customs issue? maybe? maybe no?

[Tickdoc]

Getting my groupset here from the UK has been a nightmare.

Seller (who has a stellar reputation, BTW) emails me to let me know my package was held up because they did not have a phone number. I gave them my no., they passed it one to shipping (Royal mail) but they sent the package back to seller.

Seller then sends me an email to say that they reshipped airmail expedited (at their expense). Package should be here this week.

Today I get a garbled voicemail from NYC stating something vrgbsdes siebi with some numbers and to call them.

I call them and wait on the phone forever so they can check what is happening and my package is held hostage at JFK for customs, duties, taxes, whatnot. I need to pay them but they don't have an email and that is how they invoice.

I give them the email this morning, and I still have not received an email from them.

Am I getting a package?

Routing says may parcel has arrived at the shipping facility. Does not say it is in route.

I've had dozens of watches shipped both ways over the years with nary a hitch (unless they came from Canada). As long as you stated the watch was for parts or repair, it would usually clear customs. Maybe since these are new parts that would be lying and they can't do that, but still.

I want my group.

[JamesEsq]

Yikes, I just bought a Merckx frameset from the Netherlands, my first overseas purchase. I hope your issues aren't typical. Best of luck.

[ultraman6970]

IME Netherlands is never a problem.

I have used UK sites twice or so and never had a problem, but i dont buy 2000 bucks out off stuff tho.

[Hilltopperny]

Luckily the two orders I've had come in from overseas just took a few weeks to get here. One was France and the other was the UK. Sorry to hear about your issues and hope it all gets straightened out.

[LJohnny]

Is this from a private seller or a commercial seller? I have heard of some similar issues regarding ProbikeKit and a specific "customs clearing" house in NYC that they use, where the clearing house will contact people and ask for custom/brokerage fees directly to customers before releasing the package further down the delivery chain. This as far as I know is only relevant to ProbikeKit UK, that is until I read what you post. Most other carriers, i.e. UPS, DHL, FedEx, will mail you a bill a couple of weeks after delivery or will bill you at the time of delivery (UPS).

Otherwise, your experience is very a-typical. Hopefully it gets sorted out quick and smoothly.

[Tickdoc]

I don't mind paying the ransom, so long as it is legit.

Still no email, so no way to even check on it.

So if it lands at one of these intermediary places, they won't ship until customs are paid?

[Tickdoc]

Is this from a private seller or a commercial seller? I have heard of some similar issues regarding ProbikeKit and a specific "customs clearing" house in NYC that they use, where the clearing house will contact people and ask for custom/brokerage fees directly to customers before releasing the package further down the delivery chain. This as far as I know is only relevant to ProbikeKit UK, that is until I read what you post. Most other carriers, i.e. UPS, DHL, FedEx, will mail you a bill a couple of weeks after delivery or will bill you at the time of delivery (UPS).

Otherwise, your experience is very a-typical. Hopefully it gets sorted out quick and smoothly.

Not probikekit, just a small shop out of the U.K.

[Louis]

It's been a while, but I've ordered stuff from PBK and Wiggle several time with no shipping or customs issues. In fact, several of the packages arrived as fast as they might have if shipped from a US location.

[R3awak3n]

I would call em back and ask for the email, also did you check your spam?

You will only get the package if you pay the fees so you need to do whatever it takes to pay those fees in order for them to release the package.

[LJohnny]

I don't mind paying the ransom, so long as it is legit.

Still no email, so no way to even check on it.

So if it lands at one of these intermediary places, they won't ship until customs are paid?

I personally have not had an issue like this happen on international orders, however I did come across a thread on another forum where the shop I referred above uses this intermediary "Air City Post" that will indeed collect the duties/brokerage fees above certain value threshold before allowing the package to proceed.
Here is that thread FYI
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/hot-deals/warned-probikekit-com-scam-344020.html

[steelbikerider]

I got held up by Air City Post when I ordered a set of DA 9000 calipers from PBK. The total order was about $225 and the Air City post surcharge was another $26. I think the actual customs duty was .95 and handlng charges were $25. Most of my orders are tires, cassettes and chains for $100 - $150 and I have yet to be dinged for those.

