Shavemac Customs Charges

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jvan
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Shavemac Customs Charges

Post by jvan »

As previously posted I received my Shavemac XXL Horn Handle brush a week or so ago only after having to fill out a customs declaration form and faxing that form to FedEx. In today's mail I received an envelope from FedEx containing an invoice and 4 pages of supporting documents. I am being billed for the following:

Customs Duty $4.60
Advancement Fees 5.00
Live Entry processing Fee 20.00

Total $29.60


My S&H costs are now $41.60.

Has anyone else had the same experience?

Could someone please provide an active link to Shavemac as I have tried on two seperate occasions recently to E-Mail them and have received no reply. My E-Mails were in regards to something completely seperate from this issue.

John
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Post by Sage »

This definitely sounds like something we should consider when the group brush is made/shipped. I dunno that I want to pay $140 for a $100 brush....

Andy
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jvan
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Post by jvan »

As an update I just got off the phone with FedEx and they basicaly said TS. It is just the luck of the draw as shipments are tested at random by customs and it was just bad luck on my part. I have never had this problem with any of the many shipments I have gotten from G.B.

John
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Post by Sage »

jvan wrote:As an update I just got off the phone with FedEx and they basicaly said TS. It is just the luck of the draw as shipments are tested at random by customs and it was just bad luck on my part. I have never had this problem with any of the many shipments I have gotten from G.B.

John
Dude, that sucks.
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rtaylor61
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Post by rtaylor61 »

I had to fill out the form, but have yet to receive any additional bill. I did ask the FedEx rep when all of this started about additional charges, and he said there would be none. I would think that your arguement with be with the "live" charge. Since your brush was not alive when you received it, maybe you could bill them for "killing" your brush???

Randy
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Post by growler »

With all due respect, it's FedEx that is screwing you, not Shavemac.
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jvan
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Post by jvan »

I never intended this a reflection on Shavemac, I'm pissed at FedEx and the customs department. The only thing different that Shavemac might do in the future is list the contents as "shaving supplies" versus badger hair brush or whatever. that is the labeling used on every purchase I've made from G.B.

I certainly don't like my brush any less because of this and having used it I still think it's a bargain. It's just that a price of $152.00 with free S&H sounds a bit better to me today than the breakdown I'm dealing with.

John
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Post by Sage »

I think we all agree that this is a FedEx thing, and not a Shavemac thing. Good point about the labeling. Maybe if they labeled the package differently, it might pass through un-noticed.

Andy
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Post by Robert G. »

I always suspected this was the reason Fedex wanted SSN so that if you didn't pay these extra fees, they could always &*^% up your credit. Very sad, really.....

John, items worth less than $200 are not subject to custom duty. If Fedex advanced this it's their fault for not knowing the law. I would write a letter directly to the regional director of Fedex and complain, if I were you.
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rtaylor61
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Post by rtaylor61 »

jvan,
Did your brush go through Memphis, TN?

Randy
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jvan
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Post by jvan »

Randy,

Yes my shipment did go through Memphis. I'm guessing that this is a random happening and I just drew the short straw.

John
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Post by ARenaissanceMan »

Why not just refuse the package and have Fedex send it back to Shavemac? Then you could have them relabel it and ship it out again.
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rtaylor61
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Post by rtaylor61 »

It's not random. It's the fact that the manifest says "badger". I went through the same thing. However, I have not received an additional bill as of yet.

Randy
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Post by bernards66 »

Evening, I noticed that no one responded to John's question regarding a working e-mail address for Shavemac. I've had no dealings with them, so I can be of no help, but has anyone gotten through to them in the last few days? It would seem that Shavemac could save all their US customers a lot of grief by simply changing the way they label the goods for the manifest, and/or using the postal service rather then FedEx. I'd certainly rather wait a few more days for delivery then take the chance of going through the nightmare that's being described here. Regards, Gordon
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Post by fisherc »

Maybe Bernd is too busy processing orders ???

Chris
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Post by rtaylor61 »

Gordon,
Bernd and I exchanged emails with this address: info@shavemac.de
I put Attn: Bernd in the subject line, and always got prompt responses (figuring in the difference in time). What makes this frustrating is that we know fellow forum members have ordered and received their products without these issues. Apparently the problem lies in Memphis. I do know that if I get a bill (which I was told would not happen), I am going to ask for proof that there was a live badger in the package (Live Entry processing Fee 20.00). Time will tell.

Randy
"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." J. B. Books
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Post by english_barber »

Hello,

I once sent a shaving brush to the United States and put " Handmade English shaving brush containing Chinese Badger hair" on the customs label. I could not get it through customs. "Handmade English shaving brush" however worked on the second attempt with no duty or questions.

Although you should always have to be honest and state that it is a "customer mail order sale", it is not always appropriate to elaborate on the contents! Regular air mail has none of these problems and enters via NY.

Regards, Robert
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jvan
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Post by jvan »

Robert,

What you state exactly mirrors my past experiences with about six different vendors including yourself. Never a problem with any of them.

John
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Post by Blue As A Jewel »

I noticed that no one responded to John's question regarding a working e-mail address for Shavemac
It is quite difficult to get a timely reply from Shavemac - I did eventually get a rushed reply - next time I might try the subject line suggestion.

He is probably very busy working on the SMF brush :wink:
Shavemac could save all their US customers a lot of grief by simply changing the way they label the goods for the manifest, and/or using the postal service rather then FedEx.
This would be be the best solution and save all their international customers the FedEx/UPS gouge - ouch!
- Ravi -

You can mistrust me less than you can mistrust him. Trust me.
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jvan
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Post by jvan »

Just wanted to let you know what a class act Shavemac is, Bernd has offered to ship one of their top of the line brush stands to me in consideration of my customs problems.

I have checked into this further and found that the $200.00 threshold is for items I would personally bring into the country not what I have shipped into the country. I've spoken with four different individuals regarding this matter and it does appear that it is all about the luck of the draw. Packages are picked purely at random; I still think that maybe a more mundane and generic product description might help in getting an item through customs.

John
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