FedEx charge for unsolicited gift

S23

I'll keep it short as I can.

A friend from the US sent me a Christmas present. I had no clue

They paid express shipping, tax etc.... It has been in Dublin for 23 days undelivered. It was sent to my Parcel Motel address as I'm regularly away from home due to work.

They now want my address (fair enough) to deliver it on an unspecified day at an unspecified time (zero use to me). They also inform me that I'll receive an unspecified bill at a later date after its delivered.

I'm asking if anyone knows if my friend would have recourse for a refund etc.... if its undelivered?

I won't be accepting an unspecified charge for a present I didn't order myself. The item has been paid for, express shipping was paid for (and on that count they failed abysmally) and he was never told that there would be added charges at my end.

Is he entitled to get the package sent back? A little help would go a long way. I'm working 80 hour weeks at the minute so, I don't gave time to go through all the sticky threads.

Thanks in advance

Mellor

This sounds like it is a customs charge, not a charge from FedEx.
How did your friend get your parcel motel address? It's likely something that can't be left in parcel motel, due to what it is or the outstanding customs bill.

S23

Mellor wrote: »

This sounds like it is a customs charge, not a charge from FedEx.
How did your friend get your parcel motel address? It's likely something that can't be left in parcel motel, due to what it is or the outstanding customs bill.

My friend knows the PM address as he's sent me stuff before. UPS previously and absolutely zero problem. Always delivered to my PM with no hassle. He sent this express via FedEx to get it to me by Christmas. As far as I can tell he paid quite a bit for shipping and was under the impression all fees were covered.

I'm sure its a customs bill or whatever. However I won't be taking delivery of anything without , at the very least, knowing how much that bill is. If they won't tell me then, I won't be taking it. I'd never accept an unspecified bill for any service or goods and, I won't start now. Its a ridiculous thing to expect IMO.

I'm more concerned with what can be done if and when I don't accept it. Will it be sent back? I'll just get it off him next time I'm there when the world finally opens for business if it gets returned to sender.

Mellor

S23 wrote: »

My friend knows the PM address as he's sent me stuff before. UPS previously and absolutely zero problem. Always delivered to my PM with no hassle. He sent this express via FedEx to get it to me by Christmas. As far as I can tell he paid quite a bit for shipping and was under the impression all fees were covered.

All FedEx/Shipping fees were probably covered. He didn't pay customs in advance.

However I won't be taking delivery of anything without , at the very least, knowing how much that bill is. If they won't tell me then, I won't be taking it. I'd never accept an unspecified bill for any service or goods and, I won't start now. Its a ridiculous thing to expect IMO.

They can tell you the amount if its already been paid. Relate to cost of item, plus admin fee.
Have you actually asked them what the bill is for and how much it is?

I'm more concerned with what can be done if and when I don't accept it. Will it be sent back? I'll just get it off him next time I'm there when the world finally opens for business if it gets returned to sender.

Depends on what it is really.

Darc19

Where's the fault/blame with FedEx?

An assumption and reality are two different things. Your friend hasn't a clue if they thought all customs fees and taxes were included and sending it express just added to the cost.

Your liability is for the vat of the value of the item plus the cost of shipping. Possibly duty too. A further customs fee of about €15+vat will also be charged.

Yes you can reject it and it will either be destroyed or returned but your friend will not get any costs back.


That's simply how it is when something is sent from the USA to a eu country, or equally from an EU country to the USA


And similar will now apply from UK to an EU country

S23

I've asked multiple times for the amount without a reply.

They just keep asking for an address so they can bill me. They've even changed their tune after saying the won't deliver to PM. Now they say they will deliver to PM, but they need my address to bill me later. That doesn't make much sense to me as I could easily give a fake address in that case but, whatever.

They won't answer my very direct requests for an amount due. They just keep ignoring that and telling me they need my address as per their policy.

From what I can tell the shipping alone would have cost $200. My guess would be that the item is at least double that and probably an even higher multiple. Hes well off. I am not. I can't afford to pay a a high fee to get a present. If its a percentage of the value it could be a fortune.

I don't doubt that there is a fee. He was told by them at point of sale that he was paying all that needed to be. Thats neither here nor there.

I'll ask him what the gift is when he gets up. I'd have preferred not to but, FedEx aren't giving me much option. Never nice to have to ask someone how much they paid for a present!

Let's say it cost $500 , could you ballpark the amount due? Your help is much appreciated

S23

Darc19 wrote: »

Where's the fault/blame with FedEx?

An assumption and reality are two different things. Your friend hasn't a clue if they thought all customs fees and taxes were included and sending it express just added to the cost.

Your liability is for the vat of the value of the item plus the cost of shipping. Possibly duty too. A further customs fee of about €15+vat will also be charged.

Yes you can reject it and it will either be destroyed or returned but your friend will not get any costs back.