[Tickdoc]

I personally have not had an issue like this happen on international orders, however I did come across a thread on another forum where the shop I referred above uses this intermediary "Air City Post" that will indeed collect the duties/brokerage fees above certain value threshold before allowing the package to proceed.
Here is that thread FYI
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/hot-deals/warned-probikekit-com-scam-344020.html

Well that's a little disconcerting.

I'll call in the morning. The voicemail I got is just crazy distorted, couldn't make sense of it, which made me suspicious.

I don't understand how a company can intercept a package sent to you. It should transfer to the next major carrier in line, I would think, and be their job to collect any fees.

Plus, it kills the " hey I got a pretty good real on this group" feeling I've had for the last month.

It's not my fault that the original sender didn't have my phone number. I would've given them one in the beginning if they asked for it.

I've been planning this group purchase for over six months now and was so excited to finally find it in new condition, and the seller had stellar reviews, which maybe doesn't mean crap regarding international sales.

[Tickdoc]

I got held up by Air City Post when I ordered a set of DA 9000 calipers from PBK. The total order was about $225 and the Air City post surcharge was another $26. I think the actual customs duty was .95 and handlng charges were $25. Most of my orders are tires, cassettes and chains for $100 - $150 and I have yet to be dinged for those.

They want $200.00 for a $1500 group.

[R3awak3n]

import tax + convenience fee probably. You can read TONS of horror stories about people getting stuff shipped form bike shops from the UK and getting stupid fees, sometimes the fee is like half of the item because of the convenience fee. Yours is a little high though, I would search into it because they might have given you a higher fee since they don't know what a groupset it (different products have different fees AFAIK)

[oldfatslow]

Maybe things have changed but I used to buy a bunch of stuff from probikekit and totalcycling and never had any issues with delay or customs fees at time of receipt or after. I also have, more recently, purchased some odds and ends (mostly carbon stuff) from China sellers on eBay, and have been amazed at how quickly items arrive (with no customs fees appearing either).

Love our small world connected economy.

On second thought, maybe I'm not getting the fees as I live in the Republic of Texas and not America like most of you.

[Joachim]

I got held up by Air City Post w

Same here... Air City post.

[OtayBW]

I don't mind paying the ransom, so long as it is legit.

Still no email, so no way to even check on it.

So if it lands at one of these intermediary places, they won't ship until customs are paid?
I got dinged for $80 in duty last year by DHL on a purchase of a crankset through Wiggle that should have carried no duty. It was incorrectly classified in the HTS by DHL, but I contested and won.

Check out HTS section 8712.00 on bicycles (https://hts.usitc.gov/?query=bicycle%20crank). The way I read it, deraillers, 'cotterless' cranksets and parts, brakes, shifters ('click stick levers') - all duty-free. Frames, handlebars, saddles, etc. call carry a duty of ~4-8%. Who makes this ch!tz up anyway?........

[Jeff N.]

Never a problem with Shinybikes or Ribble. I've ordered many groups from both over the years. I did, however, get a bill for $32 from FEDEX related to a DA9000 group from Ribble recently but that's the only time ever. Came as a surprise, actually. -Jeff N.

[Tickdoc]

I contested and won.

Check out HTS section 8712.00 on bicycles (https://hts.usitc.gov/?query=bicycle%20crank). The way I read it, deraillers, 'cotterless' cranksets and parts, brakes, shifters ('click stick levers') - all duty-free. Frames, handlebars, saddles, etc. call carry a duty of ~4-8%. Who makes this ch!tz up anyway?........

ok, I think I need to attend a "shipping rape support group" meeting.

Groupset arrived today, safe and sound, and only one day late (on second attempt).

I purchased this group from the UK on Jan 28.

I added up charges, and it looks like I got dinged for 5.9 % of total purchase price.

