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Address Pal

  • 03-06-2020 1:14pm
    #1
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭


    Hi.

    I recently used An Posts AddressPal service to get a delivery from the U.S. and the charge is working out at a ridiculous amount. I was charged €29.99 for delivery and it was removed from my account and then when it was about to be delivered today, the postman said that I have to pay a €37 customs charge. Now I had payed another €30 to get the parcel delivered from the supplier to their American An Post address.
    Meaning this parcel is going to cost me €97 in delivery. Had I known all this, I most certainly not have placed the order.
    Also I placed a second order right after the first one and it cost me €30 to get it to the An Post address, €20.99 to get it to Ireland and I'm assuming I'll be hit with another custom charge. Meaning I'll probably be charged €180 at least for delivery. €120 of which was an amount that I didn't know beforehand due to size and weight etc.

    Has anyone had any experiences with this? If I knew that beforehand, I wouldn't have even thought about ordering. It was a great saving I thought but it works out probably more than it would have to shop in Ireland.


«1

Comments

  • #2
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    You were going to pay customs when it landed here regardless; AddressPal doesn't remove that - it is solely a service to get things that would not otherwise be sent to Ireland.

    If you can get an item (once its got any value to it, very cheap stuff isn't charged as it isn't worth the effort) within the EU customs union for an even vaguely competitive price it will be cheaper than getting it from outside, basically.


  • #3
    un5byh7sqpd2x0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,862 ✭✭✭un5byh7sqpd2x0


    If only they had a website where all the charges are listed in plain view for the public to peruse at their leisure, preferably before ordering something.

    https://addresspal.anpost.ie/pricing-sizing


  • #4
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭Warbeastrior


    Antonio Purring Newsletter wrote:
    If only they had a website where all the charges are listed in plain view for the public to peruse at their leisure, preferably before ordering something.

    But that doesn't give me any number. You can't workout how much you will have to pay before you place the order.


  • #5
    Emmersonn
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,128 ✭✭✭Emmersonn


    €29.99 is the only issue you have with AddressPal. They have no control over Custom charges and/or delivery charges within the U.S. Your heading appears to blame An Post for your mistake. Their webpage gives pricing information for deliveries from the U.S. to Ireland


  • #6
    SVI40
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭SVI40


    Warbeastrior wrote: »
    But that doesn't give me any number. You can't workout how much you will have to pay before you place the order.

    It tells you exactly how much shipping is:

    0-2kg €15.99
    2-5kg €20.99
    5-10kg €29.99
    10-15kg €41.99
    15-20kg €53.99

    Any item coming from outside the EU is due VAT, and if over a certain figure, is also due excise duty. You need to take all that into account when ordering from outside the EU.

    Don't see how Address Pal is at fault.


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  • #7
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭Warbeastrior


    SVI40 wrote:
    Any item coming from outside the EU is due VAT, and if over a certain figure, is also due excise duty. You need to take all that into account when ordering from outside the EU.

    SVI40 wrote:
    Don't see how Address Pal is at fault.

    I wasn't necessarily blaming them moreso highlighting the ridiculousness of the pricing breakdown. I had never ordered from America. The fact you don't know how much you will be charged for delivery is poor albeit the accepted way. I didn't think it was gonna be as expensive. I didn't think it wud be over 5kg in weight for example plus that high of customs.

    Will chalk it down to a life experience and lesson learned. Will not be doing that again.


  • #8
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭Warbeastrior


    Antonio Purring Newsletter wrote:
    If only they had a website where all the charges are listed in plain view for the public to peruse at their leisure, preferably before ordering something.

    And I'm obviously a bit pissed off from getting stung so your sarcastic comment wasn't appreciated.


  • #9
    Mjolnir
    Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Mjolnir


    Fairly easy to work out op, you order from the US addresspal charge you based on weight and dimensions. Then any duties owing, then vat. You pay vat on the items price plus shipping and any insurance.
    Quick google will show ya that but can still work out cheaper depending on the products.


  • #10
    un5byh7sqpd2x0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,862 ✭✭✭un5byh7sqpd2x0


    Warbeastrior wrote: »
    The fact you don't know how much you will be charged for delivery is poor albeit the accepted way.

