Delivery problems!

[Tony Smith 7]

In my experience Parcel Force and Royal Mail in general are the least cooperative delivery company, the most likely to stuff a card through your door even when you're in, and least likely to comply with a request to leave the (not signed for) parcel with a neighbour or in an outbuilding. In contrast I think just about every courier that's come here has been happy to leave the parcel and stuff the paperwork through the door.

[Martian]

I think problems with delivery firms are more likely to be regional,I have no problems with either parcel force or royal mail but in all honesty I have heard of problems such as those brought up here which leaves me to say regional and maybe the local manager should be spoken to.

[Codename-John]

You can pay your customs charges online and they will deliver to you the next day, no extra delivery charge and no need to go and pick it up yourself, Ive just had to do it with an order from Tower Hobbies in the US

Edited By Codename-John on 25/02/2013 19:55:55

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I agree with C-J. I've had this from both HK (in HK!) and Tru-Form in the States. You can pay the import duty on-line then specify a new delievery date/time.

Paul - I think you just have to accept here that you made a mistake and ordered from the HK Warehouse in error. Your specific problem here is HMRC and the courier company - not HK.

Yes I know its not always obvious and "in your face" where something will come from with HK- the website is less than 100% perfect in that respect and sometimes and it doesn't exactly "leap out" at you - I think we'd all agree with that. But I really don't think HK have set out to try to "fool" you.

So, as I see it you have two options; either;

1. abandon the purchase and take the loss, or

2. bite the bullet, follow the advice Chris and others are giving you about how to get your model, pay the import duty and put it down to experience.

I know which I would do. But there is no future in simply posting on here repeating how unhappy you are! That will solve nothing - and change nothing! HK have kept their side of the deal. As far as they are concerned you ordered a model form the Hong Kong warehouse and they dispatched it to you.

If you go on HK's site again - and to be honest I don't see this as a reason in particular not too - just be very watchful of exactly where your order is coming from. They do tell you, its just that (frankly) their site is so cluttered and badly designed it's sometime not as obvious as it should be! One for HK to think about!

BEB

[Tony Smith 7]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 25/02/2013 18:42:23:

Don't understand it, ordered from HK UK warehouse, still came from China, and normally don't get customs on it. Not going to order from Hobbyking again. Much more expensive than buying in this country. Surprised how they can stay in business, even though other people seemed happy.

So I'm paying £130 odd for a flying wing, where someone at Northwich had one for sale for £90 BNIB. and having to wait a month for it...

Not in a good mood.

If it were me I'd put a claim in for the costs. Your order should say "UK warehouse" on the item description, the P&P option should be the UK one. And you should be paying the UK price for the item which from memory is higher than the Hong Kong price. That is your proof that your order should have been delivered from within the UK. Of course if it shows ordered from Hong Kong then you don't really have a dispute.

Claim your duty back from Hobby King, raising a Paypal dispute if necessary.

Or you could cancel the order and refuse the shipment, Paypal claim again if necessary.

[GrahamC]

Paul, you can check your past orders with Hobby King. If you did indeed order from the UK warehouse then the items concerned will have "(UK Warehouse)" as part of the item title as Tony says.

Here is an example from my account:

If you did indeed order from the UK warehouse and have received items from Hong Kong without anything in the description saying that would happen, then maybe we need to ask BEB to change the tread title back again.... as that would indeed be an issue with HobbyKing which I for one would want to know about.

If however the order does not indicate that it is coming from the UK warehouse then it's not really fair to blame them for anything other than the fact that their web page is quite complicated.

A tip for all concerned... If you put something in your basket that is coming from the UK warehouse, then the software won't let you add anything from another warehouse until you pay or log out. You can always remove the item later.

Mind you... the way the pound/dollar rate is going, UK retailers will start to get more attractive!

[scott cuppello]

Posted by Tony Smith 7 on 26/02/2013 11:56:43:

Posted by Paul Marsh on 25/02/2013 18:42:23:

Don't understand it, ordered from HK UK warehouse, still came from China, and normally don't get customs on it. Not going to order from Hobbyking again. Much more expensive than buying in this country. Surprised how they can stay in business, even though other people seemed happy.

So I'm paying £130 odd for a flying wing, where someone at Northwich had one for sale for £90 BNIB. and having to wait a month for it...

Not in a good mood.

If it were me I'd put a claim in for the costs. Your order should say "UK warehouse" on the item description, the P&P option should be the UK one. And you should be paying the UK price for the item which from memory is higher than the Hong Kong price. That is your proof that your order should have been delivered from within the UK. Of course if it shows ordered from Hong Kong then you don't really have a dispute.

