International Shipping Question

[domino]

I have a question about international shipping. I usually don't ship internationally but I did, and now I don't know what's up.

On Sept. 26th I sent an 8 lb package via Express Mail International to England. The total for shipping was $67.00. I have kept up with tracking and it completed customs clearance and arrived at the post office on Oct 4th. On October 5th it states: Payment of charges- item being held, addressee being notified. What does "Payment of charges" mean. Would that be the tax that the receiving party has to pay to pick up the package?

On October 7th I contact the buyer to ask if he has picked up his package and as of today I still can't get in contact with him. I also receive an email from the post office this morning stating: "In response to your request dated 10/07/2011,
we regret to inform you that we were unable to locate any delivery information in our records regarding your item number.."

What happens next? Is this a normal process? This was a $300.00 transaction and I am starting to feel a bit uneasy about it. Can the buyer pick it up somehow, with no record showing it, and then claim he never got it? If he didn't pick it up, what happens to the package?

Any advice or thoughts on this would be really appreciated.

[Mikey]

Hmmm, i'm wondering if he chickened out once he seen the customs charge.

Be careful because he might do a backcharge pretty soon.

I would say CALL your PO and have them explain it to you so you can understand it.

Calling is always better than emailing ... If you're PO is in a small town ask for the Post Master

[clemso]

Don't worry, its just held in customs until your buyer pays his import tax + admin charges on the $300.00 value. Its perfectly normal, so don't panic.

[Meule]

Yep, happens to me all the time as well when I receive large packages from the States. Customs always end up charging me taxes

[Gorn Captain]

Delays are nothing out of the ordinary.
Customs hold your stuff ransom for all kinds of reasons. The fact that they "have to" open your package to check inside, even if it's low value and doesn't need any taxes, still has them charge you a $15 "presentation fee".
Basically, it means "we'll mess up your stuff, cram it back into the box without mercy, and charge you $15 for that privilege."
I worked in the Customs Department for a year, and believe me, it's brutal and without mercy. Even Chuck Norris would lose this fight...

[domino]

Thanks for the comments, it sounds like customs is a real PITA. I guess I will just have to wait to see what happens. I think the thing that has me questioning the whole transaction is the fact that the buyer seems to have disappeared once the package was sent, with no contact for 2 weeks now.

[libby 1957dog]

i would not worry too much ,im sure he cant pick up the package with out signing for it and paying the charges ,after ,i think 30 days its not been paid for they will return it to you ,did he pay via paypal ,if so your on a 45 day count down ,after 45 days he cant file a item not received claim ,onther thing parcel force in the UK used to turn up on the door with the package and ask for payment of charges ,now they send a letter first .and it up to the buyer to contact them and pay the charge before they will deliver .could explain the delay ,i hope it all works out cheers chris