    Christy almight. It's listed in plain site on their websight


  • #11
    Mjolnir
    Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Mjolnir


    Antonio Purring Newsletter wrote: »
    Christy almight. It's listed in plain site on their websight

    If you google addresspal costs it's the first two links..... think that's a bit worse


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  • #12
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭Warbeastrior


    The charge list is irrelevant if you don't know how heavy it will be. Also I couldn't have worked out the customs charge.


  • #13
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    There is a Thread dedicated to AddressPal here:Addresspal
    and one for importing from outside the EU here:Importing from outside EU

    You can work out expected VAT and duty liability using taric or tariff codes.


  • #14
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭Warbeastrior


    whiterebel wrote:
    You can work out expected VAT and duty liability using taric or tariff codes.

    Oh really? Much appreciated.


  • #15
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 9,999 ✭✭✭Caranica


    Warbeastrior wrote: »
    The charge list is irrelevant if you don't know how heavy it will be. Also I couldn't have worked out the customs charge.

    Weight you could have had from seller. Customs charges are available on Revenue's website.

    Bottom line is stick to the EU when ordering from abroad if you don't want to be hit with huge charges


  • #16
    Warbeastrior
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭Warbeastrior


    Caranica wrote:
    Weight you could have had from seller. Customs charges are available on Revenue's website.
    I had messaged the seller but they never replied. Was a flash sale so was under time pressure.

    Caranica wrote:
    Bottom line is stick to the EU when ordering from abroad if you don't want to be hit with huge charges
    I'll be doing that from now on.


  • #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Warbeastrior wrote: »
    The charge list is irrelevant if you don't know how heavy it will be. Also I couldn't have worked out the customs charge.

    That's not addresspals issue though? I understand your frustration but I assume the dimensions and weight were listed somewhere on the site you purchased from? Also if not, you could have contacted the site.

    Also a quick Google of 'work out customs charge Ireland' brings you to a Revenue.ie page with a calculator.

    I'm sorry you had a crap and expensive experience OP but I'd chalk this down to a life lesson and move on rather than trying to make out you've been shafted.


  • #18
    coolisin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,791 ✭✭✭coolisin


    Warbeastrior wrote: »
    Hi.

    I have to pay a €37 customs charge.

    Now I had payed another €30 to get the parcel delivered from the supplier to their American An Post address.

    Couple of points but the getting items delivered from America is always going to be crazy, but 5kg is heavy enough.
    But the two points highlighted are not address pal related.

    I once had custom's try to charge me €40 for clothes I had left behind me in a hotel. There was a serious argument had, but it was not Fed-ex's fault that customs wanted money to release the item.

    With delivery charges within the country that is down to the 5kg weight.

    As for your other package, you may not get hit with customs depending on the item and the cost.

    Also in america sometimes a sales tax can be different between states, when I get gifts for my family online, depeding on the item shipping to New York or New Jersey will give me a different cost.

    Its why you always need to shop around and hit up irish or european sites for this stuff also.

    In fairness to addresspal they do tell you a bit when you sign up about the cost of shipping from the USA with customs may apply etc.
    (I know because I recently signed up for it)

    You may just chalk this one down im afraid.


  • #19
    Tow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,357 ✭✭✭Tow


    You were lucky. An Post only €10 for collecting the VAT/Duty and Address Pay email you for the value of the item, if no invoice was supplied with it.

    The likes of FedEx, UPS and DHL charge €15-25+ for process the paperwork. If the value of the Item and Delivery (even if sent via their own system) is not clearly given in the attached to the paperwork, they come up with huge values. Actually is based on the value of sending the item back to origin from the point it enters the EU. e.g. An item cost $25 to courier from China, but costs €160 to send back, so they base the charges on €160 + estimated value of Item (if no paperwork or 'Chinese $15' stated) etc, etc.

    When is the money (including lost growth) Michael Noonan took in the Pension Levy going to be paid back?



  • #20
    SVI40
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭SVI40


    At the end of the day, some items are only available in the US, so the Address Pal is a great service.

    I've had them go above and beyond with an item they could not ship, and they rerouted it to a pal in the US who could ship to me. All free of charge.

