Parcel Motel and ordering outside EU zone

kyote00 · 03-02-2017 10:19am #1

I used Parcel Motel a lot so just checking if other experience is the same.....

Recently, when ordering stuff that comes from America or China, I am finding that most of the orders are stopped for non payment of customs/excise.

I have no problem paying the taxes but the hassle in having to phone / track package really defeats the purpose of Parcel motel.

Typically it delays delivery by an day or two

An admin fee of ~ 15 euro is added by original carrier (same for FedEx and UPS) - this is usually more that the original shipping cost......

For the time being, I have stopped using PM for non EU shipments.

parcel motel say thats just the way it is....

Anyone else have any ideas or better way ?

L1011 · 03-02-2017 10:26am

You are going to have to pay customs and admin fees - there is no way around this. The only way to avoid phoning Parcel Motel is not use Parcel Motel, basically.

kyote00 · 03-02-2017 10:32am

thanks. Yes, no issues paying the fees but its a major hole in Parcel Motels service...

Unfortunately it seems that it makes no sense to use them for non EU orders and it costs more and takes longer

L1011 wrote: »

You are going to have to pay customs and admin fees - there is no way around this. The only way to avoid phoning Parcel Motel is not use Parcel Motel, basically.

uck51js9zml2yt · 03-02-2017 10:34am

Processing your parxel, dealing with customs etc takes someones time. This has a cost attached. PM deem it to be €15.

Would you work for free?

Atlantic Dawn · 03-02-2017 10:34am

There would be too much admin involved in them making the payment on your behalf, wouldn't be worth their while.

GBX · 03-02-2017 10:38am

At one point PM were refusing items with customs fees due to them. Whilst it may be a pain for you OP, the fact that they are doing it as part of their service is a small price to pay.

kyote00 · 03-02-2017 11:22am

No one is working for free......

I already paid them transit fee (FedEx) when order is placed, PM also take their fee and Fedex add 15e charge to 'process' the vat/excise

Which logistics company do you work ?

Leonel Scrawny Bearded wrote: »

Processing your parxel, dealing with customs etc takes someones time. This has a cost attached. PM deem it to be €15.

Would you work for free?

kyote00 · 03-02-2017 11:25am

It really breaks the delivery time ... 1-2 day delivery option will not work if parcel motel is in the loop and order is outside EU

Anyway off to airport now to collect this.....duties paid but they wont out in on a truck til Monday .....

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

There would be too much admin involved in them making the payment on your behalf, wouldn't be worth their while.

ohnonotgmail · 03-02-2017 2:17pm

Leonel Scrawny Bearded wrote: »

Processing your parxel, dealing with customs etc takes someones time. This has a cost attached. PM deem it to be €15.

Would you work for free?

i may have read the OP incorrectly but the €15 fee is the customs processing fee charged by the courier. there is no mention of a fee charged by PM themselves.

kyote00 · 03-02-2017 2:44pm

FedEx charged the 15e for processing the customs/excise transactions.

I don't really have an issue with this - (in spite of some posters banging about working for nothing....

The problem is that Parcel Motel does not work for orders outside the EU.

The question really is :

Is there any Parcel Motel like service which will allow processing of the customs/excise without manual intervention every time ?

(PS. If you can't answer this question, head over to after hours to post ;-) )

L1011 · 03-02-2017 2:45pm

kyote00 wrote: »

(PS. If you can't answer this question, head over to after hours to post ;-) )

The mods will decide if a post is AH-worthy.

Any service which pays the customs fees on arrival is going to require you to have significant amounts of cash in credit at any time. As a result I believe nobody does it. PM used to reject items outright as mentioned up-thread.

....... · 03-02-2017 2:49pm

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L1011 · 03-02-2017 2:59pm

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For the same reason as using the Irish address - to get stuff put in a local locker rather than have to pick up from a depot if you're not at home.

rubadub · 03-02-2017 3:28pm

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Some places will not ship to Ireland, or it can be significantly cheaper to send to the UK. Some could well charge different prices to the UK for the item. Some believe it can ship faster to the UK too, including the time it takes to get here after that.

I got an item remarkable fast via PM which was sent from mainland UK. Some presume it will have to take longer but IME it seems royal mail get stuff to NI far faster than to dublin.

There may be other reasons too, e.g. ordering an adult bicycle helmet from the US, it should have zero VAT in the UK so should not be hit at all, while its 23% here.

....... · 03-02-2017 5:24pm

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L1011 · 03-02-2017 5:25pm

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My local sorting office, until recently, opened 8-1 Monday-Friday. My train to work goes at 8:09, quite some distance from the sorting office. Its not an option for a huge number of people. Not everyone can get stuff sent to work.

Its a valid market even if you don't see a personal use for it.

....... · 03-02-2017 5:33pm

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coylemj · 03-02-2017 6:13pm

Some local couriers allow you to phone and ask them to hold the package in their depot, this is what I do with any incoming deliveries via DPD, it's almost as good as PM except that I have to collect during business hours.

coylemj · 03-02-2017 6:16pm

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In fairness, they were completely overwhelmed by the surge in business generated by the drop in sterling caused by Brexit. If you managed to avoid using them during December, you wouldn't have noticed any deterioration in their service.

pxdf9i5cmoavkz · 03-02-2017 6:21pm

coylemj wrote: »

In fairness, they were completely overwhelmed by the surge in business generated by the drop in sterling caused by Brexit. If you managed to avoid using them during December, you wouldn't have noticed any deterioration in their service.

Parcel Motel always sucks during December.

OP: Give AddressPal a shot, I've dealt with their vat charges on imports and they're not nearly as painful as you're describing with Parcel Motel. Plus you can collect at a post office nearby

....... · 03-02-2017 7:12pm

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kyote00 · 03-02-2017 7:22pm

I live in a very rural area. Most of the delivery companies repeatedly fail to find my house. They refuse to use GPS or eircode and often don't bother their ass to phone .......

Thats why I use Parcel motel

Anyway, as todays delivery was important for the weekend (;-) , I drove to the Fedex Airport depot to collect otherwise it would be Monday and I am at work on Monday !

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whiterebel · 03-02-2017 11:16pm

kyote00 wrote: »

No one is working for free......

I already paid them transit fee (FedEx) when order is placed, PM also take their fee and Fedex add 15e charge to 'process' the vat/excise

Which logistics company do you work ?

As you said yourself, you paid them for the transport. Customs clearance is a different service

ED E · 04-02-2017 4:11pm

My DSU is now open 7-7 while previously being 9-5.30(signs still say the old time). If your local is now on extended hours too and you drive I'd strongy advise taxable items going to AP if the senders national mail carrier is an option.

Big Wex fan · 09-02-2018 2:39pm

I ordered something on ebay to parcel motel. I thought it was from UK but turns out its from China. Its not expensive under €17. Not sure what the UK limit is before customs rates kick in. If like Irish customs they want a receipt how will they contact me or is it effectively lost because they will not be able to contact me?

Parcel Motel and ordering outside EU zone

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