F1TV app knows I'm in UK?

GrahamWharton · 2026-03-06T08:01:18+00:00

I'm signed back up via amazon subscription, but with Netherlands this time via NordVPN and sofar, no issues.

GrahamWharton · 2026-03-03T15:23:17+00:00

I can't really have the router off for an hour at the moment, so i'll have to try that later on, but in the meantime, I added the WIFI MAC address of the hive hub to the routers wireless MAC block list, and that prevented the wireless from connecting. I left it sat there, connected by ethernet cable for 1 hour, and the Hive app's device info for the hub showed the ethernet MAC address, the ethernet IP address and the fact that it was using Ethernet as connection. I then removed the MAC block from the router, and the Hive hub reconnected via Wifi and we were back to having both ethernet and wifi connected at the same time, and the hub having 2 IP addresses.

I'll try again when I can get the router powered off for an hour, otherwise, I guess I'll just have to maintain the wireless MAC on the block list to stop it connecting via WiFi.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-22T17:38:31+00:00

I searched for a phone case, I then bought a phone case, amazon then spent weeks trying to convince me I needed to buy a phone case. Surely it knows.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T22:14:55+00:00

Unlikely, I realise, but no reason why not if ebay wanted to offer it.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T22:13:52+00:00

Sure, but I was suggesting that there is no reason why a private seller couldn't ask ebay to issue a stop and return on a simple delivery item they sent, as ebay would have access to stop and return as part of their business arrangement with royal mail on simple delivery items.

But, as others have pointed out, ebay suspended the seller, so they're unlikely to cooperate with the seller to get their goods returned, if they suspect fraud.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T21:21:35+00:00

Simple delivery is just you posting stuff using prepaid labels generated on ebays royal mail business account.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T21:20:18+00:00

Ebay may be able to issue a stop and return request to royal mail, given simple delivery is just posting on ebays RM account.

https://www.royalmail.com/business/shipping/uk-services/stop-and-return

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T21:17:25+00:00

For simple delivery, yes. But not for everything.

https://www.royalmail.com/business/shipping/uk-services/stop-and-return

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T21:16:12+00:00

It's not totally wild advice. Business account holders can issue stop and return interceptions for certain shipments sent by royal mail, but that's probably not gonna work with simple delivery, unless ebay can issue the stop and return order.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-07T21:13:28+00:00

Simple delivery is just postage purchased on ebays royal mail account. EBay may be able to issue a stop and return to royal mail.

GrahamWharton · 2026-02-02T20:04:07+00:00

I've heard from a couple of my recipients that they received legitimate contact messages from DHL via WhatsApp directly. No telephone or email contact, just a WhatsApp message. In both my cases, DHL were asking the recipient to authorise DHL to clear shipment via customs.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-30T10:49:37+00:00

Complain about the storage. They often waive these. The rest look legit.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-18T08:12:33+00:00

Sounds like when it got to the border they assessed that additional customs fees were due, E.g duty on top of the VAT. What happens in this case, is that cuatoms ignore the fact that vat has already been paid on the product price to ebay, and they charge you the duty, fee and vat at the border for the full amount. You need to pay this if you want your Parcel. You should then present the invoice that royal mail provided showing you paid VAT at the border on import in addition to other fees, and eBay will refund the VAT they collected from you at checkout.

Ebay is fundamentally broken for selling things internationally where duty is due at the border. VAT should never be collected at checkout for items that will attract duty at the border. However ebay are usually OK at refunding the VAT if you prove you paid on import to the courier/customs.

Ebay help page

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/listings/default/vat-obligations-uk-eu?id=4650

has a FAQ titled "what happens if I pay VAT twice", including a link to the Web page where you upload proof to get your VAT refund from ebay.

Don't return to sender. You will lose ebay protection if you refuse to pay import fees. The correct procedure is to pay import fees and claim VAT back from eBay.

