Forum

Usual customs delays
 

Time Location Tracking Event
13-03-2014 11:40 International Hub Awaiting Customs Charging
10-03-2014 11:59 International Hub Awaiting Customs clearance
10-03-2014 11:58 International Hub Awaiting Customs clearance
10-03-2014 11:47 International Hub Received in destination country
07-03-2014 16:19 Delivery Agent - CHICAGO Forwarded for export
07-03-2014 16:13 Delivery Agent - CHICAGO Forwarded for export
06-03-2014 09:53 Delivery Agent - UNITED STATES AMERICA Collected from customer


Is that normal guys ???

Pls help me with timings why it's taking so long to get cleared

Where it's going to come near me ??? I mean to say post office ???

Can I ring them up and pay the charges at this stage ????
Thanks.
Never purchased anything from abroad .

It's a laptop so I think there is no import tax on laptops just vat only and parcelforce shipment fee ???

Re: Usual customs delays
 

What is the shipping service being used - DHL, EMS...or ?

Re: Usual customs delays
 

If the forwarder in this country (UK) is Parcel Force then this is completely normal.

I bought some items from a US auction house recently and instead of sending them to my US shipper as advised the auction house sent them to my home address. Customs had them for only 1 day to assess the VAT & duty but it took Parcel Farce another 4 days to send them to the local depot where I called up and paid the duty on the phone.

Re: Usual customs delays
 

Have you tried giving the delivery company a ring?

Re: Usual customs delays
 

In my case I rang customs and they reported that the package cleared same day and was returned to Parcel Force. The customs guy said PF are notoriously slow at updating the tracking and notifying the buyer of the charges.

When I rang PF they said that I could not pay the charges on the phone til package was at my local depot. This proved to be true. You can ring and pay as soon as tracking says pkg is at local depot. It will save waiting for the letter which can take a few more days.

I have none of this hassle with Fedex who just send me an invoice about a week later.

Re: Usual customs delays
 

I use DHL and pay the import charges before the package even hits the UK. Makes it all much smoother.

Re: Usual customs delays
 

A good proactive move - just doesnt help if there are issues with the package...I mean at customs....

Re: Usual customs delays
 

Rarely have issues. Paperwork is all filled in correctly at the shippers end, get the odd package stopped and opened by customs, but after that its soon sent on its way.

Re: Usual customs delays
 

Same here.

I use DHL for that reason. No time for items to be hanging around depots.

Everything is paid for, dusted, labelled correctly and sent.

:bounce:

Re: Usual customs delays
 

I prefer Fedex because I had "issues" with DHL not sending me invoices and then passing my account to a debt collector even after I had paid. Ive only ever had a few packages opened. 2 were from foofoo land (legit costume jewelry stuff) and one I allowed the declared value to go over the limit at which duty as well as VAT became payable.

All the paperwork was correct on these packages so they were only delayed about 24 hours.

It is in the couriers interest to shuffle packages through as quickly as possible.

Re: Usual customs delays
 

Anytime i get a DHL package from China, 90% of the time i have to pay duty and then a few packages they dont seem to have any duty charges so i'm quids in on those few occasions. Yes sometimes i wouldnt get an invoice to pay from DHL but would always would check my DHL account to see if any outstanding charges to pay.

Re: Usual customs delays
 

DHL is the best.

Always reliable and delivers on time.

I do not mind paying the custom fee before the package leaves Hong Kong.
This is ofcourse if you have nothing to worry about the nature of the items.

Parcel force always have delayed my shipments for no reasons at all. Guess they just lazy bunch.