Shipped jewelry Tarriff or Duty.. ridiculous rate ?

[hoosier 0]

I sent my Fiancee her christmas present via UPS a few days ago.

Basically a Card, some candy and a 14k Gold necklace. The necklace is

18 grams 14k gold mall Store retail maybe worth $800 I paid less than

half of that. When I shipped the necklace , just to be safe I decided

to insure the package for $500.

I get a message from my Fiancee at 3:30AM this morning telling me she

just got a call from a man saying he's with UPS Cebu and that when

they come to deliver the package they will need her to pay PP6100

($150US) for a tariff or duty. the man on the phone gave her a cell

phone number to call to let him know if they can deliver it tommorow.

Well I called the number he did not answer his phone, I began to

suspect maybe this was just a shakedown from the driver. I finally

did get a hold of UPS operator in PI and it comes to find out it is

legit.

My gripe is I asked when I sent the item from my local UPS office if

there would be a duty for this item and the said not for that low of

value for personal use.

Has anyone else here had this similar experience, is this even real?

Anyone maybe have a link to customs and duties webpage describing

said rules and fees for PI?

Does anyone else find this rate ,Basically 30% tariff rate ridiculous

especially just for personal use?

I guess I'm just going to have her pay it, as it seems we have no

choice really unless someone here has another suggestion.

[Eternal Love 2]

I sent my Fiancee her christmas present via UPS a few days ago.

Basically a Card, some candy and a 14k Gold necklace. The necklace is

18 grams 14k gold mall Store retail maybe worth $800 I paid less than

half of that. When I shipped the necklace , just to be safe I decided

to insure the package for $500.

I get a message from my Fiancee at 3:30AM this morning telling me she

just got a call from a man saying he's with UPS Cebu and that when

they come to deliver the package they will need her to pay PP6100

($150US) for a tariff or duty. the man on the phone gave her a cell

phone number to call to let him know if they can deliver it tommorow.

Well I called the number he did not answer his phone, I began to

suspect maybe this was just a shakedown from the driver. I finally

did get a hold of UPS operator in PI and it comes to find out it is

legit.

My gripe is I asked when I sent the item from my local UPS office if

there would be a duty for this item and the said not for that low of

value for personal use.

Has anyone else here had this similar experience, is this even real?

Anyone maybe have a link to customs and duties webpage describing

said rules and fees for PI?

Does anyone else find this rate ,Basically 30% tariff rate ridiculous

especially just for personal use?

I guess I'm just going to have her pay it, as it seems we have no

choice really unless someone here has another suggestion.

Yes, I did! I was taken aback too! I sent my fiance a new Palm Treo and he had to pay a ridiculous amount of tax for it! I forgot how much but I was kind of disappointed, but he had to pay it to claim the Treo. There's really no way out of it... it sucks!!! after that... I never sent anything that expensive anymore through US mail. I just sent him a huge box full of goodies through the Filipino Store nearby, costs about 100 for an extra large box. It takes about 1-2 months to get there but at least he does not have to pay for anything.

[Roserick 0]

I use these guys..

http://www.johnnyair.com/

AWESOME service!! Deliver is $15.. I have sent Jewelries, High End Cell Phones, etc.. Get there in a week..

She can even pick it up @ their local office..

You guys should give it a try.. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED..

Sorry about the tarrif experience..

With these guys.. No Tax or whatsoever..

[RonMay 1]

somehow when you declare what's in it plus putting insurance then yea you'll pay more... my husband sent me a small box using fed-ex with some electronics and new clothes, and other gifts for my family (probably worth more than $1000) yet he didnt declared the valuables just saying a gift and some chocolates ect lol (i know its a risk coz the custom might have find out). the box cost $200 just to send it (its expensive enough) and declaring whats in it would have cost us twice as much but he trusted fed -ex and knows fed-ex is a good company and that somehow took the risk not to declare. i got it though in 4 days with everythings in it... didnt have to pay any tariff or duty...

edit to add: no choice but to pay for the tariff now and hopefully next time you'll get lucky...

Edited December 21, 2007 by ronmay

[vbtbmrt 2]

thats what i did just devalue all that is sent it is a risk i sent around 200 usd worth of stuff and only claimed it as 20 and only paid 5 usd tax around that.

[Arrta 1]

I sent 2 cards, one from my parents, and one from me. Along with My present, a $600 18k white and yellow gold bracelet (only paid 270), my parents present, $100 set of earrings, and 2 bottles of Victoria Secret body wash via DHL. They charged me an arm and a leg, over $170, to ship it but she didnt say anything about any tax or tarrif fees when she told me she got them.

[hoosier 0]

thats what i did just devalue all that is sent it is a risk i sent around 200 usd worth of stuff and only claimed it as 20 and only paid 5 usd tax around that.

Did you insure this item or set a declared value on this package? I think that must be key to what the charge.

I am still dumbfound that 30% could really be the rate considering their VAT is only 12%. It seems to me the Philippine government is a big fan of tax the poor by thier tax and tariff policies.

