Package stuck in customs

santanatwins

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Jan 20, 2004
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I tried to send my son a nintendo Wii by fedex and it appears customs is holding the package for duty taxes. Anyone have an idea how much I'm looking to get charged? I declared a value of $260
 
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Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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When I order on the internet, the seller includes a paid invoice stating the amount. If you have that invoice, you have no trouble and pay no customs charges if the value is US$200 or less. If you didn't have a sales receipt and if you declared a value in excess of US$200, nobody on this board can tell you what the charge will be. Your declared value will most likely be disregarded, in the belief you have used a low figure to avoid or reduce the customs charges. But it is the holiday season so maybe customs will be in a good mood and not charge too much.
 

Peterj

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Oct 7, 2002
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When I order on the internet, the seller includes a paid invoice stating the amount. If you have that invoice, you have no trouble and pay no customs charges if the value is US$200 or less. If you didn't have a sales receipt and if you declared a value in excess of US$200, nobody on this board can tell you what the charge will be. Your declared value will most likely be disregarded, in the belief you have used a low figure to avoid or reduce the customs charges. But it is the holiday season so maybe customs will be in a good mood and not charge too much.


This must be: Customs is in robbing mood and will definitely overcharge you!
 

botemon

Active member
Jun 28, 2008
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From my own experience....don't be surprised to wait as long as a month. "It is what it is"!
Respectfully
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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No, you committed a stupid mistake, probably two of them:
1) You did not ask the board how to do this
2) Like a lot of people that think they know how things work here )O Or Don'[t work,
you did the worst thing possible. You put the value $260 on the package and by law that has to go to customs, and nothing can be done. If you had put $100 on the package nothing would have happened and it would have arrived safely, most likely. You will have to pay another $200 or something close to get it out. Fed Ex can't do anything. Bye bye Wii.....

HB
 

santanatwins

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Jan 20, 2004
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Live and learn

I used fed-ex because I get a 75% discount shipping with Fedex. And I placed a $260 value so if anything happened to the Wii in transit, fedex picks up the charge to replace the Wii since their employee was the one who boxed the package. The Wii cost $200 and the extra control and nunchuk cost $60.

My mistake was in asking the girl at Fedex if I had to pay a duty based on the value I had placed on the package, to which she responded No.

I'll get the Wii back. At this point it's probably better if customs loses the package so I can get my $260 back from fedex. Worst case scenario I have to pay the shipping cost to ship it back to New York.

The person I feel the most regret for is my son who won't get his Christmas present in time.
 
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M.A.R.

Silver
Feb 18, 2006
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so those unclaim packages go to the people at customs.?.........hate those thieves.:mad:
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Sorry for your son. If you have read anything on this board it is to avoid Customs and Dominican mail like the plague!
If you send stuff, send it to one of the mail couriers in Miami (EPS, CPS, Business Mail) and have them forward it to you son (if he lives near one of their stations, that is.)

I very much doubt that you will ever see that Wii, but please tell us the final outcome of this fiasco since it will be educational for others that follow. And let us know how Fed Ex resolves this issue too.

I have to agree with JD, I think that the Customs people have a "thing" for FEDEX...

HB, sad for the kid...

At this point, I tend to doubt that you will get the package back. In theory it will go to an auction sometime within the next 6 months...It is gone, sorry to say.
I hope your fight with FEDEX does not become a He said-She said deal....Maybe the Gods will look kindly and they'll ship it back, but I really tend to doubt it. That is why it is so important for you to tell us the outcome of all of this epic.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I Just Shipped 7 Big Boxes From Boston With "Cesar Cargo" In Lynn Ma.

The boxes had a desk top computer system,two 22inch flat screen monitors,an HP wireless printer/copier,scanner,a large counter top convection oven,cordless drills,electric tools,and lots of other electronic "goodies,and lots of toys,and clothes.Total cost fot customs duty,0000000000000000000000000!!!
I always use "Dominican" shipping companies. They pick up the boxes in Boston,and drop them off at my house in Santo Domingo about 30 days later.I never have to lift a finger.My kids will have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Cris Colon
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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Yup, CC.... me too..... all Dominican shippers

Here's a clue...
My shipper charges for 'fridges... $200 if used, $300 if new:glasses:

If you read between the lines....... you'll get it:tired:

WW
 

santanatwins

New member
Jan 20, 2004
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Before heading out to work I call fed-ex for an update. They say they are still waiting for customs to give them a fee for the taxes. I tell the rep that if they don't stay on top of it my package will end up in some customs officers living room. They say that won't happen. I tell him he doesn't know DR.

I ask what happens if the package goes missing? He replies that they will re-imburse me if the package is lost while in fed-ex pocession. Only problem with that is customs has the package.

I'm gonna call a cousin who lives in STI to go inquire about the taxes and see if he can get further than fed-ex can with a little greasing of the hands.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Where is the package? In Santiago? Your cousin will have to go to the FEDEX office at the airport, yes, the airport, and then to the Customs, where they willfiddle and faddle for an hour and tell you that because you put $260 on the package they have to charge you.....etc etc...

Have your cousin try and have them return it to FedEx and see if that works...