That's simply how it is when something is sent from the USA to a eu country, or equally from an EU country to the USA


And similar will now apply from UK to an EU country

I think their refusal to tell me how much is due is a pretty big problem. Its fair to ask how much you'll be billed.

If they don't tell me ,and I accept delivery, I could get a bill for €40 or €250. Or any amount for that matter. Thats a problem.

Darc19

You seem to have little understanding of how customs works.

FedEx do not make the charges, customs and excise do.

Until they make the entry and get the charges back from customs, they cannot give you the amount.


I think you are simply being stubborn. Get over it. Accept the gift and pay the charges and stop wasting people's time.

25% is a ballpark figure.

amber2

https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/gifts-and-consignments-of-low-value/what-rate-of-customs-duty-is-charged-on-gift-consignments.aspx

S23

Darc19 wrote: »

You seem to have little understanding of how customs works.

FedEx do not make the charges, customs and excise do.

Until they make the entry and get the charges back from customs, they cannot give you the amount.


I think you are simply being stubborn. Get over it. Accept the gift and pay the charges and stop wasting people's time.

25% is a ballpark figure.

Yeah thats why I'm here.

I don't give a monkeys what you think. Your Internet hardman routine is as facile here and now as the first time a keyboard warrior tried it when the Internet was invented.

Get over it and stop wasting my time.

S23

amber2 wrote: »

https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/gifts-and-consignments-of-low-value/what-rate-of-customs-duty-is-charged-on-gift-consignments.aspx

Thanks. Genuine help appreciated ðŸ‘

Darc19

S23 wrote: »

Yeah thats why I'm here.

I don't give a monkeys what you think. Your Internet hardman routine is as facile here and now as the first time a keyboard warrior tried it when the Internet was invented.

Get over it and stop wasting my time.

LOL LOL LOL

whiterebel

MOD- S23 and Darc19 - Cut it out please. Lets not start the year off with infractions being handed out.

Mellor

Darc19 wrote: »

You seem to have little understanding of how customs works.

FedEx do not make the charges, customs and excise do.

Until they make the entry and get the charges back from customs, they cannot give you the amount.

The parcel is in Dublin for 3 weeks, it’s not on route. They should have paid by now. So they could tell him the exact fee.

Darc19

Mellor wrote: »

The parcel is in Dublin for 3 weeks, it’s not on route. They should have paid by now. So they could tell him the exact fee.

Probably because there was no valid address on the package and they were waiting on a response / contact.

I know I cannot send to a US po box address via DHL. UPS are the same.

I suspect that when it was being sent, it wasn't realised it was a "po box" type of address.

Error is the sender who should have used op's real address.

paddy19

Mellor wrote: »

The parcel is in Dublin for 3 weeks, it’s not on route. They should have paid by now. So they could tell him the exact fee.

I understand your frustration.

You're in the middle of a customs process which is designed for business rather than consumer imports.

FedEx don't know what customs are going to charge so they can't give you an invoice until they get the charge from customs. It will depend what value your friend put on the declaration and whether customs accept that value is valid. FedEx cannot charge you some arbitrary amount. They will charge a fee for clearing customs which is usually around €15. An Post charge a min of €10 or 1% of the declared value.

They won't pay customs until they have a reasonable chance of getting the money from you.

Unless your friend is extremely generous and it over €150 duty does not apply.
In any event duty is general zero or low unless it's something unusual.
If it's a gift of less than €45 vat or duty will not apply.

If the value is over €45, You will defo be charged VAT at 21% and FedEX handling charge of ~€15.

So you can the risk of duty or check with your friend what the present is and check the value and the duty rate.

Or you can stick to your guns and the item will be binned or returned to your friend if he is prepared to take the return charge and possibly US customs charges.

Sarn

I had an issue with DHL a few years ago. Ordered from the US, all taxes and duty paid in advance through DHL. When it arrived DHL tried to charge me again. After some back and forth they eventually conceded that it had already been sorted. It is possible your friend arranged similar and FedEx have messed up. I had to provide proof that all tax and duties had been paid.

Mellor

Darc19 wrote: »

Probably because there was no valid address on the package and they were waiting on a response / contact.

I know I cannot send to a US po box address via DHL. UPS are the same.

I suspect that when it was being sent, it wasn't realised it was a "po box" type of address.

Error is the sender who should have used op's real address.

I don’t see how that’s relevant.
If it has cleared customs, then FedEx have paid the charges and can tell OP the amounting owing. You said they couldn’t tell him. Why not?

If they don’t deliver to a PO Boxes, that’s their choice and a separate matter.

Darc19

Mellor wrote: »

I don’t see how that’s relevant.
If it has cleared customs, then FedEx have paid the charges and can tell OP the amounting owing. You said they couldn’t tell him. Why not?

If they don’t deliver to a PO Boxes, that’s their choice and a separate matter.

Op never said that FedEx said that it had cleared customs.
I'm saying that possibly customs require an address.

It's likely that FedEx have tried to contact the op since the item has arrived but with just a parcel motel address, that was not possible.