My X-Men Quadrilogy was caught during Customs...

[insomniac013]

Hey guys! So i ordered the X-men movies from Play.com and now i get a letter from the post office, saying i have to pay 23£ in order it get it, which ive never tried before by the way!

What do i do now? Can i have it send back? I dont want to pay that much, it's more than the movies cost by themselves which is 18£!

Any help is appreciated!

[chip75]

Play will charge you if you don't except the package from customs, I think that's common practice. Where did you order it from if it was 18 pounds it shouldn't have been charged by customs (I think).

Update: I can see you're in Denmark perhaps it's over the limited for your country.

[insomniac013]

I ordered it from Play.com. What do you mean Play will charge me for it if i dont accept? I already paid for it once!

And i really hate the low low limit we can import for in Denmark! I think the limit is 10£.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by insomniac013

I ordered it from Play.com. What do you mean Play will charge me for it if i dont accept? I already paid for it once!

And i really hate the low low limit we can import for in Denmark! I think the limit is 10£.

If you refuse to except an item from customs play will charge you the cost of sending it back to them as well.

Update: this is what amazon say about importing region A/1 product:

Import Duty and VAT

As Region 1 DVDs are dispatched to you from the USA or Canada, you may be subject to import duties and taxes that are levied once the package reaches your country. Whether any charges are payable will depend on the value of the package and where you are having it delivered to. We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they might be. You should contact your local customs office for further information. If there any additional charges for customs clearance, they must be borne by you. Additionally, please note that when ordering a new Region 1 DVD, you are considered the importer of record and must comply with all laws and regulations of the country in which you are receiving the goods.

Charges on Deliveries to the UK

Under EU agreements, if the value of the goods is £18 or less you may be eligible for an exemption from duty and VAT. For more information about this exemption please contact HM Customs and Excise and ask for Notice 143 "A Guide for International Post Users".

Charges on Deliveries Outside of the UK

We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country, so you should contact your local customs office for further information.

I know your're importing from the UK so it may be slighty different.

[insomniac013]

Originally Posted by chip75

If you refuse to except an item from customs play will charge you the cost of sending it back to them as well.

What if i dont come and claim it? Does the post office send it back automaticly? Thats what i heard.

[stargazeruk]

Originally Posted by insomniac013

I ordered it from Play.com. What do you mean Play will charge me for it if i dont accept? I already paid for it once!

And i really hate the low low limit we can import for in Denmark! I think the limit is 10£.

Play.com terms and conditions but I did a skim through the TOC so check it out fully here:
http://www.play.com/Help.html?page=playterms

Section 15 to 17 might be of help

[chip75]

If you do return it don't except a 'restocking fee' that's just a company trying to make a few quid, tell them your under no obligation to pay it (e-buyer tried the same with my brother and he told them to 'no way').

Have you ordered from play before for items at a similar price, were you stung by customs then? I think £23 is a joke. Hope you get this sorted.

[insomniac013]

Originally Posted by stargazeruk

Play.com terms and conditions but I did a skim through the TOC so check it out fully here:
http://www.play.com/Help.html?page=playterms

Section 15 to 17 might be of help

Thanks, according to this it does not say anything about customs, so i assume i can return it right?

Originally Posted by chip75

If you do return it don't except a 'restocking fee' that's just a company trying to make a few quid, tell them your under no obligation to pay it (e-buyer tried the same with my brother and he told them to 'no way').

Have you ordered from play before for items at a similar price, were you stung by customs then? I think £23 is a joke. Hope you get this sorted.

Of couse, i would never pay for such a thing. "Restocking fee", ridiculous! Thanks me letting me know.

Yes ive ordered there several times, but this is the first time this happened! ...In Denmark we basicly have to pay 125% of the original price so yeah, its beyond insane!

[insomniac013]

And of couse, right now, i just happen to find the X-Men collection for the exact same price on Amazon.uk! Oh boy, this is not my week...

[LordCrumb]

Why did customs snag it? is X-Men banned in your country?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by insomniac013

And of couse, right now, i just happen to find the X-Men collection for the exact same price on Amazon.uk! Oh boy, this is not my week...

Lol, I thought amazon had The Ultimate Cut of Watchmen for just over a tenner and I got all excited. It turned out to be just the Region 1 DVD which is still good value but I don't have a multi-region player (I think the blu-ray is region free), the blu-ray is £175 from a third party now thats expensive...

I'd contact play and see what they say.

[Pyoko]

£23 sounds very suspicious, first I would check the details to see that they're charging you for the correct value, and if not contact the postal service. The VAT rate (what you have to pay when importing from outside the EU) in Denmark is 25% which on £18 is only £4.5, then the postal service usually has a processing fee, but that the fee would be almost £20 sounds insane. In Sweden it's about £6 and in the UK I think it's £8.

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by insomniac013

Of couse, i would never pay for such a thing. "Restocking fee", ridiculous! Thanks me letting me know.

Often when you return unopened/unwanted items the shipping costs are non-refundable, but since Play.com doesn't have separate shipping costs, a restocking fee sounds reasonable to me.

[insomniac013]

Originally Posted by Pyoko

£23 sounds very suspicious, first I would check the details to see that they're charging you for the correct value, and if not contact the postal service. The VAT rate (what you have to pay when importing from outside the EU) in Denmark is 25% which on £18 is only £4.5, then the postal service usually has a processing fee, but that the fee would be almost £20 sounds insane. In Sweden it's about £6 and in the UK I think it's £8.

