Parcelforce = Robbing B*****ds

[craigosh]

Just got a customs charge card from Parcelforce for something i ordered from Champ in Japan and they want £19 for £28 worth of goods...

There is about £5 Vat to pay but then they want £13.50 for a handling charge, which they are claiming is a Customs charge!!! not theirs :o

I phoned them and HMRC ages ago to find out likely charges and HMRC said i would only have to pay VAT, and parcelforce said their handling would be between £8-11.50. So where the hell has £13.50 come from!!

When i phoned to question it the woman started to shout at me like i'd smacked her round the head of something, which i would love to do right now, so i put the phone down.

Paid it cause i want the goods, but has anyone else had this kind of charge for something about the size of an A4 envelope and weighing less than 1kg!!!!


Furious :mad:

[jim76]

oh dear. would have been cheaper to get it in the UK no doubt.

[Lee]

Parcelfarce are ace aren`t they, i think they are the best company at getting stuff 90% of the way to your door :thumbsup:

I hate them with a passion.

[craigosh]

Not wrong Jim, and i would of had if i could of got the bits here. All for helping the UK shops.

Thing that gets me as well is that i got a parcel through the other week which was worth more and they didn't stop it...

Its daylight robbery. But i'm not sure whats annoying me more now, the charge or the bint that started shouting at me!!! If their offices were local i'd be straight down their to shout back!!

[DCM]

I can't remember how they work it out, you pay PF a handling fee, as they pay HMRC the customs charge, which they then bill you for.

HMRC will assess the value of the item, and then if it isn't a gift, you will pay import duty on the value of the item PLUS the shipping cost, you will then pay VAT on the value of the item, plus shipping cost, plus import duty. Nice and simple aye..... if it is a gift, you pay a lower import duty and they don't take the value of the shipping into account either.

I have had the same issue with RC Champ, so I no longer use them. There are two other good Asian sellers who got very good EMS rates, and on EMS you rarely get billed.

[bigred5765]

they always do that if its had vat or customs charges put on, same charge if you had bought 300-400 quids worth though

[craigosh]

Cheers guys.

HMRC said that i should only pay the VAT, no customs charges.. Though i may have that confused with no Excise duty...

I guess whoever at Champ sent it didnt mark as a gift which is why it got collared.

Wont be ordering anything for a while from Jap but i'll be wary next time I do.

[jimmy]

Parcel farce are total crap and indeed incompetent theiving liars. I've had things 'attempted delivery' before - where they only ever brought the card, no actual parcel. I've also had customs charges that they couldn't add up!!! - the customs charge + their handling charge were clearly written on the box, but the 'total' was something else completely different.
It's great that they no longer deliver items with a charge and you have to either pay the charge over the phone or appear in person at their collection counter.

[DCM]

but then, other delivery firms are bad to, only the other week, I was left a BT Broadband Hub and phone, down beside my wheely bin, no delivery note through my door.

Best bit was, I don't even have a BT land line, and the parcel wasn't even addressed to me either, not signed for it either, Home Delivery Network that is for you.

I will admit though, most firms will try to leave a parcel with a neighbour, PF will just hide it back in the system.

[Mrs.TeamXtreme]

Parcel Force are CRAP, I sent a parcel to the states paid over £50 and it took over a month - with no tracking number!!

Aren't they a division of Royal Mail? Would explain things coz they're crap too!:mad:

[frogger]

Yep, I've had the £13.50 'Handling charge' a few times too. The other thing I hate is UPS showing up at my door asking for their £20+ in customs charges right there and then, it always on a day when I have zero cash with me. Cheque book!? Haven't used one in years! :yawn:

[ben]

CRAP crap :o:o:o you said two naughty words. tut tut :woot::p:lol:

[millzy]

Parcel Force are CRAP, I sent a parcel to the states paid over £50 and it took over a month - with no tracking number!!

Aren't they a division of Royal Mail? Would explain things coz they're crap too!:mad:

Royal Mail Group Ltd is the parent company of Royal Mail, Post Office® and Parcelforce Worldwide.


Our aims

At Parcelforce Worldwide, we realise that we’re delivering more than parcels. We’re also delivering a commitment to you and your businesses.

Every single parcel you entrust us with is a confirmation of your confidence in us. How we respond is a measure of our success. So we strive to meet and achieve your expectations every step of the way.

Everyone that works for us has the responsibility for creating a smooth and efficient service. Our intelligent use of technology also helps ensure we stay one step in front.

In our determination to be the voice of the industry, Parcelforce Worldwide is always thinking ahead for you

[Darren Boyle]

As was already said, they charge a handling fee for dealing with it at this end, it is £8 ish if it is non priority and they deal with it as ParcelForce 48 hour or £13.50 per box for priority which is dealt with via Parcelforce 24 hour.

The charge is per box, regardless of the value (as someone also has said)

We have just had a box held up at customs from X-Factory, it has been there since the 17th July, it got released today!!

