Question About Courier and Import Taxes
Good evening everyone! Hope you're all well! Anyways I ordered a product from a merchant in Europe, they have a shipping contract with a major reputable international courier/shipping service, thus they collected just under a hundred dollars from me for the shipping charge, my order was worth a bit more than a thousand dollars and they waived their VAT with the understanding the consumer is responsible for any customs charges or sales tax. The product I purchased is only subject to sales tax. I contacted the courier in hopes I could pay them in advance and not have to pay any bond/brokerage charges as I'm already effective paying a hundred dollars to have my order shipped.
Their phone reps were frustrating to deal with giving me conflicting information[I had to place a couple calls as initially I was still waiting on the tracking number and was just calling with a general inquiry, then I was told they couldn't take payment info until it was received at the border, etc.]. I was told I could avoid the brokerage fee by paying online or over phone when the order arrived at the border and that they'd call me when it arrived. They didn't call me, when the tracking indicated it should be arriving, so I called again after receiving an email asking me to pay the taxes and the brokerage fee and was told I could save 5$ by paying online or pay full price over the phone[as opposed to being told before that phone or web in advance would both avoid the brokerage charge] or when it arrived and that the brokerage fee was mandatory regardless of payment method.
I didn't have access to a secure computer and figured I'd deal with payment upon it's arrival. They dropped the package off. I didn't hear them do so or ring the doorbell and just discovered it when I went to check the door. There was a COD Slip on the parcel, however they made no attempt to collect or get me to sign for the package[which the emails seemed to suggest would be required, and which one would think would make sense as it'd be a fairly expensive package to have get stolen]...
This all occurred a while ago and they haven't contacted me any further about the owed funds. Is this common? Has anyone else experienced this? I'm just surprised they'd release the package without collecting the balance due. I don't mind paying the taxes as it was an expected expense, however I'd rather not pay the brokerage fees. The Additional fees are 15$ or 10$ if I get the 5$ discount. Is there anyway to get the brokerage fee waived?
I know it's not that much overall, however it's still an extra 10-15$ when they were already paid 100$ for their service... Is the reason for the fee because they posted the funds for me or because they had to deal with customs? The latter seems like it goes with the territory and should be covered in base charge and I tried to arrange to pay in advance. Any insight anyone could provide would be immensely appreciated. Feel free to ask for any required clarification. Thanks so much in advance!
Their phone reps were frustrating to deal with giving me conflicting information[I had to place a couple calls as initially I was still waiting on the tracking number and was just calling with a general inquiry, then I was told they couldn't take payment info until it was received at the border, etc.]. I was told I could avoid the brokerage fee by paying online or over phone when the order arrived at the border and that they'd call me when it arrived. They didn't call me, when the tracking indicated it should be arriving, so I called again after receiving an email asking me to pay the taxes and the brokerage fee and was told I could save 5$ by paying online or pay full price over the phone[as opposed to being told before that phone or web in advance would both avoid the brokerage charge] or when it arrived and that the brokerage fee was mandatory regardless of payment method.
I didn't have access to a secure computer and figured I'd deal with payment upon it's arrival. They dropped the package off. I didn't hear them do so or ring the doorbell and just discovered it when I went to check the door. There was a COD Slip on the parcel, however they made no attempt to collect or get me to sign for the package[which the emails seemed to suggest would be required, and which one would think would make sense as it'd be a fairly expensive package to have get stolen]...
This all occurred a while ago and they haven't contacted me any further about the owed funds. Is this common? Has anyone else experienced this? I'm just surprised they'd release the package without collecting the balance due. I don't mind paying the taxes as it was an expected expense, however I'd rather not pay the brokerage fees. The Additional fees are 15$ or 10$ if I get the 5$ discount. Is there anyway to get the brokerage fee waived?
I know it's not that much overall, however it's still an extra 10-15$ when they were already paid 100$ for their service... Is the reason for the fee because they posted the funds for me or because they had to deal with customs? The latter seems like it goes with the territory and should be covered in base charge and I tried to arrange to pay in advance. Any insight anyone could provide would be immensely appreciated. Feel free to ask for any required clarification. Thanks so much in advance!