I paid the ransom, but I am having second thoughts because I know when my backside hurts, and this just doesn't feel right.

I have no explanation for the charges from the shipping Nazis. No breakdown of charges. Their invoice was simply a scan of the package label.

If the info in the link you provided is true, I should NOT have been charged any additional shipping.

Is it worth pursuing, or should I take my lumps and go on?

Second issue is eBay feedback for the seller.

They are a small UK shop with a great feedback rating. Give them a bad review? and honest review of all the trouble I went through to forward other US bidders? Contact them prior to the review? Leave no feedback?

to Otay BW, was the contest hard to do?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Handgod/E063FB19-EF08-4AFC-A5E4-F5B1144EC433_zps2ovlmxfo.jpg

[FlashUNC]

I'm just amazed you found a Super Record RS group.

[Tickdoc]

I'm just amazed you found a Super Record RS group.

I am too! been looking for a while now, and I was even more amazed I was able to negotiate it to an extremely reasonable (regular Super record) price....until all this shipping crap came up.

[Jeff N.]

I'm just amazed you found a Super Record RS group.Tough to find.

[pbarry]

Cheaper ding than sales tax or VA tax, no? Especially since you talked the seller down a bit in price, don't see how something out of their control would constitute a good reason to leave negative feedback.. Glad you got your dream group. :)

[Tickdoc]

Cheaper ding than sales tax or VA tax, no? Especially since you talked the seller down a bit in price, don't see how something out of their control would constitute a good reason to leave negative feedback.. Glad you got your dream group. :)

Yes, they were more than fair. I think it was their ignorance in the beginning to ship without a phone number. They refunded me a small amount on the initial ship, then they two day air freighted at their own cost. It's not them I am mad at, it is the intermediaries.

[pbarry]

Totally get it. Arcane customs procedure we have.

[OtayBW]

Is it worth pursuing, or should I take my lumps and go on?

to Otay BW, was the contest hard to do?
Well, my situation was actually relatively easy, in part, because 1) I did have an itemized statment indicating what the HTS code was that they invoked, and 2) I only had one crankset to deal with. For me, it was 2 calls to DHL. The 1st was to appeal the finding. They did take it under advisement and told me someone would be getting back to me. I blew if off, but a month later, I did get a call back and discussed it with this person, telling him what the correct (duty-free) tarriff code should have been. I provided them an e-mail link to the HTS code and a copy of the product ID from Campy. About a week later, they e-mailed me back informing me that they were reversing their finding. Cool!

So, it depends on what you want to do. I don't know who these guys are that you're dealing with, so that's an unknown. And then you're also dealing with multiple items, so you'd probably be best contesting things one-by-one. They lumped your entire groupset into one package and dinged you for the whole. That was probably the easiest for them, but probably not the most accurate for you. Give it a shot. See if you can call someone and tell them that you have documentation that their tariff assessment was incorrect - certainly it was in the case of the crankset, and probably more. But for 5.9% on an entire groupset, it might be worth at least giving it a shot.

GL.

[OtayBW]

Last thought: I just went back and looked at the HTS code again. Check out Sec. 8714. Pretty much all of it except for saddles and pedals is duty-free. I would seriously inquire how they arrived at their figure of 5.9% because it's not in there that I can see. Ask for clarification and see what you can do.........

[Tickdoc]

Last thought: I just went back and looked at the HTS code again. Check out Sec. 8714. Pretty much all of it except for saddles and pedals is duty-free. I would seriously inquire how they arrived at their figure of 5.9% because it's not in there that I can see. Ask for clarification and see what you can do.........

Thanks.

I will send them an email. Can I let them know my counsel in this matter is Otay BW?

[OtayBW]

Thanks.

I will send them an email. Can I let them know my counsel in this matter is Otay BW? OTAY by me!

[LJohnny]

If you are going to call or email, it may be a good idea to have the itemized tariff codes for the pieces you have on hand, so that you can build a stronger argument by including them on the email. The tariff schedule is available online.

