Beware when ordering from Ebay with overseas merchants and Canada too :)

So I've got a story to tell. In December I went to ebay to order some ink cartridges for our Epson 1400 whose ink is $20 per cartridge and it requires 6 different color cartridges so for a full refill its $120. The printer itself only costs $250 as shown here . So being a shrewd (cheap...) business owner realizing that the ink costs more per volume then blood or oil, I decided to look online and see what kind of deal I could find so I wouldn't have to give my whole wallet over to Epson. Now don't get me wrong, the printer is great (if you use the epson presentation matte paper especially) and we use it for large 11X17 prints for our presentations. We love the quality and it gives our presentations a great canvas to lay on, but at $20 a cartridge, you've got to be kidding me!

Anyway, I found a vendor on ebay and placed the order as I've done in the past in my search for reasonablly priced ink and toner, not thinking anything of the fact that the vendor I ordered from is in Canada. We're allies with Canada so it should be safe to order from there right? Well I finally realize it's been over 2 weeks and I haven't recieved my ink, so I inquire through email what is going on and here's what I got back from the vendor:
Message from merchant:

Hi there, Finally I spoke to a customs officer in Seattle--- Epson complained about the cartridges that they are a copyright violation and customs is deciding whether to let them in or not. I'm so sorry for your order delay. and full refund was sent.

So the snag is hit and Epson doesn't allow it to come over the border. Fine, not a big deal, I'll just reorder from another vendor that is out in Cali and I don't run into the issue again. BTW, I was able to get 14 cartridges for $65 with shipping included, BAM take that Epson, IN YOUR FACE!

What I don't understand is that this vendor has shipped a bunch of these ink cartridges to the US (I know this because of the comments left by past clients), but I'm the one that get my shipment stopped by Epson and the US Customs and Border Protection. Later on I did get a letter from the Customs people stating what happened and that they wouldn't allow it over due to a complaint from Epson, which I read and promptly threw away. Now 4 months later, I just received the letter I scanned in below that shows a Seizure and Forfeiture Order that states "that seizure and forfeiture would result from any further attempt to import the article into the United States", AKA we're going to seize any ink you try to import into the US, MICHAEL ALFARO!!!

Overall, I find it funny that all this was caused just because I'm trying to get some cheap ink and not get ripped off by a big corporation. I feel like I've wasted a lot of people's time from the Customs guy that originally stopped and checked the original shipment to the person at the US International Trade Commissionn who printed and signed this letter, to the Fed Ex guy who had to deliver it. I would like to apologize to all those people for the original domino I pushed over that started this whole process. This has further confirmed my belief that the governnment and all it's departments have alot of people doing alot of unimportant things that could be reduced if Steve Jobs was brought in as a consultant and made it a lean, minimalistic, and over priced running machine :) Enjoy the letter, it's quite funny.

Lastly if you work for the government congrats and I hope your job actually does something useful, and if it doesn't congrats even more on getting lost in the shuffle...