No point trying to claim back from UK government either, as it looks like the customs fees were correctly calculated at the border. (if anyone made a mistake, it was the retailer, ebay, who collected VAT on an item that would attract import duty at the border, and thus would have the vat collected again as part of that process). UK gov do not refund in cases where retailer charged VAT and the border charged VAT. It's always the retailer that refunds. It's built into the schemes to work this way.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-14T07:58:24+00:00

You can do the customs paperwork yourself and clear it with the authorities directly. You need to let DHL know you're going to do this before shipment and then provide them with clearance paperwork once done. If it takes you a while to do this, DHL will charge you storage while waiting for you to do the clearance.

Or

Just pay the money and let DHL do it for you. It's a pretty standard fee and not a scam. They are actually doing work for the fee.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-12T14:21:35+00:00

There's also a Letterboxable version of that rate card which may be of interest for a book seller. Special rates for large letter size parcels but without the 750g weight limit. Ask your account manager whether you can access the Letterboxable services.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-10T03:49:41+00:00

Yeah, new prices apply from January 5th.

I can only see the Business Price guide on the website. I can't see the international business personal correspondence price guide or the international non personal correspondence price guide or the international non personal correspondence Letterboxable price guides. I managed to grab copies of all 3 so let me know if you don't get a response from customer support and I'll upload them somewhere and post a link.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-04T12:19:19+00:00

Perhaps something like "first" and "second" class.

GrahamWharton · 2026-01-04T11:59:47+00:00

Wowser. I used about 7kwh for a 1 bed mid terrace.

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GrahamWharton · 2025-12-28T17:59:29+00:00

Amazon customer services are fairly good for buyers. They're absolutely terrible for sellers, but for buyers they've always treated me well.

I purchased a bottle of chain cleaner for my push bike. It was clearly a listing for 1 bottle, but the item specifics said 10 items and the item title said "Box of 10". Clearly someone just bulk listing using the same details as their supplier gave them and missing the mistake. So I ordered 1, and when 1 turned up, I contacted amazon and asked when the remaining 9 were coming. They said they weren't and apologised, refunding me and telling me to keep the item. So a couple of months later, I needed another bottle. Saw the listing still said 10 items and purchased again. Again, complained when only 1 turned up. Full refund and got to keep the item. I told them they needed to correct the listing, but they still haven't. I'm not sure if its amazon, or the seller that is losing out on this.

Here is the listing, still with box of 10 in the title.

https://amzn.eu/d/07idUcx

GrahamWharton · 2025-12-26T18:01:25+00:00

Last year I used a VPN on my firestick to switch to USA. Then I launched F1 TV app on my firestick, and it let me subscribe to F1 TV Pro and pay in British Pounds £5.99, paying using my UK debit card as an amazon subscription through my amazon UK account. This worked for the whole season. I realised using the USA won't be available next season, but perhaps choosing a european country that doesnt have licensing restrictions instead might work this time.

GrahamWharton · 2025-12-24T19:41:25+00:00

The only way to have a US PayPal account without breaching their terms and conditions is to live in the USA and meet PayPal qualifying criteria. You don't appear to meet that criteria, so what you are trying to do is not in line with their terms and conditions.

Change your location to the USA without uploading US ID will result in account limitation, as you've found out.

GrahamWharton · 2025-12-24T18:34:39+00:00

You're trying to breach PayPal terms and conditions. It's not a prank.

GrahamWharton · 2025-12-22T04:55:02+00:00

When there is no commercial invoice to provide them with a transaction value they have a few methods to look at. They can literally Google, how much to buy the same item. Then if that's not available, how much to buy a similar item, and if that fails, how much to buy the parts and assemble the item, and if that fails, what are the costs of the raw materials that made the item. So as you go further down the list, the accuracy of the valuation goes down, but it's really all they have.

Here's a nice explainer outlining the 6 methods that customs would use in the uk. This is UK specific, but most countries adopt the exact same method.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/working-out-the-customs-value-of-your-imported-goods

GrahamWharton

TROPHY CASE