Also if by any chance you have evidence from previous orders for similar items that were not subject to import tariff code that will also help, i.e. a receipt with the codes and no tax collected on it, it may be more evidence.


Good luck

[kitsnob]

ok, I think I need to attend a "shipping rape support group" meeting.

Groupset arrived today, safe and sound, and only one day late (on second attempt).

I purchased this group from the UK on Jan 28.

I added up charges, and it looks like I got dinged for 5.9 % of total purchase price.

I paid the ransom, but I am having second thoughts because I know when my backside hurts, and this just doesn't feel right.

I have no explanation for the charges from the shipping Nazis. No breakdown of charges. Their invoice was simply a scan of the package label.

If the info in the link you provided is true, I should NOT have been charged any additional shipping.

Is it worth pursuing, or should I take my lumps and go on?

Second issue is eBay feedback for the seller.

They are a small UK shop with a great feedback rating. Give them a bad review? and honest review of all the trouble I went through to forward other US bidders? Contact them prior to the review? Leave no feedback?

to Otay BW, was the contest hard to do?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Handgod/E063FB19-EF08-4AFC-A5E4-F5B1144EC433_zps2ovlmxfo.jpg


Try not to take your frustrations with DHL or the US Gov't out over a 'survey' from a small business that did right by you.
You got the price you wanted and hopefully you are overall satisfied with the goods. Unfortunately, when they decided to ship express you had no idea who they would use ... Unfortunately it was DHL (bad for you).
Since they had little control over the tariffs being levied, why not give them an excellent, 5 star review BUT make a comment about the duties so as to alert other potential buyers to have it shipped Royal Mail or some other international shipper (but doesn't FedEx and UPS also levy tariffs?)
BTW .. congrats on the new groupo and GLW the build!
Cheers
Oh and DO contest it!
Like I always tell my girls: "If you don't ask ... You don't get"!

[paredown]

^^agreed--worth itemizing, checking the codes and contesting. But I would not give negatives to eBay seller. And AFAIK, all of the courier services will levy duty and typically a 'handling charge' for putting it through their bonded warehouse system.

When we were in the UK and I was getting a lot of computer stuff shipped, I would do the research ahead of time, and ask the seller to put the UK equivalent to HSC #s on the shipping tag to avoid duty, and never had a problem. Most of that went through UK post who are way more effective than US Post for collecting duty. Never had a problem. Even shipping to my family in Canada with UPS, I was required to do a 5 copy "invoice" where I would list the goods and make sure that the codes were correct.

It's archaic and a PITA--a holdover from the days when it was the major source of income for national governments, but 'it's Chinatown, Jake.'

[Polyglot]

This is a typical transaction between 2 neophyte import/exporters. If you do not itemize the shipment, stating the value or each individual product, you WILL generally get assessed on the total value of the shipment under the duty-paying harmonized tariff code that covers the product with the most expensive tariff code included in the shipment. This because it is not up to the customs service to break down a total price amongst the various elements in the shipment. As has been pointed out, if you have itemization and a corresponding price for each element provided by the seller, you can generally get a refund for overpayment. Without a sellers invoice giving this detail, you will be hard pressed to be successful in any appeal. Customs is also not obliged to accept the distribution of prices amongst the items of a specific shipment if they believe you are colluding to reduce duty by putting more of the total price on duty-free items.

Beyond this, be aware that according to most tax laws in the various states here in the US, you are liable to pay sales tax on products imported from out of state. I don't know if any state has ever successfully collected on these laws...

[PaulE]

Beyond this, be aware that according to most tax laws in the various states here in the US, you are liable to pay sales tax on products imported from out of state. I don't know if any state has ever successfully collected on these laws...

Here in the great state of New Jersey, and I think other states as well, they add onto the personal income tax return near the end a line that says something like "enter here all the sales tax you owe for out of state purchases made during the year." My guess is that there are at least a few people who feel that they need to report something on that line.

Businesses are routinely audited for sales and use tax.