But sourcing from within the UK is the obvious answer to avoid all of this from happening

[craigosh]

As was already said, they charge a handling fee for dealing with it at this end, it is £8 ish if it is non priority and they deal with it as ParcelForce 48 hour or £13.50 per box for priority which is dealt with via Parcelforce 24 hour.

Cheers,That clears it up a bit, more useful info than i got from the parcelforce muppets!!! Though the amount of time i've been waiting it should only of been the £8 charge LOL.

I would of purchased from the UK but nowhere had the bits, and didnt even have some of the bits i wanted listed so Jap it was. I dont like back ordering things as they never turn up!

We had a toaster on our wedding list @ john lewis back ordered last october when it was bought and it still hasn't turned up...! got married in May!! :mad:

[Lee]

got married in May!! :mad:

Im sorry to hear that mate :woot:

[craigosh]

Cheers Lee :thumbsup:

[SlowOne]

Parcelforce are no better or worse than any of the others. I've had stuff through Emery, DHL, Fedex and a few less well known, and they all charge to handle your parcel, and it's usually £8 to £12.

I am really interested in the fact that a nation thinks it is OK to cheat on payment of a lawful tax, but would probably bang on about Social Security scroungers!! The more we try and buy abroad and avoid paying import duty and VAT in the UK, the more they are going to assess each parcel, decide on a value, and charge you. With the internet they can look up any UK prices, and then charge you accordingly. Stop moaning - get used to it or shop in the UK!!

[craigosh]

Excuse me, but i dont have a problem with paying the VAT or Customs charge, i dont make any attempt to get round customs charges. If it doesnt get flagged then yeah its an added bonus. I just order it and wait for it to turn up!

What i do have a problem with is having to pay a frankly daft charge just to have my package passed from one side of a building to the other. Then get abused by obnoxious staff when i politely question it, based on what i've been told in the past by that company and the HMRS.

As i said before if i could of got what i wanted from the UK i would have.

I've had parcels stopped before that have come through the post office and never had to pay any more than a handling charge similar to the vat/customs charge... its the same company and probably the same central depot.

[jaxx]

OOOoooh parcelforce are magic best company in the world...... if carlsberg did mail delivery i think they would only do it better by 100%. parcelfarce came too deliver a parcel for my neighbour, i wen't out to see if i could take it for him, "Nah mate left a card now" was what i was told...... When my neighbour came home he rang my bell and gave me the card for my goods which they were trying too deliver to the wrong house. lololololololololololololol.

The Royal mail use the ER queen motif...... I think this should be updated too a more modern cultural motif "Krusty the clown" would be nice or even a warhol-esqe turd motif...........

[YZ~10]

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[bigred5765]

thats just ace

[Neil Skull]

Excuse me, but i dont have a problem with paying the VAT or Customs charge, i dont make any attempt to get round customs charges. If it doesnt get flagged then yeah its an added bonus. I just order it and wait for it to turn up!

What i do have a problem with is having to pay a frankly daft charge just to have my package passed from one side of a building to the other. Then get abused by obnoxious staff when i politely question it, based on what i've been told in the past by that company and the HMRS.

As i said before if i could of got what i wanted from the UK i would have.

I've had parcels stopped before that have come through the post office and never had to pay any more than a handling charge similar to the vat/customs charge... its the same company and probably the same central depot.


Sorry but you are trying to avoid paying the tax and duty which every distributor and shop have to pay in the UK. especially as you admit if it comes as a gift you wont pay.

If you say you cant get a part in the Uk why not ask the shop to order it for you?
It will most likey take similar amount of time as getting from abroad and you will not have to cross your fingers you dont pay duty.

parcel force are a very good company as long as you adress correctly and pay correct postage and do not try to cheat the shops and companys in the uk out of the money they need to pay for food on their table.

[bigred5765]

i think you have ready only half his posts, he said he thinks the £12 handling charge is a rip of, not, paying vat or import tax is wrong,and he is right it is a parcel force rip of, vat and import duty is fine and dandy and part of buying from abroad,

[DCM]

If it is a Tamiya Part, that is either new, or a TRF part, then most of the time, they just aren't available in the UK, or you can get it, but it has to go on back order, or you pay just an extraordinary amount more for the item.

I don't try to avoid paying duty, if I get away with it, then thats great, but if I have to pay, then I pay, I have never asked a company to defraud an invoice either. Thing is, in the end, it all comes down to availability, Associated stuff is nice and easy to get and you really don't save that much. Tamiya stuff on the other hand, Hobby Co don't support the hobby like they should, and when they do, their RRP is highly inflated above what is the global price for parts.

As for Delivery firms, most are on a tight schedule, some don't like to come back out to redeliver, so leave it with a neighbour, some will take it back for you to collect, ALL will charge you a handling fee for customs charges.

[Crazy L]

parcel force are a very good company

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:, loving that one.

I ordered an item from a UK shop via the internerd, on the 20th July, It hadn't turned up, so yesterday (4th August), I rang the shop wanting to know where my part was, they said it had been dispatched on the 21st July, they then rang me back 10 minutes later to tell that they had checked the tracking number and it had been delivered on the 22nd and since noone was in, they left a "while you were out" card.