Here's an exerpt from the letter i got from the post office. I translated to English the best i could:

>>
Import tax: 47 DKK.
Import total: 128 DKK.
Import total tax: 32 DKK.

Total Import cost: 207 DKK
<<

207 DKK = 23,47£


Oh, and I forgot to mention that since i order from Denmark, the only way to buy from Play.com is with Euros! Once you press that Euro sign, all prices go up a couple of quid... So actually i paid 21£! When they say they offer FREE SHIPPING for Denmark, they're lying.
Denmark isn't being called "the most expensive country in Europe" for no reason.

Originally Posted by Pyoko

Often when you return unopened/unwanted items the shipping costs are non-refundable, but since Play.com doesn't have separate shipping costs, a restocking fee sounds reasonable to me.

Well.. As long as the "Restocking Fee" isnt completely unreasonable, ill concider it.

[insomniac013]

Originally Posted by chip75

Lol, I thought amazon had The Ultimate Cut of Watchmen for just over a tenner and I got all excited. It turned out to be just the Region 1 DVD which is still good value but I don't have a multi-region player (I think the blu-ray is region free), the blu-ray is £175 from a third party now thats expensive...

I'd contact play and see what they say.

Haha, no we awesome Europeans never did get THE ULTIMATE CUT of Watchmen! Why, i dont know... But just so you know, the Blu Ray is Region Free and if your willing to pay 29£ for it, i recomend a site called Movietyme.com - I just got Apocalypse Now (which is an amazing set) from them!

Originally Posted by KaiGusto

Why did customs snag it? is X-Men banned in your country?

Yes, i think we have something against Mutants! Damned politics!

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by insomniac013

Here's an exerpt from the letter i got from the post office. I translated to English the best i could:

>>
Import tax: 47 DKK.
Import total: 128 DKK.
Import total tax: 32 DKK.

Those numbers do add up. Looks like you're paying 160 DKK just in processing fees; that is indeed quite expensive, and at that price I would consider refusing delivery as well.

[Mooseteets]

refusing delivery is a bit tricky, the post office has already paid these customs charges, this is one reason the handling fees are so high they pay them in advance...

is this the first thing you've imported at this price ?

[insomniac013]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

So what gives you the right to withhold payment at this stage? Would you refuse to pay a parking fine on the grounds that you just don't want to?

Hey now, i bought this fair and square! Its not like ive stolen it! If they want me to pay 23£ just to recieve the thing well, then Play better damned well tell me up front!
Yes, i would pay the fine. Wanna know why? Because its illegal!
Would you pay 23£ just to recieve a package you bought fair and square?

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by insomniac013

Hey now, i bought this fair and square! Its not like ive stolen it! If they want me to pay 23£ just to recieve the thing well, then Play better damned well tell me up front!
Yes, i would pay the fine. Wanna know why? Because its illegal!
Would you pay 23£ just to recieve a package you bought fair and square?

Although I imagine it must be frustrating, you seem to be proceeding from a false assumption - and that is that you were misled when you purchased the item and were not aware of potential fees that may be charged. If you plan to import it is your responsibility to inform yourself of the practices of both the company you are buying from and also of your own country's codes and practices with regards to importing. Failing to do so is not the fault of the company.

People never seem to read terms and conditions. Strangely enough though they are there for a reason. Now not only should you have read them when you signed up to Play but only 15 hours ago in this very thread you were directed to them in this post:

Originally Posted by stargazeruk

Play.com terms and conditions but I did a skim through the TOC so check it out fully here:
http://www.play.com/Help.html?page=playterms

Section 15 to 17 might be of help

Now if you look under the section "Delivery/title/risk" you can clearly see exactly what you need to know:

36. If your delivery address is outside of Jersey, you may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are levied once a shipment reaches your country. Any such additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by you. You should note that customs policies vary widely from country to country; Play.com advises each customer to contact their local customs office for further information.

So, when you signed up you indicated you had read the terms and conditions and then as part of Play.com's order process you are again asked that you agree to the terms and conditions when making a contract to purchase. Both times you would have had to have indicated "yes" otherwise a) you wouldn't be signed up; and b) you wouldn't be able to place an order. With that it mind, you have twice indicated you fully understand you may be liable for fees and charges.

Not to be rude, but if you blindly click yes to terms and conditions without reading them and then import without knowing your country's import legislation then what are you doing importing?!!! You're just setting yourself up to get burned and guess what.... you did.

Just like any form of purchase anywhere you should always read the fine print before you buy and if you don't understand something: ask. Professing ignorance after the fact won't get you off scott free. I don't want to sound harsh but exactly what were you expecting to happen if you didn't do your research before you bought?

[Blu-Boy in BKK]

Couriers are worse, they actually report you to Customs just so that they can get that extra bit of cash from you, I was informed by someone who works for UPS that is a little "sweet deal" between the couriers and customs officials. When my 8 Steelbooks arrived from Amazon.ca I got hit by customs. They were so late in delivering my stuff that I actually refused to pay their charges (DHL Fees) I won. I paid only the customs fees. When I discovered that 5 of my Steelbooks were dented I ordered DHL to refund my Customs charges. Yup, I won again. Then when the replacements arrived I point blank told DHL to deliver them to me ASAP with zero customs and fees. You guessed it, I won yet again.
You see, in the Philippines, nobody stands up for them selves against big business. They whine and moan but do sweet F-all. I don't bend over and take it like a punk. I don't mind (well actually I do) paying customs charges, but I resent being gouged by couriers for their little piece of pie.