Claim your duty back from Hobby King, raising a Paypal dispute if necessary.

Or you could cancel the order and refuse the shipment, Paypal claim again if necessary.

An order placed at the UK Warehouse is NEVER referred to Hong Kong.....the system will NOT allow this, if you recieve a product from the Hong Kong Warehouse.....you ordered it from the Hong Kong Warehouse......end of story.

Simple fact is, yes, it's an older website and may confuse sometime.....but.......there are big givaways as to where you are ordering from through the payment process......the user has a certain amount of responsibility for their own order....and there is a helpline if you are unsure.

Sorry, but the idea that this is our fault is stretching things to say the least, there is a location tab on the top left hand side of the main page, if you sign in then use this location tab and click on UK.....you will ONLY see products available in the UK....I have pointed this out many times before.

[Paul Marsh]

Ok fair enough. Still won't be ordering anymore HK stuff. Their loss, considering how much I spend on the hobby every year.

On the subject of paying the customs. I need the 17-digit number to pay the fee. Of course I don't have it, as it is probably on the slip, which I never received. According to Parcelforce it was ready for delivery on the 7th, but somehow did a world tour before being released from customs and going back again.

Already opened up a Paypal dispute, and won't conclude it until I actually have the parcel. Whenever/if that happens...

[Tony Smith 7]

Let us know what happens. I suspect that if the order paperwork shows it as ordered from Hong Kong, that you won't get anywhere. DId you pay the UK price or the Hong Kong price, out of interest?

[Paul Marsh]

I paid the UK price. It was more than the overseas price.

For example, the UK warehouse price was $145, including delivery. $119 for the airframe plus delivery. ($ should be £, but their website is so screwed up - by still showing $$$'s)

For overseas, it was $99 for the international warehouse.(plus delivery)

Why was I charged the UK price, but got International delivery, attracting (2x)UK customs charges, which are already included with UK purchases?

Edited By Paul Marsh on 26/02/2013 20:15:40

[WolstonFlyer]

You can pay the fee at the local depot, I think I payed via debit card last time I had to go and collect something with a customs charge.

It is not fair to HK to raise a Paypal dispute, they have done their job and supplied the goods, you just need to go and get the parcel. Customs charges and delays are a different issue that are outside of anything HK can help with. Paypal will not take the claim any further once they see there is a customs charge and that the parcel is waiting for you.

I am guessing you have naver made an order from an international supplier before?

[Bearair]

I have only ordered from a Hong Kong company once and that was for a camera. in there advert they stipulated all customs and import duties would be paid by them. When the camera arrived the invoice was not fo rthe correct price, £30 rather that £330 I contacted customs as I thought the company was attempting fraud. I had to pay the full import duty because if you import something in ,you are responsable. Through paypal I managed to get this money paid back. If you can prove you paid the UK price I think paypal may help you.

Best of luck

Roger

[Devcon1]

This customs and tax thing seems a bit random.

I ordered (from HK) an ASP 160 Twin 4 Stroke and it just came straight to me, it was from Hong Kong or China and assumed I had paid the tax at point of purchase.

Paul, It would be interesting to see a "Timeline" of your situation.

Regards

[Bearair]

I do not think it is random, if you buy from abroad and do not declare the correct value and pay the correct import duty, you, as the importer are guilty of fraud. Unfortunatly the random bit is if you get caught. IMHO not enough people are being caught to deter fraud by private importers.

Roger

[John Privett]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 26/02/2013 20:15:03:

($ should be £, but their website is so screwed up - by still showing $$$'s)

The website may be poor in many respects, but as they bill you in US$ I don't think it unreasonable that the site shows $ prices. You can get an indication of the likely £ cost, but it's only an indication as the exchange rate is determined by your bank/card provider/paypal.

[WolstonFlyer]

Smaller international parcels seem to be delivered by Royal Mail and the 15 or so small box orders I have received from HK have never had a customs charge added.

The two big box artf planes I have ordered have both been delivered by Parcelforce and have both had import duty and handling fee added.

I guess the bigger boxes are picked out for customs inspection where there are probably too many smaller parcels to make it viable to check them all.

[Tony Smith 7]

Posted by WolstonFlyer on 26/02/2013 20:22:00:

It is not fair to HK to raise a Paypal dispute, they have done their job and supplied the goods, you just need to go and get the parcel. Customs charges and delays are a different issue that are outside of anything HK can help with.

That would be the case if the original order was from the Hong Kong warehouse. If it was ordered from the UK warehouse, but delivered from overseas then it would be fair to blame the supplier.

I suspect the truth lies somewhere between, as a number of people have reported that they found they'd changed to the Hong Kong warehouse inadvertantly. I've done so myself, but caught it before finalising the order. But the Paul would have been charged the Hong Kong price, so that doesn't make sense either.

