An Post returning packages from outside the EU-See 1st post

I think some in the thread said you'd have to pay twice and the Addresspal staff is as unhelpful

Sigma Sports got back to me. Despite having an IOSS number and clearing all vat and import duty at check out, they are getting parcels returned to them from Ireland!!

An absolute disgrace An Post are.

Some interesting caveats in Address Pal T&Cs:

15. Customs

An Post is authorised by the Customer to complete and file customs documentation (including electronically) in respect of the Item on behalf of the Customer and as its direct representative using information provided with or relating to the Item and/or provided by the Customer.

The Customer shall provide An Post with any information it requires to complete customs documentation.

The Customer is responsible for ensuring that the correct and complete documentation (including electronically) required by Customs is securely attached to the outside of the Item or otherwise provided to Customs in a manner acceptable to Customs (including as electronic documentation) and acknowledges that, notwithstanding that all or part of the documentation is presented to Customs by An Post, that An Post has no responsibility to the Customer in respect of it and indemnifies An Post for any fines, costs or losses incurred due to submission of unacceptable or inaccurate documentation or due to any delay in presenting such documentation (including electronically) to Customs.

Any queries as to the amount or assessment of any Customs Charges must be raised directly with Revenue.

16. Return to sender

16.1

An Post may return an Item to sender or otherwise dispose of it including by handing it to Customs or a law enforcement agency of any country in any of the following circumstances:

(a)

In the event that the AddressPal number is not provided to An Post in its entirety

(b)

The Item exceeds 20 kg or does not comply with these terms and conditions

(c)

The Customer fails to provide information concerning the Item to An Post when requested to do so

(d)

The Charges (including Customs Charges) are not paid

(e)

The Item, in the opinion of An Post, contains Prohibited Items or An Post is unable to determine what the Item contains

(f)

An item remains undelivered for a period in excess of three (3) months because An Post is unable to deliver the Item to the Customer Address due to failure of the Customer to accept delivery or the Customer fails to collect an Item from a Collection Point.

16.2

In the event that an Item is returned to the sender because of any of the circumstances outlined in condition 16.1 above the Customer acknowledges that the item is returned at the risk of the Customer and that An Post has no liability to the Customer or responsibility for ensuring the safe return of the Item to the sender.

Yes, this thread on twitter should be picking up steam. It has An Post over a barrel, and also a member of An Post team completely contradicting the information from their own website. I suspect An Post are hoping this one just vanishes. If ever there was a can of worms to open, here it is on a plate.

The issue either isn't as widespread as we feel it is on this thread or it's one societal wide case of bystander effect where many people have been impacted and irritated but not bothered to make a formal complaint or let the politicians know.

27 days since I refused incorrect customs charges for a parcel to be returned and no update since the 10th September from AnPost

So after my item was returned to Japan, I was talking to some people in work, and basically everyone knows someone this has happened to. I also got a Japanese friend of my wife's to contact customer service at the Japanese shop I ordered from to request that they resend using DHL, but I got this reply:

"We are afraid to inform that we cannot resend the returned item.

If the package for your order we sent would be returned to us since

the delivery was failed due to the recipient''s responsibility,

we shall proceed with refund followed with our policy.

Please note that we cannot resend the returned items.

Also, please note that we do not return the amount other than the product value, ie-freight.

Your order will be under the procedure of refund as soon as we receive all the items

returning from the customs in your country.

We will let you know via e-mail when the procedure of refund is completed.

Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your understanding in advance.

Best regards,"

So a super limited edition that I pre-ordered back in June and now have no chance of finding unless I'm prepared to pay silly money is now gone for good thanks to An Post going slap happy with their return to sender labels. The Japanese girl who helped me said that all her friends had had everything sent back to Japan - family packages, gifts, shopping... Everything.

And have you both made formal complaints with An Post and contacted politicians? Like I said, we seem to be experiencing bystander effect here where not enough people impacted are making clear complaints through the appropriate channels. It takes some perseverance and time but if we all avoid that effort and discomfort no one will look at this or do anything about it.

I made a complaint at the weekend after I sent my reply to their email and had no response, screenshot it before sending as proof for Comreg, hopefully it helps. It's a long process but have to try it.

I wasn't sure what place to send it to on the site so think I sent it to postal services or something

Had one sent back to the US and another two to the UK. Thought it might be some EU incentive to discourage outside bloc purchases but seemingly it's an Irish issue.

Certainly in financial services sometimes you'll only get joy after you exhaust the complaints process of the institution and refer it onto the Ombudsman who then may take months to adjudicate. It's the only way to force an independent determination on the acceptability of a practice or level of service. There might be no joy from Comreg either but some cases need to be pushed that far, particularly the ones where An Post seem to have been in clear error like the CN22/CN23. Even getting stung on that may force them to re-evaluate things.

I think you need a last response date to reach out to an advocate and a customer service reference number too but no sign of that. If I get a reply I said I'd be using that as the final date. It's so annoying it's not straightforward.

Probably won't do much but at this stage I may as well do it all and when I move to ComReg ect I've proof I tried it all and not sent back and forth. At least if so many ho to ComReg or Ombudsman it might make things awkward for them