talkmagic.co.uk

Hi,

I've ordered the Stigmata DVD from Elluionist, and I got no problem with them.

BUT I do have problem with the Post Office - I had a card thru the door for a customs charge of £27!!

Anybody else had this problem, and does anyone know if I can appeal etc. I havent gone to pick it up yet, and I'm thinking of leaving it there to be honest.


Cheers
Rob

£27 sounds very high - if the goods aren't marked as a gift or something like that then there would be import duty of a few percent and VAT of 17.1/2%. It could be that the PO are adding a fee for all this as they collect on behalf of the Customs & Excise in which case they're charging far too much. If the DVD didn’t cost a lot to start with then you won’t lose much by leaving it where it is - it will be sent back to source at some point. It would be interesting to check how that £27 is made up but that would mean visiting the Collections Office to find out.

There is a trade war of sorts between the USA and EC over special status granted by Uncle Sam to some US Foreign Sales Corporations which effectively subsidises their actions and the EC are adding higher and higher punitive duties to a selection of USA items as a result. I'm not sure if DVDs etc come under that system but if so the charges will get higher and higher until the US Government makes good on it's promise to 'play fair' again. I've checked the list of items as at Jan 2006 but it's mainly foodstuffs, clothing, wood and glass articles etc. If anyone is really desperate to have the full list in Excel format, I can oblige!

That should not be £27.00 Crazy stuff

I was absolutley gobsmacked at the cost - Im hoping that the postie made a mistake when he wrote the card out

I know I'd rather be in a trade war with europe than the US - what has Europe ever done for us, except give money to Poland to open up a factory that is closing my last place of work! (LG by the way!)

Rob

It must be the post office adding on. I have products imported using UPS and the tax is nowhere near the ratio yours is! have you checked with the PO?

Sometimes you get charged the tax AND a brokerage fee. I get these charges on all wholesale US orders I've placed.

My 'warehouse' orders from Ellusionst have always been inclusive of a Brokerage fee... which is usually about £11.

That's interesting. I will have to check out ellusionst wholesale. Sounds like a good deal to have it included

stephenmagic wrote:That's interesting. I will have to check out ellusionst wholesale. Sounds like a good deal to have it included

You have to go through a pretty rigourous 'vetting' procedure to get a wholesale dealer account, tho!

Is it tougher than the process we both used to get **** **** (i asume i am not breaking TM laws by mentioning this ).

Edited...

I think it's a little unfair to mention the actual name

Yep!

Although, not QUITE as tough as the 'Irish' wholesaler.

i thought the 'Irish' one only sold to shops / eshops who have been going for years. I do know another good one but better not mention it here (our secret!). Sorry about mentioning the name

These, and many other reasons are the 'raison d'etre' for NUMS.

By buying this stuff from a UK dealer, the DEALER has already had all the grief. I am trying to stock as much 'US ONLY' type stuff on NUMS to make it easier for the UK public to buy.

Yep! i see what you mean. That really is a great looking shop you have created. I am afraid to say that mine will be have to be a hosted eshop (£19.99 a month ).

Unfortunaltey the post office sorting office is closed when I get home, it shuts at 1230 - good old top class service!

I going call in tomorrow morning - hopefully get it sorted. (and I really hate the guy behind the counter - he's a right jobsworth )

Let u know how this works out

Rdw1971 wrote:Unfortunaltey the post office sorting office is closed when I get home, it shuts at 1230 - good old top class service!

I share your anger at that! Our post at work used to be delivered at about 9.30 to 10.30am except when there's something to be signed for in which case they call at 7.00am long before anyone's here. This means I have to toddle off to the Collecting Office before they shut at 12.00 mid-day. On one Friday last month they delivered post at 11.50am which included a card saying they had an item which had insufficient postage on and it would have to be collected from the Office with 37p plus a £1 'fine' - and it wasn't our fault at all! I stood no chance of making a 15 minute trip in 10 minutes and on Monday when I asked why the delivery times are so erratic I was told they're permanently understaffed and have to deliver as and when they can so there are no longer any set times. Charming!