Author Topic: Penalty charge from customs (Read 50058 times)

gaol · « **Reply #90 on:** Dec 21, 2001 at 02:15 AM »

I took advantage of a free-shipping promo of CDNow a few years ago to order seven or eight CDs not available locally. They were sent to me in two packages.

The first contained 2 CDs and when I claimed it at the Araneta Center Post Office, it was released to me immediately (no tax!).

The second, obviously larger, package was opened by the customs guys at Araneta. They did some computations and told me I had to pay P800 in taxes. When I balked at the amount, they said they could do something to lower it, but I won't get a receipt.

I handed over a P500 bill, and they gave me P100 change. Since there were 4 people involved, it means they got P100 each. As I was leaving they advised me that next time I should order more CDs in bulk, "para makamura." But then, this big CDNow order was just a one-off.

I also ordered single items (CDs, DVDs, palm vx accessories) over the years. In almost all cases, the only thing they charged was P20, the customs inspection charge.

GAOL

lazy_maze · « **Reply #91 on:** Dec 21, 2001 at 02:49 AM »

Quote

lazy_maze How long did it take to arrive, from day of shipment to mandaluyong PO. Yung galing TAU

jay-z,

I placed my order on Nov. 10 (4 DVDs)
They shipped it on Nov. 16
The package arrived at the P.O. on Dec. 13
I was informed by P.O. on Dec. 19

So, it took 24 business days to arrive (at the P.O., from date of order)

downtown · « **Reply #92 on:** Dec 21, 2001 at 08:52 AM »

just got my order from Davao P.O. Got charged P20 by the customs officer. A guy opened the package, i thought i was going to be charged but when he told the office that its 3 DVD/CD's he just said ok na yan so i paid P20.
Yehey. I'll try to order from Amazon. It took them about 1 month to arrive on the slowest method.

groucho · « **Reply #93 on:** Jan 20, 2002 at 06:17 AM »

Has anybody ever tried www.e-to-door.com ? I saw a poster in one of the malls and checked it out on the Net. It's a local company that will buy most anything you order abroad, and you can pay e2door directly, without having to pass through many of the tedious businesses of the e-merchants. Hindi ko lang alam if ordering through e2door will negate our perpetual problem with corrupt Customs personnel.

Does anybody have any experience with e2door?

viper · « **Reply #94 on:** Jan 20, 2002 at 08:02 AM »

Quote

Has anybody ever tried www.e-to-door.com ? I saw a poster in one of the malls and checked it out on the Net. It's a local company that will buy most anything you order abroad, and you can pay e2door directly, without having to pass through many of the tedious businesses of the e-merchants. Hindi ko lang alam if ordering through e2door will negate our perpetual problem with corrupt Customs personnel.

Does anybody have any experience with e2door?

Hey Groucho:

Mukhang pareho sa pabili.com yung service ng e2door, unfortunately, temporarily closed yung pabili as per their website.

Nevertheless, my experience with Pabili is that kung hindi sila siningil sa customs, wala silang icha-charge back sa iyo. I bought 3 disks through them at walang customs charge.

Hope this helped.

Dozer · « **Reply #95 on:** Jan 20, 2002 at 06:19 PM »

My last three pick up worth $21.00, $42.00 & $19.00 at the post office was tax P20.00 each.

I did not pay any tax for an order worth $113.00 delivered by FedEx.

groucho · « **Reply #96 on:** Jan 21, 2002 at 06:01 AM »

Thanks for the feedback, viper.

viper · « **Reply #97 on:** Jan 21, 2002 at 06:08 AM »

No problem, Groucho. I prefer myusmailbox though for all my US orders. Never been taxed yet.

NY152 · « **Reply #98 on:** Apr 05, 2002 at 11:15 PM »

Didn't know if this should have been a new thread, but I decided to just add it here. I have a new gripe about customs.

I have a package from the UK that was shipped by DHL Express. The estimated arrival time was last Wednesday. I decided to track it and follow it up today.

I did arrive as scheduled. But according to DHL, it's been stuck at customs for two days now! This has never happened to me before - I always got my DHL packages within 24 hours of their Philippine arrival in the past.

You pay a lot of money to get your deliveries shipped to you ASAP, then this happens. It's disgusting.

It's stuff like this that makes legitimate buyers consider going the pirated route, IMHO. Mura na, wala pang hassle.

Sorry to mention the "p" word in a different thread from the intended one, but it's really irritating. I mean, TAX ME if you want to, but HANDLE MY ORDERS PROMPTLY, as well. That's the LEAST you can do for me.

LukeCAM · « **Reply #99 on:** Apr 14, 2002 at 05:12 AM »

at forest hills novaliches p.o.d customs guy is kind enuf to sayo to me "o basta wag kang lalagpas ng tatlong items ha, di na kita i-tax (no matter wat amount!, yun lang nga hanggang tatlo lang!)".

viper · « **Reply #100 on:** Apr 14, 2002 at 05:50 PM »

Depende nga talaga sa Customs officer. Merong masipag mag-compute, merong tamad.

lance_ryan · « **Reply #101 on:** May 29, 2002 at 02:46 PM »

Hi everyone... I'm new to DVDs but have had experience buying online na rin from Amazon and Outpost.com...

