An post rip off.

gundry · 02-10-2023 10:50am #1

Hi.

it seems to me that the withdrawal of Uk from Europe and imposition of duty and tariffs on items being posted from NI and Uk to Ireland has opened a source of income to an post.Even the difference on VAT requires a charge plus a 2 euro fee for paying the fee.

I recently got a free sample of a stoma medical patch from UK, value less than 50 cents.It incurred a charge of €6 for a post. Total rip off.

shame on An Post

Allinall · 02-10-2023 10:52am

You expect An Post to provide the service for free?

rock22 · 02-10-2023 10:55am

Why , oh why, are you still shopping in the UK, when you are in one of the largest single markets in the world.

An post don't set the vat rates or customs duty or the rules around the same.

AN post charge €3 for processing a parcel. all other couriers charge more so I suspect it is not a money maker for An Post.

Hoboo · 02-10-2023 10:59am

If you’re getting free patches worth 50c sent by post to Ireland, look on it more as a deserved fine than a fee.

muffler · 02-10-2023 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058316426/an-post-rip-off

I'm not seeing any form of RIP off from what you posted. I regularly buy from UK with delivery by An Post and have never been charged as you described.

02-10-2023 11:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184294#Comment_121184294

I don’t think you’re getting it that it is a stoma supply sample, stoma supplies are something you cannot live without if you have one and you need to try various types before settling on one that suits your body. I use them myself. It is not a luxury item that you choose to have. UK is a big supplier of these items. Go to German sites, well it’s all in German, and these are medical type supplies.

Jim_Hodge · 02-10-2023 2:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058316426/an-post-rip-off

An Post are collecting for Customs/Revenue. Their fee is by far the lowest of any carrier. They can't be making money on it. You got a product that warranted charges. That would be the same, only more expensive, had any other delivery company been involved. I'm buying regularly from the UK and, because the senders is set up for export to the EU, I never pay admin fees from An Post. You need to edit your thread title.

Hoboo · 02-10-2023 5:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184342#Comment_121184342

I understand the necessity to have a supply, I didn’t realise the necessity to obtain free samples from the UK and not your doctor, I thought you could get samples here before choosing. If that’s not the case I stand corrected. Thank you.

gundry · 02-10-2023 7:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184267#Comment_121184267

What service? There is no service.

gundry · 02-10-2023 7:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184342#Comment_121184342

Exactly. And to charge 6 euro on a free sample is ridiculous

Allinall · 02-10-2023 7:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186396#Comment_121186396

They had to clear it through customs for you.

€6 is great value.

gundry · 02-10-2023 7:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186411#Comment_121186411

Well when and if you ever have a medical issue, you may not sing the same tune.Good luck to you.

Allinall · 02-10-2023 7:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186416#Comment_121186416

Unfortunately having a medical issue doesn’t exempt you from customs and excise laws.

Your anger at An Post is misguided.

gipi · 02-10-2023 7:22pm

I'm more annoyed about paying the vat or customs charge and then waiting for weeks for the packet to be delivered! I normally shop ex EU, but this was a membership gift sent to me by an organisation where I'm a member. It obviously wasn't declared as a gift,hence the charge.

Paid the fee 10 days ago, still waiting for delivery. As the packet wasn't tracked, An Post can't tell me where it is or when it'll be delivered

lawrencesummers · 02-10-2023 7:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184342#Comment_121184342

Google translate

gundry · 02-10-2023 7:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186427#Comment_121186427

The reason I am upset with an Post because it is they who flag a letter for customs check.I don’t know how a €6 charge be put on a samplemedical plaster which has a value of about 40 cents.

Jim_Hodge · 02-10-2023 7:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186464#Comment_121186464

An Post don't flag. Revenue flag it to An Post as requiring collection before delivery. The €6 is Revenues valuation of VAT/Duty plus 3.50 admin charge. The sender declared the details that warranted the charge.

Trampas · 02-10-2023 7:39pm

Plain and simple it’s the senders fault. If they set themselves up properly then you wouldn’t be hit but that’s an extra cost for them. Also they shouldn’t be charging uk vat if shipping to eu. Only a few cent but that’s an post fault also I presume

muffler · 02-10-2023 7:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186396#Comment_121186396

Says it all.

Del2005 · 02-10-2023 9:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184342#Comment_121184342

Nearly every web browser has auto translate or you can easily translate. Another option is to find the part number/SKU on an English website then search for that on the non English website.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186437#Comment_121186437

There's still taxes to be paid on gifts when imported from outside the EU.

gipi · 02-10-2023 9:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186917#Comment_121186917

Actually gifts are exempt from duty if they have a value (including postage) less than 35 euro, and if they are declared correctly on the customs label. See the question re same below

https://www.anpost.com/Post-Parcels/Receiving/Customs-Information#

The gift sent to me this year (declared value 8 euro!) obviously wasn't declared correctly. It was done correctly in 2022, I didn't have anything extra to pay.

gundry · 02-10-2023 9:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186934#Comment_121186934

This is what angered me.The value was less than 50 cents but was given as a medical sample and labelled as such. €6 was too much.

02-10-2023 10:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121186055#Comment_121186055

I’ve settled on a type and brand of bag etc that suits, but initially (pre Brexit) most of the samples came from UK. You then can ask your doctor to put it on your prescription. At the outset a stoma nurse helps in the selecting the most appropriate one, but patients often like to explore different t brands if they kind they start getting more leaks than previously as body contour may change. Doctors themselves are clueless about stoma bags, not their area of expertise. Patients eventually become their own best experts.

gundry · 04-10-2023 1:24pm

My sample arrived today without paying the €6 duty. I told them to stuff their charges but it looks as if they just decided to send it anyway.

An post rip off.

Comments