An Post returning packages from outside the EU-See 1st post

I mailed Addresspal re exactly the same thing. I have an item of medical equipment that MUST get to me.

They were very helpful and said that the invoice must be in the parcel, or preferably a copy outside. It must contain

all the info as per their guide, including description, value, accurate TARIC code. Also the usual warning about restricted / prohibited were given.

After that they said they would complete the form CN23 and ship the parcel.

The best you'll get outside of expensive couriers I guess, but better than I'd hoped from An Post, in fairness!

Thanks a million, as its Discogs I plan on taking the plunge and asking a seller to do that on. Cheers for the reply.

I ordered from Japan using Blackship. They provide DHL Express. it arrived super quick and no problems. DHL contacted me for the VAT and fees. However, I got the impression they estimated the value themselves, regardless of me declaring the value to Blackship.

*Blackship is the same as Tenso, and is owned by White Rabbit.

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I have advised Blackship and a US seller about using the 10 Digit Taric code. Their response; Blackship disabled their cheapest option to Ireland, small package air mail. I had no choice but to use DHL Express. I don't know if the US seller understood the problem or my advice, but they just decided to use FedEx, which seems to be currently delayed in Dublin for the past 5 days (I assume it's stuck in FedEx's sorting centre, and not An Post's).

*Edit: FedEx package arrived this afternoon.

Just for comparison, I ordered an item of medical equipment on Monday afternoon coming from Central London.

Addresspal had offered to complete a CN23 for me, but as I needed it ASAP, I accepted the sellers suggestion to ship by DHL.

Ordered Monday 4 p.m.

Collected Tuesday Central London 10 a.m.

Wednesday Departed UK 7 a.m.

Wednesday Received Text and email requesting VAT payment 10 a.m.

Wednesday Paid VAT 2 p.m.

Wednesday Cleared fro delivery 4 p.m.

Great for private individuals who can afford the extra expense, but still not an answer for people who can't

afford it, or businesses whose margins are thrashed by these extra costs.

It's a bad situation where nobody wins. Even An Post lose revenue!

The item I ordered from Singapore and shipped through AP's Address Pal in USA has a combined value with postage of about €55. It seems to have sailed through AP in Dublin without any VAT being applied saving me the best part of €15.

So my unregistered packet finally arrived from the UK - it was posted September 26th.. had the correct cn form on the front.. just took 6 weeks! thats madness... stuff from china never took that long to arrive in the past. Its embarrassing really. I'd gotten onto the seller for a refund and they were saying hold out it will arrive.. and sure enough it did. Screws with refunds though. Who wants to wait 6 weeks on a product

:)

Interestingly enough, my three recent packets from Russia came through Netherlands as well. I have received one so far, there was a new label stuck by Dutch customs(?) over the almost empty original customs declarations form. Such packets were never sent via Netherlands before.

Correct and all my Wish purchases are coming via courier. Min postage usually €4 - max €10 (usually arrive within 10 days)

Yes, also i mentioned before on here that it was stamp posted through a Royal Post PO also.

Scammers getting in on the act

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/ireland-scams-fraudsters-using-cunning-22065386

Unbelievably a package from USPS was delivered this morning on the first go.

Only hiccup was that I had to check the tracking myself on AnPost (using the USPS number) to find that the delivery was in Ireland and due for customs (which was expected) but it noted that I had been notified to pay the charges which I hadn't.

Was able to get through to someone on webchat within seconds who gave me the customs reference number to enable me to pay.

Paid yesterday, delivered today.

Why not just buy it here? Else just use a courier company

And with as much effert as it took you to write that you could have given a sensible answer.

It arrived today, even though Fedex said it would be Wed.

Thanks to Anpost, the Irish govt and Fedex processing fee, the earphones I bought from Japan in July, took 3 months to get here, circled the globe 2.5 times and ended up costing an additional 50% to what I paid.