May question lang ako.. If you purchase something at Amazon and specify that it would be given as a gift to someone, di ba they will wrap it and not indicate anything about the price of the goods? So... does that mean na hindi ito mata-tax kasi nga regalo sya?

Hmmm... good idea?

Kahon · « **Reply #102 on:** May 29, 2002 at 03:30 PM »

hey lance_ryan

somebody had the same idea before

look at this thread:

send a gift to myself to avoid taxes?

viper · « **Reply #103 on:** May 31, 2002 at 09:37 PM »

Quote from: lance_ryan on May 29, 2002 at 02:46 PM

Hi everyone... I'm new to DVDs but have had experience buying online na rin from Amazon and Outpost.com...

May question lang ako.. If you purchase something at Amazon and specify that it would be given as a gift to someone, di ba they will wrap it and not indicate anything about the price of the goods? So... does that mean na hindi ito mata-tax kasi nga regalo sya?

Hmmm... good idea?

I think the gift option without the package particulars are applicable only for gift shipments within the US. Kung gift from US to the Phils, meron pa rin invoice stating what are the contents (hindi na surprise gift!) because it is a requirement in all items entering a country.

I dont know if this is how the question in the other thread was answered. I'll post na rin nga sa kabila!

xage · « **Reply #104 on:** Jun 06, 2002 at 04:01 PM »

Quote from: viper on May 31, 2002 at 09:37 PM

I think the gift option without the package particulars are applicable only for gift shipments within the US. Kung gift from US to the Phils, meron pa rin invoice stating what are the contents (hindi na surprise gift!) because it is a requirement in all items entering a country.

I dont know if this is how the question in the other thread was answered. I'll post na rin nga sa kabila!

I agree to that as I was a recent victim of it in Parañaque Post Office. So to the readers who are living along Parañaque you have been forwarned.

I ordered to this online company in Hongkong with 4 DVDs along with it upon arrival here (registered mail) upon pick-up at our Post office, miss Custom charge me 800+ bucks for it.

Despite the Gift option

groucho · « **Reply #105 on:** Jun 09, 2002 at 07:11 PM »

viper, I was re-reading this thread and got curious. Do you still order stuff via myusmailbox.com? And just how much more expensive is it than worldmail? Or how much less expensive is it than FedEx/UPS?

jackryan · « **Reply #106 on:** Jun 09, 2002 at 07:19 PM »

Hi folks,

Is there a workaround of having some electronics stuff (ie. XBOX, etc.) shipped by a third party from Los Angeles to Manila (door-to-door) ?

Thanks,
-jackryan

viper · « **Reply #107 on:** Jun 09, 2002 at 07:32 PM »

Quote from: groucho on Jun 09, 2002 at 07:11 PM

viper, I was re-reading this thread and got curious. Do you still order stuff via myusmailbox.com? And just how much more expensive is it than worldmail? Or how much less expensive is it than FedEx/UPS?

I am quite satisfied with MUSM's services although I have not been ordering from amazon for quite a while. Compared to Worldmail, mas mahal ang MUSM if you opt for the air freight option. However, hindi pa ako na-tax sa MUSM while my lone order through the post (Worldmail) have been taxed heavily.

Mas mahal yung door-to-door fedex/dhl compared to MUSM pero mas mabilis ang delivery.

Lately, I shifted to PARC and Benny for my DVD purchases.

Hope this helped.

green_archer · « **Reply #108 on:** Jun 12, 2002 at 05:49 PM »

With due respect to Parc and Benny, but I think their prices are still higher compared to buying on-line with the freight charge of MUSM even added.

viper · « **Reply #109 on:** Jun 12, 2002 at 07:36 PM »

Quote from: green_archer on Jun 12, 2002 at 05:49 PM

With due respect to Parc and Benny, but I think their prices are still higher compared to buying on-line with the freight charge of MUSM even added.

I never said that their disks are 'more cost effective" than online ordering via MUSM. Gasgas na kasi yung credit card ko kaya cash/cheque muna ang bili ko ng R1 dvds. They may cost a little bit more pero sa delivery time, medyo angat sina Parc and Benny compared to MUSM.

So for my R1 DVD fix, I have three sources, Parc, Benny and Amazon via MUSM. No more Pabili, no more Expedited and Worldmail.

Jude · « **Reply #110 on:** Jun 13, 2002 at 10:46 PM »

For the first time, I needed to go to the Post Office (at Malate) to pick up a package of DVDs. Naka-pick up na ako before pero panay mga books or other printed material so hindi taxable. And usually naman kasi 1-2 DVDs lang pinapadala ko so nakakalusot sa P.O., I get it right at my address na. Pero this time I was expecting 5 dvds kaya sa laki siguro nung package hindi nakalampas.

