Have Parcelforce cut their customs clearance charge?

[sosidge]

It's been a long time since I ordered anything from abroad that needed a charge - thinking back, it was probably 2 years ago - but I have just had a customs charge parcel today through Parcelforce, and I was pleasantly surprised!

The customs clearance fee was only £8, whereas last time I'm sure it was much higher (£13.50 rings a bell).

Have they decreased their fees or is there a reason I was charged less?

Part of me hopes they were forced to decrease the clearance fee because £13.50 was a rip-off for the time it took them to calculate the tax and print a label. £8 seems a lot more reasonable (although a fiver would be better, I think that is roughly what UPS and Fedex charge if you don't have an account).

PS before this descends into a debate about VAT and Duty can I just say that I am very happy to pay the UK tax on these items! I just objected to the unreasonable £13.50 fee. Almost as bad as what solicitors charge to write a letter

[bigred5765]

£8 is for lower priced imports £13.50 is for higher priced items cant remember what the threshold is sorry

[Darren Boyle]

£8 is when the items come through "no urgent" so Parcel force deal with them the samas their 48 hour service, all "express" items are then dealt with on the 24 hour Parcelforce service and cost the £13.50.

Try getting 15 boxs at a time come through from the States and they still get delivered after about 8 days (after reaching parcelforce that is) and they then charge you £5.50 (plus VAT) "extra" per box for the priviledge!! (even though they arrive in exactly the same way/time as non-express parcels do) £82.50 + Vat extra for nothing!! Nuts....

[bondy]

Can't you just go UPS or another all the way States to UK! Then you dont have to deal with ROYAL " Rippppoooooffff Mail " ????

[Darren Boyle]

Originally Posted by bondy

Can't you just go UPS or another all the way States to UK! Then you dont have to deal with ROYAL " Rippppoooooffff Mail " ????

If stuff gets shipped from the states via their US postal service it gets handed over to Parcelfarce this end, no choice in the matter. UPS is VERY good for our higher value and urgent stuff but not cost effective on regular spares orders.