Well, it's official now, 2 missing in action

[Angolo Antico 10]

Hi Guys,

 

Since mid December till early January, we have lost 2 parcels coming from the US, total loss is over R4500.00. Joburg Customs deny any involvement ofcourse.

 

The one parcel was sent on 28 Dec and the other 05 Jan, and no, the items was not bought on ebay, so I don't know if I qualify for any refunds, will have to take it up with PayPal. Just be careful and keep track of all your INTL incoming parcels, it's only getting worse day by day. In 2009 we only lost 2 parcels, 2011 in already starting at a minus 2 parcels!

 

All those nice bling blings might be offered to you guys in the joburg area while stopping at the robot! Take a pipe and hit the guy over his knuckles for me please!

 

regards,

 

Marle

MKJ

[MacMuffin 1]

How about theft of 11 in 2010 (all with tracking magically disappeared between customs and Bryanston Postoffice). 70% of my orders get stolen and I am running out of online stores to order from as they think I am the scammer :-(

[JPBon 10]

How about theft of 11 in 2010 (all with tracking magically disappeared between customs and Bryanston Postoffice). 70% of my orders get stolen and I am running out of online stores to order from as they think I am the scammer :-(

 

I can put a good word in for you at a place called Bid or Buy.

[MacMuffin 1]

I can put a good word in for you at a place called Bid or Buy.

 

I checked - none of my stuff was sold on BoB by you guys - so I think it's an outside job :grin:

[Cali Craft and Gems 10]

I received a post card from the Johannesburg International Mail Centre about 2 weeks ago with regards to a parcel of mine they are "holding" as they want an invoice for the goods. I've spent literally hours over the past few weeks trying to get through to the call centre and there is no reply on any number whatsoever.

 

I finally decided to get hold of the manager at the PE distribution hub (Tienie) and he gave me the name and fax number of a person who apparently can be of great help with regards to parcels "sitting" at the Jhb mail centre.

 

Her name is Corli Steyn and her fax number is 011 961 6085.

 

All I can recommend is that you send her a fax with your query and hope for the best!

[kebs 15]

Ditto - Corli is the best!! I only deal with her & my items are processed really quickly!

[Angolo Antico 10]

How about theft of 11 in 2010 (all with tracking magically disappeared between customs and Bryanston Postoffice). 70% of my orders get stolen and I am running out of online stores to order from as they think I am the scammer :-(

 

the culprit = Bryanston Postoffice, many people complaining about parcels going missing there, SAPO should do something, and do it quickly.

[Angolo Antico 10]

I received a post card from the Johannesburg International Mail Centre about 2 weeks ago with regards to a parcel of mine they are "holding" as they want an invoice for the goods. I've spent literally hours over the past few weeks trying to get through to the call centre and there is no reply on any number whatsoever.

 

I finally decided to get hold of the manager at the PE distribution hub (Tienie) and he gave me the name and fax number of a person who apparently can be of great help with regards to parcels "sitting" at the Jhb mail centre.

 

Her name is Corli Steyn and her fax number is 011 961 6085.

 

All I can recommend is that you send her a fax with your query and hope for the best!

 

Hi J,

 

thanks for the info, will keep it on record, but my 2 parcels are missing / stolen. I received invoice requests for a few parcels last year, nothing this year so far.

[Cali Craft and Gems 10]

Only "sad" thing that I've experienced thus far with incoming parcels is that when my supplier's insert a free gift for me, this is usually a sign to the employee inspecting the parcel that the gift is for him / her and they help themselves!

 

But how can you prove it?

[Angolo Antico 10]

not trying to be funny here, but we all pay taxes, it's just how we pay them that freaks me out!

[Cali Craft and Gems 10]

Funny you should mention that MK - just double checked the last manifest slip from the post office.

 

Parcel value $255.24 and they stated the exchange rate at R7 per US $1 which totals R1786.68.

14% VAT on R1786.68 is R250.14 yet they charged R275.15 (in the VAT column) which is 15.4%! (this is excluding the surcharge)

 

A slip of the finger perhaps, and if so, how often does the finger slip???

[lilythepink 10]

Funny you should mention that MK - just double checked the last manifest slip from the post office.

 

Parcel value $255.24 and they stated the exchange rate at R7 per US $1 which totals R1786.68.

14% VAT on R1786.68 is R250.14 yet they charged R275.15 (in the VAT column) which is 15.4%! (this is excluding the surcharge)

 

A slip of the finger perhaps, and if so, how often does the finger slip???

 

It's not only the finger that slips with duties! It depends on the brain-power of the person handling a particular parcel, of that I am pretty sure.

[Angolo Antico 10]

Funny you should mention that MK - just double checked the last manifest slip from the post office.

 

Parcel value $255.24 and they stated the exchange rate at R7 per US $1 which totals R1786.68.

14% VAT on R1786.68 is R250.14 yet they charged R275.15 (in the VAT column) which is 15.4%! (this is excluding the surcharge)

 

A slip of the finger perhaps, and if so, how often does the finger slip???

 

Many a time, I am sure, as there is NO formula that works for me, some parcels are charged the correct fees but most of them are incorrectly charged, most of the time costing me more than originally calculated, sometimes one is lucky that you pay 1%-2% less than expected.

[Cali Craft and Gems 10]

What grinds me the most is when you import gemstones (zero metal in sight) and they charge you for "clad with other precious metal" (ie. jewellery rates)!

[Angolo Antico 10]

What grinds me the most is when you import gemstones (zero metal in sight) and they charge you for "clad with other precious metal" (ie. jewellery rates)!

 

It all depends on WHO the one was that processed your parcel, I think most of the time it's a "I guess this fits into this category" and so you are charged by guesses more than experience.

[vanmaninc 10]

hence i never order anything from overseas, the risk is much greater Local is Lekka :nuts:

[Angolo Antico 10]

hence i never order anything from overseas, the risk is much greater Local is Lekka :nuts:

 

While local is lekka, local is also lekka expensive !!! It makes sense to import certain products from abroad. local prices are governed by expensive labour, unions & onions, family responsibility time, constant go slow's & striking.

 

Only my 2 cents worth on the importing front!

[lilythepink 10]

I have to agree with MK that buying overseas, even with customs duties imposed, can be cheaper than buying locally. Probably not everything is cheaper but a metal detector which I bought from the UK worked out at about R1 000 cheaper than a similar version here in SA!

Edited February 2, 2011 by lilythepink

[bitesize 10]

wait wait, should you be lucky to get your parcel and customs wakes up long enough to go "ding ding, money time", they invoice you saying an item came from the Virgin Islands when in fact it came from Hong Kong. Does anyone there know their geography?

[Cali Craft and Gems 10]

LOL - and parcels from the "Virgin Islands" always get the higher charges!

[bitesize 10]

LOL - and parcels from the "Virgin Islands" always get the higher charges!

 

exactly lol!

[JPBon 10]

LOL - and parcels from the "Virgin Islands" always get the higher charges!

 

The post office obviously reckons that virginal parcels can command a higher price.

[lilythepink 10]

The post office obviously reckons that virginal parcels can command a higher price.

 

Shouldn't the price be called "lobola"??? :idea:

[Lukeness 10]

I once has an overseas parcel where they tried to tax me 3 times the invoice price.

[Cali Craft and Gems 10]

I've got a parcel that's coming in from the East - parcel value $25.74 (@R7/$1 = R180.18) - customs fee R52.50! That's just short of 30% fee!