Buyers beware - varstrom
Posted by Comprehensive-Day824@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 15 comments
I thought I was being smart by buying directly from varstrom - https://varstrom.com
needless to say, I waited two weeks with a lot of back and fourth with FedEx only to be told the following:
"I am sorry to hear of the delay of this consignment.
Unfortunately the consignment has failed it's regulatory compliance inspection for shipping of UN recognized dangerous goods, and found to have been was shipped by the sender in breach of IMDG and ADR regulations.
The consignment was seized and cannot legally travel further by road in any direction, and is currently held at our distribution centre awaiting a recovery from the shipper.
As the ADR/IMDG shipping breaches can only be resolved via the shipper and FedEx cannot influence the resolution, we will need to advise you contact the sender directly to discus the shipment and resolution further."
I am currently disputing the payment with PayPal 🤞 - I have tried contacting varstrom already with no response.
WrongfullyIncarnated@reddit
Damn that reads like a scam, you might have been scammed. Did you use pay pal friends and fam or goods and services
WingedSpork@reddit
I had the same impression as I read it.
Speedtrap1@reddit
Sounds like you have ordered a kit that is illegal where you live and customs caught it.
Unusual-Scarcity6536@reddit
It's not illegal to possess bud. By your logic owning a dirtbike or atv is illegal.
Comprehensive-Day824@reddit (OP)
Hmm I live in the UK and afaik you can legally possess a >250wh etc provided it's intended uses is not on public roads i.e private land
Comfortable-Fly5797@reddit
And I'm sure you don't intend to ride it on public roads at all...
Does the battery meet local regulations?
Comprehensive-Day824@reddit (OP)
Ooh shocker people making assumptions lmao - I had absolutely no intentions of using it on any public road.
All items I purchased were entirely legal per my use case. Regardless they were perfectly legal to possess.
The package was seized as varstrom had not packaged/declared properly.
The post is simply to let others know if purchasing from them.
boom10ful@reddit
It's probably because they didn't declare the battery and didn't put the proper shipping labels on the box. They're supposed to have UN 3481 or 3480 depending if it's a pack or just cells. They're also supposed to be discharged below a certain rate.
Comprehensive-Day824@reddit (OP)
That makes a lot of sense! I suspect that's exactly what has happened.
Which_Perception_384@reddit
Sounds more like a battery issue, Did you get a battery with the kit. Buy batteries locally if that's the case.
Comprehensive-Day824@reddit (OP)
I did yeah, will deffo be sourcing locally next time.
Significant-Pen-6049@reddit
Yeah open a case with them right away
DonnPT@reddit
No idea, but I'm a little curious. Varstrom claims to have UK warehouses. "UN recognized dangerous goods" doesn't mean the bike doesn't meet EU ebike regulatory standards - UN doesn't have ebike regulations, and an off road ebike wouldn't be "dangerous goods."
Only thing I can think of is the battery. It seems certain that manufacturers are shipping batteries in compliance with IMDG and ADR regulations, whatever that means, but Varstrom obviously screwed up.
Comprehensive-Day824@reddit (OP)
Yeah this was the closest reasonable explanation I could think of too. I think the UK is also on high alert with e-bike batteries in general - purely speculation from recent headlines, but I'm certain it was to do with the battery.
Comfortable-Fly5797@reddit
This actually sounds like the shipper screwed up or the bike has a dangerous battery. I don't think IMDG cares about whether the bike power is legal whether you live. It's about shipping hazardous goods, like batteries. Most likely the shipper didn't disclose hazardous goods or the box doesn't have the proper hazard labels.