Did they really? cos it must've been an imaginary one, or invisible. I went to the depot this morning to pick up said parcel and was lucky as the bloke was just getting it ready to return to sender.

Parcel force are shit, end of.

AND....when my ex-bird got me something from the states, totalling all of about $20, they had the gall to charge me 16 blinkin' quid.

And Neil.....Most of us like to get things cheap, this is correct, why? I shall tell you: It's because we go out to work everyday and pay extortionate income tax, we buy petrol to go to work, which is taxed. We live in our houses, which we pay a "council tax" for. garages charge tax on parts, then tax the labour, how does that work? :mad:

We pay tax to drive on the roads, you have to pay a tax to have the dumpster emptied. We'll end up paying tax if we dare to have a nice house and we'll pay even more tax when they ramp up the road tax. TAX TAX TAX TAX.

You know why we hate spongers and welfare cheats? Because WE pay for them to sit around all freakin' day watching mind numbing spirit crushing games shows and tripe like trisha. And they don't have to pay a goddamn penny.

So next time you think someone is trying to defraud the government of a couple of quid by buying a model car part from overseas, kindly take a look at the bigger picture here.

Thankyou

[Lee]

Top Post!!!! :thumbsup:


I loved the quote before as well "parcel force are a good company" :woot::woot::woot: Have you ever had anything delivered from them or have you just seen the vans go by?

I have had imaginary cards left as well :thumbsup:

[VintageRacer]

I've sent parcels to customers that have come back to me uncollected, the customer claims they never got a card and the official reason they got from their sorting office was "the postman didn't have a pen". I sent the customer a handful of pens to give the postie, I would have loved to see their face.

Also had a stock delivery parcel returned to sender with no card, and there is someone in most of the time anyway!

Thankfully these are rare incidents but still very annoying.

[Neil Skull]

We get dozens of parcels deivered every day by parcel force no problem.

I agree some of the drivers may be jobs worths but at the end of the day I think they do a good job.

As far as buying overseas goes, It is really not helping the hobby as whole in this country.
If you can't get Tamiya parts in this country then why did you buy that car?

And at the end of the day if you keep getting stung for high cost of getting your offshore order into the country why do it?

You might want to check the cost of stuff from HK and china as it is not as cheap as it used to be the Yen> Dollar/Sterling/Euro has changed.

Any for me It is dont complain because your offshore purchase cost too much it is gamble you take.
And dont complain when all the model shops close in this country.

[DCM]

we used to have a regular postie here, and fare do's, he was ace, if he had a parcel for me (pretty regular occurance) he would try to catch me before the school run, or after or drop it round my folks house.... the next 'regular' guy we had, I think he was on ganja.... as he walked round aimlesly in a trance, you could never guess WHERE he sent a parcel back to, be it the post office (which one even....) or the sorting office... it was like Russian Roulette with small packages... even took an A5 jiffy bag back as he thought the items would get damaged if they went through the letter box and that massive fall to the passage way floor.

As for Royal Mail parcels, the guy we have now is fab, parcel force is a little more random.

[Logie]

Do charges still apply if you buy through a business?

[DCM]

As far as buying overseas goes, It is really not helping the hobby as whole in this country.
If you can't get Tamiya parts in this country then why did you buy that car?

erm, cause they get them 6 weeks before, because they are nearly half the price and cause Hobby Co are a bunch of thieving bar stewards. Also, some buy to collect, some buy the TRF cars to race. I know of some shops who can buy kits and parts from HK/Japan/China and ship it cheaper than Hobby Co can sell them trade, trust me, I have seen the trade prices.

Sometimes, it isn't so much the hobby shop, it is the distributor that forces you to go elsewhere.

[craigosh]

erm, cause they get them 6 weeks before, because they are nearly half the price and cause Hobby Co are a bunch of thieving bar stewards. Also, some buy to collect, some buy the TRF cars to race. I know of some shops who can buy kits and parts from HK/Japan/China and ship it cheaper than Hobby Co can sell them trade, trust me, I have seen the trade prices.

Sometimes, it isn't so much the hobby shop, it is the distributor that forces you to go elsewhere.

Exactly.

To be honest, in the past parcelforce have been ace, picked up and delivered stuff on-time and when the guy comes to deliver stuff i've ordered he gets me out of bed at 7:30!!! Only people to ever improve on them has been FedEx!! who are obviously rather expensive!!

But i still dont like that i have to pay £13.50 for them to just hand parcel round their depot in Coventry, and it is the same place cause the sticker on the box that arrived today confirmed it!

As for parts for the Tamiya, i can actually get the essentials here and I in fact ordered some arms from DMS the other day. Its just as i've said about three times, nowhere in the UK had the majority of the bits i wanted, so i ordered from Champ cause i knew they did.

[Crazy L]

If you can't get Tamiya parts in this country then why did you buy that car?


I have only one nerve left.....

Anyway, to answer your question, I'm gonna hand you over to Miss Billie Piper who will explain why:

"because we want to, because we want to"

[Neil Skull]

I did not know Billie Piper raced model cars!