[Bearair]

Posted by John Privett on 26/02/2013 20:40:22:

Posted by Paul Marsh on 26/02/2013 20:15:03:

($ should be £, but their website is so screwed up - by still showing $$$'s)

The website may be poor in many respects, but as they bill you in US$ I don't think it unreasonable that the site shows $ prices. You can get an indication of the likely £ cost, but it's only an indication as the exchange rate is determined by your bank/card provider/paypal.

I have never ordered from Hking but i am very tempted by the Habicht Iwould I pay in dollars even though I would only buy from the UK warehouse?

[scott cuppello]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 26/02/2013 19:53:41:

Ok fair enough. Still won't be ordering anymore HK stuff. Their loss, considering how much I spend on the hobby every year.

On the subject of paying the customs. I need the 17-digit number to pay the fee. Of course I don't have it, as it is probably on the slip, which I never received. According to Parcelforce it was ready for delivery on the 7th, but somehow did a world tour before being released from customs and going back again.

Already opened up a Paypal dispute, and won't conclude it until I actually have the parcel. Whenever/if that happens...

Ok, Paul tell you what, send me your order purchase number via PM and I will investigate if your conspiracy theory is true, if we have sent you a model from Hong Kong despite a UK order, I will personally guarantee that not only will I apologise in public, we will also cancel the undelivered model and pay for it to be shipped back to HK AND send you a Sonic 64 from the UK Warehouse with a FREE battery, ok?

[Erfolg]

There seems to be a problem with private imports into the UK, it is not necessarily the tax. It is the hidden import duty called the handling charge. The duty (VAT) although excessive in many opinions, in that is suppressing high street sales.

I was reading today that the additional taxes imposed on UK oil production, resulted in a lower tax take. The reduction of the same tax, has resulted in greater activity and a 35 bn increase in revenue (which I find hard to believe).

I see no reason why individuals should not import items for themselves, it seems wrong that the effective tax rate is excessive, to the extent that the government and its departments seem less than honest, as the tax rate is effectively far higher than 20%.

I for one do limit my purchases to low value orders.

 

Edited By Erfolg on 26/02/2013 20:58:00

[Devcon1]

Bearair,

My box had the true value identified on the address label with all the other import info, if customs had thought money was owed then surely they would have asked me for it, I'm no tax expert (although I pay enough of the damm stuff), but I'm certainly no going to worry myself over 20% Vat on 358 US Dollars.

Regards

John

[WolstonFlyer]

Bearair:

The orders are always in US Dollars even from the UK warehouse. You are still ordering and paying from a company outside of the UK but are selecting delivery from a local stock location.

When you set the website to display UK Pounds it is a representitive price and the exchange rate you get from Paypal or your credit card etc will be slightly different.

And Wow that is a very serious offer from Scott!

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 26/02/2013 21:06:12

[Devcon1]

Just ordered a nice little leccy motor from HK, let the taxman chase me for import/tax on my 12 US dollars worth of kit....

[scott cuppello]

Posted by Bearair on 26/02/2013 20:54:31:

Posted by John Privett on 26/02/2013 20:40:22:

Posted by Paul Marsh on 26/02/2013 20:15:03:

($ should be £, but their website is so screwed up - by still showing $$$'s)

The website may be poor in many respects, but as they bill you in US$ I don't think it unreasonable that the site shows $ prices. You can get an indication of the likely £ cost, but it's only an indication as the exchange rate is determined by your bank/card provider/paypal.

I have never ordered from Hking but i am very tempted by the Habicht Iwould I pay in dollars even though I would only buy from the UK warehouse?

We purchase in USD, most of the worlds trade is in USD, our margins are so small that the USD must be the currency used for re-sale as fluctuations between Sterling and USD can potentially wipe out any meagre profit.....however, you CAN ask the Website to show prices in Sterling.....however, these Sterling prices will always be "on the day" as fixing prices in Sterling would mean having to raise prices....may I point out that UK Customers can purchase from the UK, DE, NL & HK Warehouses.....therefore one currency makes even more sense taking this into consideration.

[Paul Marsh]

I've sent him a pm. I only want my item, which I paid for, as I'm getting tired and fed up. As far as I know, I've done it as I said. If I'm wrong, then someone else will fail as I did.

Am willing to pay the customs, not bothered, but can't even do that online, as I don't have in my posession the details. 

Failing that, a refund, then I can buy the Sonic 64 from a chap, 5 mins walk from me. It's waiting in the box, whatever...

Fingers crossed.

E

Edited By Paul Marsh on 26/02/2013 21:25:44