentation issues" and returned back to the sender. I have duly paid for CITES application to Czerny's as required and previously once we have this, there would be no issue in shipment.

Now it has been a month since this issue happened and I don't have any good explanation when the items will be sent to me.

Can anyone suggest what to do next?

David · 25th March 2021, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green

Dear all;

Did any of you that won keris or other types from Czerny's Auction in Mid December 20 have trouble receiving your items?

This is the first time Czerny's contract out shipping to other entity instead of handling themselves as in previous auctions. I never had problem before but this time, when the items were shipped (Fedex) it got stuck in Italy due to "documentation issues" and returned back to the sender. I have duly paid for CITES application to Czerny's as required and previously once we have this, there would be no issue in shipment.

Now it has been a month since this issue happened and I don't have any good explanation when the items will be sent to me.

Can anyone suggest what to do next?

Since you needed a CITES application does than mean there were ivory parts involved?
Ultimately i would say Czerny is responsible for getting your item to you regardless of who they contract out to do the shipping. Can i assume you have a contact email for them? Have you tried contacting them. You don't say who you have been talking to when you say you have received no "good explanation" when the items will be sent. Czerny? Fedex? Customs officials?
Hard to know how to advise you further.

Green · 25th March 2021, 05:13 PM

David;

The explanation came from the shipper with this e mail address : shipping.czernys@gmail.com

I c.c my e mail to the International focal person at Czerny's but no response came from her.Natalia Kochetkova <natalia@czernys.com>

Here is a part of their explanation:

This explanation is obviously a general response to all the people that have the same problem I think because I certainly have not had any dealing with them as claimed in the explanation (see below) " As all perfectly know, we have shipped your lots at the requested address without any problem for the past 15 years..."

Dear client,

this email is meant to explain what is going on with your shipment.

As you may have noticed from the FedEx tracking number that we provided you, the shipment was sent back to sender, to us.

A sudden and unilaterally decided change in Federal Express policy in fact blocked exports of edged weapons along with a long list of commodity items that are now apparently defined as "dangerous goods" and therefore not exportable due to their general conditions of transport. Yes, out of the blue and we are still waiting for official explanations.

As all perfectly know, we have shipped your lots at the requested address without any problem for the past 15 years but unfortunately this decision does not depend in any way on our company, neither on Czerny's.

Because of this, for the time being, we are pushing with UPS to be able to send your lots as soon as possible, and we are willing to cover additional costs in your behalf, but it is obvious that all this process requires more time as we have to create and change all the attached documentation and we need to acquire different permits.

Jean · 25th March 2021, 07:05 PM

Well, this Fedex policy also applies to krisses exported from Indonesia for some time (since the advent of Covid 19) so it is not too surprising.
Czerny's promised to you to transfer the shipment to UPS and hopefully it will work but you will have to be patient, and in the worst case you can ask them to be reimbursed. Good luck!

kai · 25th March 2021, 07:11 PM

Hello Nik,

If I understand correctly, this is a glitch by FedEx who changed their rules without notice; they have been doing this before (in the US and elsewhere). Thus, the sender has to find another courier service willing and able to handle these pieces - and CITES as well as sharp/pointy thingies are a pain, even more so in Italy with it's very strict weapon laws (aimed against the Mafia but affecting all of us law-abiding citizens)! I'm sure they're working on finding a solution.

BTW, the local shipping company did already handle earlier Czerny's auctions and they just seem to have separated the billing process for shipping. Shipments within Europe arrived quickly as usual from what I've heard (after the other delay due to the late goverment approvals).

Regards,
Kai

Athanase · 26th March 2021, 01:02 AM

I bought 2 Keris and a Blawong at this sale, shipping took 1 additional month compared to the usual because of the Covid (the Italian administration is already slow at the base (like the French) but with the confinements it was even worse).
I don't remember the carrier, but it was a shipment within the EU and without ivory.

mariusgmioc · 26th March 2021, 05:44 AM

There is one thing shipping things within EU and a completely different thing shipping outside EU.

Ms. Kochetkova (who is an employee of Czerny's) explained the situation quite ckearly, in my opinion.

