I hate UPS and Parcelforce!

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:44 am

I hate UPS because I ordered 3 Forum mugs (total price including international shipping $50.97) and I got stung $16 import tax but UPS demanded an extra $20 "collection fee" to collect the $16 or else I couldn't have the mugs! And I hate Parcelforce (known as Parcelfarce here in the UK) because I bought a new 660/12 last week and they have lost it! They claim to have tried to deliver it twice (when I know for a fact that I was in), neither time did they leave a "sorry we missed you" card (if they really came), and now they don't know where it is! I know that this isn't a forum issue but I just had to get it out of my system!!!

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:17 pm

Gad, what a nightmare. I sympathize with you. I have had some bad experiences with UPS but your Parcelforce sounds as you have nicknamed them. I hope you are able to track down the 660. This offers little in the way of comfort and I fully understand your PO'd thoughts. Sick 'em.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:14 pm

Sorry to hear this. We have a very similar system in Canada, where you get to pay an extra fee on top of the Gouge And Screw Tax (GST). Canada Post will even chage an additional fee to collect the GST. I really hope the 660/12 shows up and they waive your costs for the inconvenience.

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:41 pm

...makes me even more glad I live in the states.....geeesh!! I feel for you guys that have to endure this ****....

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 5:06 pm

Wonder what the government and tax office do when my forum stuff arrives.....

If the 660 doesn't turn up, Peter, my bet is that some Parcelfast employee will be having a wow of a time with your baby!!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 5:34 pm

I sent Christmas gifts to my wife and daughter in Brasil. Lots of stuff that I picked up here and there for my little girl, during the year, most of it on sale. My total investment for her stuff was about $100.00 (I spend wisely, and can't send big boxes over there because they tend to get stolen outright.) I wrapped each gift carefully and lovingly, enclosed an envelope filled with small denomination Brazilian currency for incidentals, and I marked "Christmas gifts--No Commercial Value" on the customs form. This was two weeks before Christmas. The USPS said ten days max to deliver to their door.

In early February, my wife got a call from the Brasilian Post Office to come and pay the import duties on the package! So she took a morning off work, and when she got there found that she had to pay $200.00 US in customs duties.

Here's what they do: when they see "gift" on a package, they open it, unwrap everything, look up retail values on the Internet for each item, tally the total, and divide by 2. Then they carefully re-wrap everything, ribbons, bows, and all.

So the carefully bought toys ended up costing almost full retail.
But the envelope of cash, although it was opened and confiscated as contraband, was then released with not a penny missing.

The tip from Brasilian customs? Next time, mark the package "Toys" and put $50.00 for the value. No inspection and no duty. But do you think anybody could have told us beforehand?

Compared to that hassle, UPS/ParcelFarce are a breeze. The last time I had a claim against UPS, they collected the paperwork and paid the claim in less than two weeks--for over $3500.00.

Now, FedEx? Don't make me laugh. The last six times I've gotten deliveries from them they've been at least two days late, and in one case six days late on a package from only 200 miles away!

Remember when FedEx used to be really excellent?

clearblue · Post by **clearblue** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 6:44 am

Peter, Sorry to hear your shipping woes. I truly hope your 660/12 arrives very soon and in perfect condition. File a claim as soon as you can for lost merchandise.