Administration Fees for Customs

grebtol2

The last thread I found on this is nearly 10 years old. I have a couple of queries here but to be clear: this is not about customs duty itself or VAT, it is about logistics companies charging an unreasonable and disproportionate fee for handling customs on items of small value. DHL for example advise 2.5% with seems reasonable if there's a max fee. I've no problem paying that. However applying a minimum fee of ~15 euro AND withholding the item amounts to an unfair business practice as far as I'm concerned.

I have 2 issues:

1 - what is the legality of a delivery company or agent withholding the package until the administration fee is paid? Recently I offered the delivery agent (nice guy, we laughed about it) the customs part of the fee while I queried the administration fee (item cost ~60 euro) with his company, he naturally refused to hand over the goods. I didn't push it but is he obliged to give me the item regardless? Same question if I arrive to the depot with my passport and invoice and request the item (don't want to land a driver in hot water).

2 - the minimum fee. Applying a 15 euro fee to an item costing 22.01 means there's a 68% administration fee. This is third world stuff. The rates applied should be proportional. They are a logistics company, part of the cost of doing business is dealing with customs and I would be shocked if it wasn't largely automated and didn't involve much or any work. I suspect this admin fee is disproportionate not only to the value of the item in many cases but also to the actual cost to the company.

We're told ad nauseum about how business friendly this country is and here it seems logistics companies have been handed a licence to print money. Revenue should get their act together and devise a system that's fair on consumers.

whippet

Regardless of the cost of the item the admin work is the same .. so having a nominal standard charge makes sense.

You can clear your own goods from customs if you contact them .. but you'd probsbly have a pain in your neck doing it and would end up waiting much longer to get stuff cleared.

grebtol2

Of course it always makes sense for a company to charge extortionate fees. But if every single item they process requires 15 Euro worth of labour simply to find out the value and enter it someplace else I'd be shocked. I'd be surprised if all human intervention wasn't done by a single scan, essentially automated. I'd be even more surprised if Revenue don't have a very efficient process in place for logistics, regardless of how it's done.

grebtol2

grebtol2 wrote: »

Of course it always makes sense for a company to charge extortionate fees. But if every single item they process requires 15 Euro worth of labour simply to find out the value and enter it someplace else I'd be shocked. I'd be surprised if all human intervention wasn't done by a single scan, essentially automated. I'd be even more surprised if Revenue don't have a very efficient process in place for logistics, regardless of how it's done.

The human intervention you have outlined is talking to the delivery man and querying it with the company in addition to whatever scanning and data entry happened in the background - the fifteen euros might not have even covered that.

whippet

grebtol2 wrote: »

Of course it always makes sense for a company to charge extortionate fees. But if every single item they process requires 15 Euro worth of labour simply to find out the value and enter it someplace else I'd be shocked. I'd be surprised if all human intervention wasn't done by a single scan, essentially automated. I'd be even more surprised if Revenue don't have a very efficient process in place for logistics, regardless of how it's done.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

DHL are there to make money ... they are not a charity. They have invested millions in the systems that allow them to deliver a customs cleared packages to your door in a timely manner ... its shocking that they would want to try and charge for the service.

grebtol2

whippet wrote: »

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

DHL are there to make money ... they are not a charity. They have invested millions in the systems that allow them to deliver a customs cleared packages to your door in a timely manner ... its shocking that they would want to try and charge for the service.

Truisms. Meaningless. Yet you still contradict yourself saying they invest millions so they can operate extremely efficiently while at the same time you believe they take a half hour or more per package to deal with customs.

Only sensible / factual responses from now on please.

grebtol2

Deleted User wrote: »

The human intervention you have outlined is talking to the delivery man and querying it with the company in addition to whatever scanning and data entry happened in the background - the fifteen euros might not have even covered that.

You're confused. That was a one off, not part of the process. Some people are sheep and will just pay any amount and think it's good enough for them, shut up and pay up is a pretty dumb attitude imo. Thanks for your valuable contribution though.

whippet

grebtol2 wrote: »

Truisms. Meaningless. Yet you still contradict yourself saying they invest millions so they can operate extremely efficiently while at the same time you believe they take a half hour or more per package to deal with customs.

Only sensible / factual responses from now on please.

I never said anything about taking half an hour to do anything.

Do you just want people telling your grievances are correct ? Maybe engage the mirror for a discussion about it and you'll get the answers you want.

Over and out

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A gross cost of €15 for this process is nothing. It all takes time, systems and resources that must be paid for. Overhead percentages have to be added to those costs. Very little will get done in any business for a gross cost of €15. Even the time it takes the delivery driver to collect the customs fee and record the payment costs time/money. Also, the courier company paying customs on your behalf costs money. I doubt €15 would even fully cover it all. You seem to have no idea how the costing within a business operates. Bad mouthing people because they can see that this service - a service you initiated ated the demand for - must be paid for and because they have the gumption to realise that that service comes with a legitimate cost does nothing but put the rant in perspective.

I'm out too.

grebtol2

Haha, platitudes and truisms shouldn't replace thought imo. Yes there is a cost. We know. Yes drivers and employees cost money, trust me I know. Lord.

As for "imitating" business, I never initiated any contract with the company for customs administration and would have opted not to purchase given the option at some stage. I did happily pay them a hefty fee for express delivery and would have been happy to take care of customs myself, given the option.

I guess sheep are happy to be sheared, paying up to 68% admin fee. It's no skin off my nose either here, paid with PayPal, items not received, got a refund because in this instance admin fee makes it more expensive than EU supplier. I'll let them sort it out with Revenue and the shipper. Hopefully they won't go bust.

Over and out

L1011

PayPal are unlikely to side with you as you refused delivery, for which the sender will have evidence

dudara

Moved to Online Buying & Auctions

dudara