***HELP: Can any international users explain package release from customs?

Hey everyone. Around the time after shipment I have a lot of international customers emailing me asking how to get their package. USPS doesn’t do the best job of providing reliable tracking info or instructions on where your package goes once it leaves US borders. Can any of you who have received a Maslow internationally give me some brief instructions on how you got your Maslow? I know sometimes people are notified they have a package waiting for them that needs customs tax payment in order to be released, but other times people receive no notification (and that’s when we get a lot of returned packages). Any how-to info would be greatly appreciated!

I haven’t gotten mine yet, but i found that i could just enter the usps tracking code into the belgian bpost tracker and it was a bit more detailed.
Only found out that is was at customs because i checked it out myself, no notification yet.

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In Germany I could track it via USPS (registered for email updates) but the descriptions were not helpful i.e. “parcel has arrived a a facility”, “parcel has departed a facility” but when it was actually here, I just got a letter from Deutsche Post / DHL in my mailbox saying that it had arrived and giving the local customs office it was at. I went over (watch for very short opening hours) and paid EUR 86 to have it released to me. They need you to bring the order email showing the cost and shipping charge (as the customs fees are charged on the full cost - including shipping) and then watched me open it to confirm it was was it said it was.

that is just stupid, i get import tax, but why tax the shipping.

Yup, that sounds like good old Germany. (we had a light tax on matches by the way and are charged for rain-water-loss if we tile the path to the garage [well not me, ran away ;-)]

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The winning comment from the Zollamt was “the seller has tricked you, there are no frame parts in the box” :stuck_out_tongue:

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In the uk the customs are handled by PARCELFORCE
They contact you via email and give you instructions to pay custom charge via their website, once paid (£85.06) they release for delivery

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Not that it would be of current interest (perhaps in the future?) since no one else in the middle east till date, but I paid no tax in Bahrain.
I was asked for a bill and a ‘catalogue’ showing the price to confirm the bill.
I used my phone with the browser on maslowcnc.com as support.
Then I was asked to what it is for.
Since I was not able to transfer the concept of Kickstarter, Betatester and a Router on Chains in under a minute, I needed to unpack the parcel, spread out the pieces and explain each of them.
My phone on maslowcnc.com and the Bar’s first video helped.
When he started the subject of money, I replied that Bahrain has a free trade agreement with US and under $800 there is nothing to pay. This somehow ended the conversation and a hand waving through the air signalled me I had to get all back into that box and leave.

As a general advise it is good to know the trade rules in the county you live (it’s online), as you never know who is behind the customs counter or what happened to her/him last night. Always remember that what ever happens, it’s not personal.

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that must have been fun opening the linkage kit with extras inside :slight_smile:
k

In Canada, I was able to track my package on Canada Post’s website (didn’t know I could but another Maslow forum member told me :slight_smile: ). The package came to my door and I was able to pay the HST and handling to the delivery person with my Visa card. Had I not been around, I would have received a notice in my mailbox to go to postal center #whatever to pick it up and pay the HST there.

I don’t believe Canada Post is allowed to open, or have you open, the package to see anything. All of that snoopy stuff is done by Canada Customs when it enters the country. If they have a problem, I guess they contact you, or RTS the package.

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That parcel was on my doorstep. Surprisingly, as the extra (a nail-gun!) could have shown on the x-ray as a disguised uzzi. Perhaps customs recognised my name a knew, no extra cash from this guy.

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This really made my night. Thanks for sharing. Will still be laughing trying to get to sleep.

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I have Experience with post from China, UK & South America. I did US post to Canada a lot. Not so long ago the USPS stopped handling information beyond the US boarder. If a package is lost you can open a claim where they will look beyond but they no longer share any information. Other services such as UPS can at will impose a fee for looking at the packed sliding from the US side of the table to another foreign government, this was up to an additional $60 , it did not include any import tariff levied against the recipient. We found USPS was the least inspected, delayed, expensive way to get 30 to 60 bls of goods across any boarder. The problem is there is documentation, security and tax collection all at play. Once it passes from the USPS it’s up to the local government and carrier to track and deliver. Some UPS packages were held up to 30 days for inspection and required the recipient to travel to the inspection site or send an agent to finish the paper work. We didn’t experience this with USPS. Unfortunately as I know it once it’s outside the US unless the customs contacts the shipper everything will be between the customs and the recipient and they will only use the information provided by the shipper, IE address, phone number and e-mail address. We did have great service from DHL but it is very expensive too.

I hope that helps

Thank you

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We are in a rural area with no postal service but then tracking said it was delivered, which it wasnt. After a week of waiting, i went to local post office to see if they had it and sure enough they had it sitting there. Just went and picked it up, no payment necessary.

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@bar Destination:Australia🇦🇺
No shipping notification. Waited a week or two.
Tried tracking number on order sheet; not valid contacted Hannah got the tracking number, and seems the parcel was tracked the whole way through except wouldn’t you know it bob’s Your uncles dingo Australia Post attempt to deliver to my door next bloody day whilst I’m on the dunny. Missed em’! But found charming note :memo: instructing me to nearest post office. Arrive at post office and handed mint condition parcel at no extra expense. Very odd experience for those in UK. Tariffs surely not!

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Thanks everyone for your replies! I’ll definitely be referencing this thread in the future :slight_smile:

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I just now checked the tracking, and appearantly they will deliver monday, 118,66 euro import tax. Do i have the record for time and money? :slight_smile:

Can’t be mad to be honest, just really happy that it finally arrived, too bad tuesday is moving day, so the first cut will be next month.

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:open_mouth: That’s almost $100 for a $350 kit! That is heavy.

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That’s 145 USD but i ordered some bits, and with the z-axis, so it got to $445 without the $70 shipping. So i paid more then 30% import tax, should i call guinness? :smiley:

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