It wouldn't be the first time shipping companies change their policies overnight. And I for sure experienced similar problems with shippings from the US, Japan and Indonesia.

In this case I suggest you stay in touch with Czerny's and let them handle the problem. They are a reputed auction house and I am pretty sure they will solve the issue one way or another.

25th March 2021, 12:19 PM	#1
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 307	Shipment trouble from Czerny's (Auction #108 Dec 20) Dear all; Did any of you that won keris or other types from Czerny's Auction in Mid December 20 have trouble receiving your items? This is the first time Czerny's contract out shipping to other entity instead of handling themselves as in previous auctions. I never had problem before but this time, when the items were shipped (Fedex) it got stuck in Italy due to "documentation issues" and returned back to the sender. I have duly paid for CITES application to Czerny's as required and previously once we have this, there would be no issue in shipment. Now it has been a month since this issue happened and I don't have any good explanation when the items will be sent to me. Can anyone suggest what to do next?

25th March 2021, 05:13 PM	#3
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 307	David; The explanation came from the shipper with this e mail address : shipping.czernys@gmail.com I c.c my e mail to the International focal person at Czerny's but no response came from her.Natalia Kochetkova <natalia@czernys.com> Here is a part of their explanation: This explanation is obviously a general response to all the people that have the same problem I think because I certainly have not had any dealing with them as claimed in the explanation (see below) " As all perfectly know, we have shipped your lots at the requested address without any problem for the past 15 years..." Dear client, this email is meant to explain what is going on with your shipment. As you may have noticed from the FedEx tracking number that we provided you, the shipment was sent back to sender, to us. A sudden and unilaterally decided change in Federal Express policy in fact blocked exports of edged weapons along with a long list of commodity items that are now apparently defined as "dangerous goods" and therefore not exportable due to their general conditions of transport. Yes, out of the blue and we are still waiting for official explanations. As all perfectly know, we have shipped your lots at the requested address without any problem for the past 15 years but unfortunately this decision does not depend in any way on our company, neither on Czerny's. Because of this, for the time being, we are pushing with UPS to be able to send your lots as soon as possible, and we are willing to cover additional costs in your behalf, but it is obvious that all this process requires more time as we have to create and change all the attached documentation and we need to acquire different permits.

25th March 2021, 07:05 PM	#4
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	Well, this Fedex policy also applies to krisses exported from Indonesia for some time (since the advent of Covid 19) so it is not too surprising. Czerny's promised to you to transfer the shipment to UPS and hopefully it will work but you will have to be patient, and in the worst case you can ask them to be reimbursed. Good luck!

25th March 2021, 07:11 PM	#5
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,219	Hello Nik, If I understand correctly, this is a glitch by FedEx who changed their rules without notice; they have been doing this before (in the US and elsewhere). Thus, the sender has to find another courier service willing and able to handle these pieces - and CITES as well as sharp/pointy thingies are a pain, even more so in Italy with it's very strict weapon laws (aimed against the Mafia but affecting all of us law-abiding citizens)! I'm sure they're working on finding a solution. BTW, the local shipping company did already handle earlier Czerny's auctions and they just seem to have separated the billing process for shipping. Shipments within Europe arrived quickly as usual from what I've heard (after the other delay due to the late goverment approvals). Regards, Kai

26th March 2021, 01:02 AM	#6
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 403	I bought 2 Keris and a Blawong at this sale, shipping took 1 additional month compared to the usual because of the Covid (the Italian administration is already slow at the base (like the French) but with the confinements it was even worse). I don't remember the carrier, but it was a shipment within the EU and without ivory.

26th March 2021, 05:44 AM	#7
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,873	There is one thing shipping things within EU and a completely different thing shipping outside EU. Ms. Kochetkova (who is an employee of Czerny's) explained the situation quite ckearly, in my opinion. It wouldn't be the first time shipping companies change their policies overnight. And I for sure experienced similar problems with shippings from the US, Japan and Indonesia. In this case I suggest you stay in touch with Czerny's and let them handle the problem. They are a reputed auction house and I am pretty sure they will solve the issue one way or another.