    Once you do a little research, you can then decide if it is worth the cost, and the risk of getting hit for taxes. For me, to date using Address Pal has always been cheaper than the US sellers pricing for shipping to Ireland. In most instances, it's free shipping within the US, so zero cost to get to Address Pals depot.

    Still, a costly lesson to learn, but I doubt you'll be making the same error again!


  • #21
    Mjolnir
    Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Mjolnir


    Warbeastrior wrote: »
    The charge list is irrelevant if you don't know how heavy it will be. Also I couldn't have worked out the customs charge.

    Ah here you can take an educated guess at weight and google the weight of similar items.

    Customs is easy (item + postage + duties(if applicable) +vat = total cost)
    Eg - €100 + 30 = €130 + 3% = €133.9 +23% = €164.70

    You won't get sympathy for not taking literally two minutes to google. Its 2020 you have all the information easily accessible.
    Vat just assume 23%
    Duties, just go look up the tariff easy to understand after a minute.


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  • #22
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    Tow wrote: »
    You were lucky. An Post only €10 for collecting the VAT/Duty and Address Pay email you for the value of the item, if no invoice was supplied with it.

    The likes of FedEx, UPS and DHL charge €15-25+ for process the paperwork. If the value of the Item and Delivery (even if sent via their own system) is not clearly given in the attached to the paperwork, they come up with huge values. Actually is based on the value of sending the item back to origin from the point it enters the EU. e.g. An item cost $25 to courier from China, but costs €160 to send back, so they base the charges on €160 + estimated value of Item (if no paperwork or 'Chinese $15' stated) etc, etc.

    DHL use their tariff -30% which has been agreed with Revenue. They make it clear on their customs clearance website.


  • #23
    dilallio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,728 ✭✭✭dilallio


    I find AddressPal fantastic.
    Recently ordered something from the UK via AddressPal. The supplier screwed up the shipping label and shipped it to AddressPal without my unique reference number. AddressPal took the time to contact me via email, asking if I was expecting anything, as a box arrived at their warehouse with my name but no unique ID.
    When I described the goods, the immediately shipped it to me. They could have been justified in applying an additional admin fee, but did not.


  • #24
    swampy353
    Registered Users Posts: 927 ✭✭✭swampy353


    dilallio wrote: »
    I find AddressPal fantastic.
    Recently ordered something from the UK via AddressPal. The supplier screwed up the shipping label and shipped it to AddressPal without my unique reference number. AddressPal took the time to contact me via email, asking if I was expecting anything, as a box arrived at their warehouse with my name but no unique ID.
    When I described the goods, the immediately shipped it to me. They could have been justified in applying an additional admin fee, but did not.

    Have to agree about AP. they are great. Stuck on the other end of the no unique code, there is some tool (with the same name as me) who orders on a weekly basis without using their ID, get a mixture of calls and email asking if I own the package.

    In fair the OP was talking about AP from the US, doesnt make a difference who is the delivery company is, if ordering from the US, then you are likely to get done for customs and additional handling fees


  • #25
    Mjolnir
    Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Mjolnir


    swampy353 wrote: »
    Have to agree about AP. they are great. Stuck on the other end of the no unique code, there is some tool (with the same name as me) who orders on a weekly basis without using their ID, get a mixture of calls and email asking if I own the package.

    In fair the OP was talking about AP from the US, doesnt make a difference who is the delivery company is, if ordering from the US, then you are likely to get done for customs and additional handling fees

    Like everything there are ways around it but you'll eventually get stung. Like you both I love AP so handy, there are other reshippers charge double plus other fees.
    There are ones that can skate around the vat and duties but it's a recurring subscription and more money than you'd save unless you're a fairly busy reseller. Plus the hassle of getting caught out.


  • #26
    saladtime
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭saladtime


    Hi guys,

    Been using AP for years and found them amazing. Normally they used to email me when they received my item, requesting it's value. This was great as it helped avoid custom charges.

    But the last 2 parcels they did not email me. Instead it seems they may have used the declared parcel value which the sender wrote on the sticker. As a result both parcels went to customs and both left me with a hefty fee. That never happened before until this year.