Anyway, minalas ako and the customs guy was there. He was the one who got the package and after asking, opened it up in front of me. "Mga DVD, may tax ito", sabi niya. Then he went away to compute and get a "resibo" daw. While he was away, I paid the P20 to the P.O. lady and OK na sana ako dun, she even said "Sige, ayos na." and I could have just grabbed the package and ran (it was already in my arms). But NOOO! Good little boy that I was, I waited for the customs guy to come back. Medyo inisip ko kasi that if I made a run for it, baka ma-blacklist na ako sa P.O. at mahirap na yun.

He came back with a computed figure of P822. Siyempre hindi ako papayag dun! So napa-acting tuloy ako ng di oras. I performed the old "Kulang ang pera ko! Kailangan ko pa ng pamasahe!" routine. Pang-Oscars ang delivery ko, with matching going-through-the-poor-empty-wallet choreography. So pumayag yung guy na babaan, he asked me how much I could give. And here's the stupid part, I immediately said "P500". He accepted without blinking. Siyempre, I really regret not coming up with a lower figure for my "tax". Pero it's not too bad naman since I didn't pay anything for the DVDs in the first place (padala lang ng friend ko).

NY152 · « **Reply #111 on:** Jun 13, 2002 at 11:06 PM »

Quote from: Jude on Jun 13, 2002 at 10:46 PM

Naka-pick up na ako before pero panay mga books or other printed material so hindi taxable.

That's surprising to me, since it's usually my big book purchases (yes, they're medical books) that get taxed heavily.

Quote

Pero it's not too bad naman since I didn't pay anything for the DVDs in the first place (padala lang ng friend ko).

Did you ask you friend to unwrap each and every one of them and label the plain package "Used Videos, value = $0"? That one works for me as far as the tax situation of remailed items goes.

Jude · « **Reply #112 on:** Jun 13, 2002 at 11:37 PM »

I know I read somewhere that here in the Philippines, printed material, particularly books with educational content are non-taxable. Kaya nga books here are cheap compared to other countries. Anyway, so far never pa ako na-tax for books.

Yes, I explicitly told my friend to try to pass off the DVDs as used, even describing specifically how to do this. Pero mukhang tinamad yung 'kanong iyon. Sigh.

xage · « **Reply #113 on:** Jun 15, 2002 at 07:28 AM »

Let me share this experience ordering from HIVIZONE

akoito · « **Reply #114 on:** Jun 19, 2002 at 09:51 AM »

Quote from: viper on Oct 06, 2001 at 04:30 PM

Quote

I had four shipments via myUSmailbox delivered to another former office address in Diliman and was never taxed. One pending shipment, though, valued at approx P8,000 is yet to be delivered to my residential address here in Tondo. I just hoped that I don't get taxed this time.
:-/

Hello, Viper. Were you taxed when you had your orders delivered in Tondo? I'm staying at my aunt's house here in Tondo and am very much inclined to have some of my DVD orders sent to my residential address. Will you recommend na gamitin ko na lang iyong Tondo address ko?

For other PinoyDVD members living in this area and have tried this, your feedback will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Aeris muna si Akoito

viper · « **Reply #115 on:** Jun 19, 2002 at 10:01 AM »

Quote from: Aeris on Jun 19, 2002 at 09:51 AM

Hello, Viper. Were you taxed when you had your orders delivered in Tondo? I'm staying at my aunt's house here in Tondo and am very much inclined to have some of my DVD orders sent to my residential address. Will you recommend na gamitin ko na lang iyong Tondo address ko?

For other PinoyDVD members living in this area and have tried this, your feedback will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Aeris muna si Akoito

All MUSM shipments were not taxed (yet!) both delivered in Ortigas and Tondo.

Hope this helped.

akoito · « **Reply #116 on:** Jun 19, 2002 at 01:50 PM »

Thanks a lot, Viper.

To everyone: Has anyone of you shipped your items to Tondo via our post office? Were you taxed?
Thanks in advance for your feedback...

xage · « **Reply #117 on:** Jun 19, 2002 at 03:14 PM »

One thin for sure, Las Pinas Post office definitely charge

This post might not be DVD but what more if it is.

Just this afternoon my friend went to pick-up a gift package from his other friend in LP post office to his dismay he was charge by P1,800 dahil daw luxury item (A shirt luxury item and cost P1800) worst was he was not even given a receipt for his tax payment.

Believe better not trust this Post Office

xage · « **Reply #118 on:** Jun 20, 2002 at 11:19 AM »

Quote from: viper on Apr 14, 2002 at 05:50 PM

Depende nga talaga sa Customs officer. Merong masipag mag-compute, merong tamad.

Merong Corrupt, Merong Gulpe de Gulat, Merong Mapakiusapan, Merong nagpapahirap and merong based sa Customs book.

Hay, Only in the Philippines.

If the Anthrax is prevalent again, ewan ko lang if they would open it? Sana news na ito magwidespread uli para matakot makialam itong mga Customs na ito

anwarlorenzo · « **Reply #119 on:** Jun 20, 2002 at 07:42 PM »

OT: Pano kung magpapadala ng package thru fedex (dvds) magkano kaya? Siguro naman walang tax pag ganun diba?

Author Topic: Penalty charge from customs (Read 50058 times)

NY152

NY152