HB
 

Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002
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I used fed-ex because I get a 75% discount shipping with Fedex. And I placed a $260 value so if anything happened to the Wii in transit, fedex picks up the charge to replace the Wii since their employee was the one who boxed the package. The Wii cost $200 and the extra control and nunchuk cost $60.

My mistake was in asking the girl at Fedex if I had to pay a duty based on the value I had placed on the package, to which she responded No.

I'll get the Wii back. At this point it's probably better if customs loses the package so I can get my $260 back from fedex. Worst case scenario I have to pay the shipping cost to ship it back to New York.

The person I feel the most regret for is my son who won't get his Christmas present in time.
As we are not looking at a fortune, have you considered buying one here. This way your son will be sure to get his present. If and when the other come through, sell it to get back some $$$.
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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www.mikefisher.fun
FEDEX will NOT reimburse You, because the package did not get lost in their Posession, get ready for that at the end, and the end most likely will not be near, it can take a loooong time.
a New Wii costs here on the Isle in the different shops around PC and Higuey $250.- and less, sure in Santo Domingo or in Santiago the Cousin would find even better Deals, hassle Free, no customs, no waiting Time, He can purchase it tomorrow morning and give the x-mas present to your Son tomorrow on Time.
send the Money to the Cousin by Western Union or such, costs 5% for the wire, quick and painless.
consider the Wii lost and get a new One down Here on the Isle, otherwise Your Son will pass many X-Mas's without a Wii, lol.
I shipped in April 2007 40!!! large and stuffed Baseball Bags full of DONATED Baseball Equipment, Airline brought it Free of Chartge as a Donation, thanks Air Canada for that, Value of the mostly New Equipment around 25KUS, Shipment acompanied by a Signed Letter of the Dominican Ambassador in Ottawa Recommending to let the Shipment (listed in the letter with every single Item/Ball/Bat/Glove etc etc) pass Customs Free of Charge of Taxes because it is a DONATION for 4 poor Baseball Youth Teams (of course also listed there).

now You have 1284 chances to "Guess" where the Shipment is Today's/or still is not Today's??? after I paid aome quiet Hefty Storage Fees at the PC Airport for "Storage of the Shipent".

Customs My Azz.

C an
U
S hip
T hings
O n
M y
S uperlarge Personal Bill

for shipments such as Your Wii, use UPS,
much better is anyways to purchase the things down here and hasslefree.
that way you have your Warranty down here,
you can purchase directly in a shop and have the Items available right away,
no waiting Times, no Customs Azz Hassles.

Happy Hollies

Mike
 

santanatwins

New member
Jan 20, 2004
153
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So I called Fedex to request the package be returned since I don't want to be charged a ridiculous amount in fees, taxes and storage. Now the fedex agent tells me I might have to pay duty taxes on the package coming back into the U.S.

But my stubborn ass won't let some greedy customs agent enjoy the Wii so I'm looking at spending close to $200 in shipping and taxes. The price of the Wii itself.

Now to get my son a present before Christmas. I hope his grandma can do me the favor of running out to get a Wii on Christmas eve.
 

ccarabella

Newbie
Feb 5, 2002
733
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That price sounds about right. My niece made a similiar mistake with a Sony PSP and 2 games. FEDEX custom charges in Santiago $240US

I would talk to a manager at FEDEX in DR. Try to find the number for their office and see if you can work something out or have someone in DR go in person and talk to the folks there.

Happy Holiday & good luck
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
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That price sounds about right. My niece made a similiar mistake with a Sony PSP and 2 games. FEDEX custom charges in Santiago $240US

I would talk to a manager at FEDEX in DR. Try to find the number for their office and see if you can work something out or have someone in DR go in person and talk to the folks there.

Happy Holiday & good luck

That will be almost impossible. If you try to call you get sent to Mexico where they ask all of these assinine questions. Unless you go to the airport in Santiago you can't talk to anyone and allthey will say is that it is in Customs.

Tell The FEDEX people you are talking to, to please ship it back. It will notpay any duty to be returned, and you just pay Fedex for the shipping back.

THEN you file a suit in small claims court against FEDEX for the shipping cost to and from the DR plus "suffering" since your boy did not get his Christmas present, all because a stupid FEDEX clerk gave you wrong information.

You should recover all of your money and then some. (or challenge the charges on your plastic???)

Hb
 
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santanatwins

New member
Jan 20, 2004
153
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The insult continues

Fed-ex calls me today to confirm my request for the package to be returned to the states. She then says I may still be liable for customs duty to the Dominican republic. ARE YOU KIDDING........where's the candid camera.....am I on the morning radio show La mega prank call "Te Caiste".........is Ashton kucher gonna jump out of my closet..............

She says she has to check. Does she actually think I am gonna pay taxes to exit and then pay shipping charges again to bring the Wii back? Can she be that stupid?

I ask her if this the first package Fedex is sending to the D.R? How can they be so F-ing stupid? I just wish I had paid with a credit card instead of cash.


To be continued................
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
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Santiago DR
You know, all in all you're getting off cheap, you could have been going through this with something worth a whole lot more. When something happens to me and it cost me money, I always think of it as going to life's school and lesson learned.

In the future when dealing with the D.R., get advise beforehand from the many learned DR1'ers that have experienced every which way you can get screwed here.


B in Santiago
 
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