[sweet_peach 0]

I deal with international freight everyday. Looks like customs is having a good time with you. Unfortunately when you declared a value on the air way bill customs can basically do what ever they like. UPS should have told you not to declare a value on the air way bill and just insure it through them. Now that its over t here you will have to pay the customs fee or customs will confiscate the package.

sorry

[brnidokiegurl 0]

In Morocco they open the box in front of the person and he has to pay also this going thru just the everyday post office here

[hoosier 0]

I deal with international freight everyday. Looks like customs is having a good time with you. Unfortunately when you declared a value on the air way bill customs can basically do what ever they like. UPS should have told you not to declare a value on the air way bill and just insure it through them. Now that its over t here you will have to pay the customs fee or customs will confiscate the package.

sorry

When shipping via UPS they will not let you insure the item for more than the declared value. So basically I was stuck with either no insurance or declaring the 500 value. I thought they may hit me up for a duty but had no idea it would be like 30%. In hindsight I guess I should of just rolled the dice and not insured it.

[RonMay 1]

I deal with international freight everyday. Looks like customs is having a good time with you. Unfortunately when you declared a value on the air way bill customs can basically do what ever they like. UPS should have told you not to declare a value on the air way bill and just insure it through them. Now that its over t here you will have to pay the customs fee or customs will confiscate the package.

sorry

When shipping via UPS they will not let you insure the item for more than the declared value. So basically I was stuck with either no insurance or declaring the 500 value. I thought they may hit me up for a duty but had no idea it would be like 30%. In hindsight I guess I should of just rolled the dice and not insured it.

rolling the dice is a good thing when we talk about DHL, Fed-Ex, or UPS coz somehow they're reliable (private company)... just dont roll the dice when dealing with the post office lol especially in phil. lol...

[rjp44 1]

I deal with international freight everyday. Looks like customs is having a good time with you. Unfortunately when you declared a value on the air way bill customs can basically do what ever they like. UPS should have told you not to declare a value on the air way bill and just insure it through them. Now that its over t here you will have to pay the customs fee or customs will confiscate the package.

sorry

When shipping via UPS they will not let you insure the item for more than the declared value. So basically I was stuck with either no insurance or declaring the 500 value. I thought they may hit me up for a duty but had no idea it would be like 30%. In hindsight I guess I should of just rolled the dice and not insured it.

rolling the dice is a good thing when we talk about DHL, Fed-Ex, or UPS coz somehow they're reliable (private company)... just dont roll the dice when dealing with the post office lol especially in phil. lol...

It's niot wise to send valuables thru the mail because of the corruption of some Philippine postal workers. I've ready quite a few stories of postal workers there holding up packages that were know to contain somthing valuable for and exorbitant fee. The express companiies are pretty secure but charge high fees. The best value is to send the money and let them go the jewelry stores there and pick out what they like.

[spidergirl 0]

I sent my Fiancee her christmas present via UPS a few days ago.

Basically a Card, some candy and a 14k Gold necklace. The necklace is

18 grams 14k gold mall Store retail maybe worth $800 I paid less than

half of that. When I shipped the necklace , just to be safe I decided

to insure the package for $500.

I get a message from my Fiancee at 3:30AM this morning telling me she

just got a call from a man saying he's with UPS Cebu and that when

they come to deliver the package they will need her to pay PP6100

($150US) for a tariff or duty. the man on the phone gave her a cell

phone number to call to let him know if they can deliver it tommorow.

Well I called the number he did not answer his phone, I began to

suspect maybe this was just a shakedown from the driver. I finally

did get a hold of UPS operator in PI and it comes to find out it is

legit.

My gripe is I asked when I sent the item from my local UPS office if

there would be a duty for this item and the said not for that low of

value for personal use.

Has anyone else here had this similar experience, is this even real?

Anyone maybe have a link to customs and duties webpage describing

said rules and fees for PI?

Does anyone else find this rate ,Basically 30% tariff rate ridiculous

especially just for personal use?

I guess I'm just going to have her pay it, as it seems we have no

choice really unless someone here has another suggestion.

You have to veify that, it sounds fishy to me. As far as i knew Couriers like UPS and Fedex didn't charged anything to the recepient. I used to receive packages from then Fiance through FedEx when i was in the Philippines and i havn't paid a single cent. Let your fiancee go to the nearest UPS branch and claim it personally, its possible that its just a delivery guys scam, if its real why he gave his cellphone number, why not the UPS official number.

[hoosier 0]

You have to veify that, it sounds fishy to me. As far as i knew Couriers like UPS and Fedex didn't charged anything to the recepient. I used to receive packages from then Fiance through FedEx when i was in the Philippines and i havn't paid a single cent. Let your fiancee go to the nearest UPS branch and claim it personally, its possible that its just a delivery guys scam, if its real why he gave his cellphone number, why not the UPS official number.

I did finally get a hold Of UPS customer service their in PI and verified the charge was legit. But they could not in any way explain why I was charged so much. They just blamed it on PI Customs.

[Frank+Jocelyn 1]

I decided not to play their games and just gave my future bride money to buy her own Christmas gift. Not very romantic but I refuse to be ripped off.