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I ordered a 128Mb Duo from p800er last week, it was £50, I used UPS delivery, which cost £15.

So today they tried to deliver, but UPS wouldn't leave the package (I wasn't in) because there's £22 'duty'.

So I called them up, and basically the duty was £11, but UPS want to charge me £11 because they were so kind as to pay the VAT.

Now, I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. The Duo only cost £50, I refuse to pay nearly 50% extra on duty and UPS's ass raping fee.

I ordered a GBA from Lik Sang the other week and UPS screwed me out of £30 for that too so this time I wasn't having any of it.

I told them there was no way in hell I was going to pay their extortionate fee and that they can send it back, which will obviously cost them more than the stupid damned fee.

It's a joke, they're worse than loan sharks. They basically lend you the money to pay VAT for a day or two, then expect that money back, along with 100% interest.

And I notice it's just UPS who are like this. I ordered a number of games from the US last week, one was FFXI which comes in a huge box, definitely bigger than a Duo, the game and shipping came to £50 yet I didn't pay anything extra on that. I've ordered a DVD from Play which was £30 alone, I did have to pay duty on that, however, the duty and even with Royal Mail's fee only came to about £5 so how UPS can come to nearly five times that much on an item which was double the price of the DVD is beyond me.

Anyone else had problems like this?
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Posted: 2003-12-15 17:16:03
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Seems like you have been unlucky with being "checked" for items that require duty paid.

If you ask me it sucks that you have to pay duty at all - If things weren't such a rip off in the country people might want to buy from the UK!

It's just another "stealth" tax.

Ark at me! getting all political on a Monday!

DT
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Posted: 2003-12-15 19:29:32
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Same thing happened to me a few months ago, they delivered the Duo then I got a bill for £22

I never paid it so then they sent a solicitors letter. I then paid up (grudgingly) but it's common practice. Yes, you have to pay the Duty, VAT and their "handling fee" for any imports.

I work for a freight company and it's standard practice.

Only thing I can suggest is to get the company to send the stuff by normal air mail. It might take slightly longer but you'll save a fortune in courier charges and duty.

Most things just slip through the net in the mail but couriers are bound to chase it up. I agree it is crap, but it is the governments way of making sure they get their VAT whether we buy things in the UK or not - bastards!!

P.S. Our theiving government charge VAT on the cost of the goods AND the cost of the freight together. Talk about taking the piss !!

I posted a warning about this a while back, taking in the duty at 4 - 5%, VAT at 17.5% and the "handling" fee, sometimes you think you're getting a deal but it's just as cheap off the shelf in the UK

Hope this helps

Keith

[ This Message was edited by: kradcliffe on 2003-12-15 18:35 ]

[ This Message was edited by: kradcliffe on 2003-12-15 18:38 ]
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Posted: 2003-12-15 19:32:50
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can you not get the company to put a sticker on saying contents:- gift under $xx ? i got my 128mb duo from hong kong & it only cost me 45quid in total. by airmail too i think..
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Posted: 2003-12-15 19:54:00
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I think they "gift" stuff in the mail but when you send courier you have to declare the value by law. An invoice must accompany the shipment where you don't have to do that by mail.

Keith
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Posted: 2003-12-15 20:00:44
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Why did you import? You can get them for £45 from amazon Uk or unbeatable.....
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Posted: 2003-12-15 22:15:02
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have you guys seen the new lexar and sandisk ones that have started appearing on ebay??? worth buying or would you stick to sony ones? (bearing in mind that they're not much cheaper and don't seem to be available in the uk yet...)
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Posted: 2003-12-15 23:21:13
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Sorry to hear about your problem but you shouldn't really blame UPS.
They are bound to clear all their shipments, they can't just wait and ask every customer about the hundreds of shipments they handle every day.
Problem is the UK is a tax slaughterhouse!
If you order next time and as you have the tracking number contact the courier beforehand and inform them that you will be happy to pay customs duties on the shipment and how you can pay in advance to avoid admin fees.
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Posted: 2003-12-16 06:03:25
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I only ordered from p800er because I was browsing the site and saw how cheap they were, I figured what the hell, may as well order one.

I have no problem paying VAT and duty, it's the courier's fee that really pisses me off. They're basically saying;

"Hey, we paid the VAT and duty for you, nice of us huh... now you owe us double"

UPS gave it the old 'Admin' charge crap. I hate that BS. I spent about 30 minutes yesterday, in my work time, plus on my mobile phone, phoning them, holding on the line, etc just to pay. I wonder if I can charge them an Admin fee for my wasted time.
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Posted: 2003-12-16 10:52:53
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