    So my question is is that the same for everyone? Are they no longer emailing people asking for a value and instead going off the parcels sticker? Has this only happened since COVID? Thanks


  • #27
    darragh o meara
    Registered Users Posts: 3,221 ✭✭✭darragh o meara


    saladtime wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    Been using AP for years and found them amazing. Normally they used to email me when they received my item, requesting it's value. This was great as it helped avoid custom charges.

    But the last 2 parcels they did not email me. Instead it seems they may have used the declared parcel value which the sender wrote on the sticker. As a result both parcels went to customs and both left me with a hefty fee. That never happened before until this year.

    So my question is is that the same for everyone? Are they no longer emailing people asking for a value and instead going off the parcels sticker? Has this only happened since COVID? Thanks

    I’ve never once gotten an email from them to say they had my parcel, and I’ve used it quite a lot..


  • #28
    SVI40
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭SVI40


    Sometimes I was emailed and asked to provide PayPal / Credit Card proof of value, sometimes it went off the value declared on the package.

    Lately, most of my stuff has been hit for Vat and Duties, it the risk we take ordering outside the EU.

    Gotta pay for the €350 per week some way!


  • #29
    pirelli
    Registered Users Posts: 2,876 ✭✭✭pirelli


    I have good news for people using ebay and other sites.


    AddressPal seems to work 100%. I have read many reviews mostly negative, but i have to say my experience with my first 2 parcels has been positive.

    My items
    UK- Eastbourne
    A vintage advertising poster value £20 and postage £5 from uk seller.
    At addresspal when it arrived I was auto charged 6.50 euro to my addresspal credit card and was not charged any duty or tax at all.

    UK- London
    A very large and heavy antique plate 6 kilo's and 20 inches in diameter. On this i was also charged the usual 6 euro 50 cent fee but 3 days later I also got a seperate email from the An post customs ( MLC) for payment of duty/tax of 5.50 euro and fee of 3.50 euro.

    The addresspal 6.50 charges are taken automatically so no worries there.You can also track your parcel. Whe it arrives in Dublin expect an email from An post about the MLC customs charge if any applies.

    In regard to the seperate ( customs) MLC email from An post. Make sure you respond to this in good time ( within 12 days) and make sure the email is not in your junk mail. The MLC customs charge email is seperate to the address pal, and wont be visibile on the addresspal system. I had to pay this manually myself. It is simple payment system.

    So basically the addresspal service works great and the charge is always 6.50 euro, but the customs charge (MLC) is seperate. An post need to improve on this. They need to either sync the mlc and addresspal accounts or create a seperate An post account so the charges can be taken automatically.


    However You should get SMS messages when your parcel is arriving and plenty of notice, and also they send email about the parcels in an update.
    Make sure you tick the SMS box and email box on your addresspal account to get these. They are free.


    Good news _ some items require no duty or vat/tax.

    Here are my orders


    download_892.png


    The only real negative is that it will take almost 5 working days after your parcel arrives in the UK Hatfield Hertfordshire facility for it to be registered and an order created on yoru addresspal account. So you wil have to be patient and also advise your ebay seller, that it has arrived but that you will have to wait until you have inspected it personally before you can give feedback.


    I cannot comment on Returns, I would always try avoid a return if i can.

    In Summary: Everything seems quick and efficent on the AN Post end of things, the delay is 5 days and that is from the Hertfordshire complex that is not owned or un by An Post.


  • #30
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    Good that it worked for you the first 2 times. Automatic taking of VAT/Duty would be the death knell of the system as a lot of people find it untrustworthy for their evaluations. They don’t seem to be able to do the simple things right, either on the US or UK service.


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  • #31
    Sappy404
    Registered Users Posts: 4,158 ✭✭✭Sappy404


    Hi folks. I'm being asked to pay customs on two books coming from the UK thru AddressPal, as described by Pirelli above. Incl delivery the books cost £29.20 but the VAT is €9.95 and the An Post fee is €3.50. This is in addition, I believe, to the AddressPal fee which is showing as €6.50 on the site. I believed books were exempt from VAT; they're graphic novels, which might come under the comics/magazines bracket and cost 9% VAT, but I don't know where the €9.95 comes from. I can't find anywhere to appeal or get more info. Anyone able to shed some light?


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