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  1. #1
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    Problems with shipping via Fedex

    Hi,

    I have lived in Thailand for 10 Years, I have had stuff shipped to me from a number of Countries and delivered by a host of freight companies. A friend in England has sent me two bicycle tyres she used a Company called ( Parcels to go) they find the cheapest shipper. My tyres are in a fairly large box as they have wire beads and cannot be folded. To my dismay I find they have been shipped via Fedex!! Now stuff I order online just turns up at the house but not Fedex they have a system whereby the Thai Customs check it as soon as it is shipped ( my stuff is not due until the 24th!!) Fedex emailed me a bureaucratic nightmare of a form which must be completed Ones Passport scanned and sent back !! I have been warned about the Fedex nonsense previously but of course was unaware that is who was being used!! Just to compound the misery Fedex have written that I have to have a licence to import bicycle tyres!! OK the vagaries of Thai Customs are not the fault of Fedex, but had my stuff been shipped via for instance Royal Mail and most of the other shippers there is none of this ridiculous paperwork the stuff just arrives!! So having paid 80 quid for shipping I now have to employ an agent who will hit me up for more money!! The system employed by Fedex which is no doubt well intended is as mentioned a Bureaucratic Nightmare and they are horribly expensive ( They are obviously trying to be more competitive as this is coming on their economy service!!) .If anyone knows of a decent agent please share!! I certainly will go to great lengths to ensure that anything I import does not come via Fedex ever again!!

  2. #2
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    PAG's Avatar
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    Like you, I quite frequently order stuff external to Thailand. I've found Amazon.com to be best for expediting, as well as usually having the best price. For export, within the cost, are amounts for shipping and import tax. This results in the order being cleared through by the courier (typically UPS), and where the estimated amount of duty is in excess of that charged, I get a refund within a couple of weeks.

    By co-incidence, I too ordered bicycle tyres a couple of weeks ago. Order placed on 3 October, received on 7 October. These particular tyres I could not find in Thailand (Continental Grand Prix 5000 Tubeless). Ordered 2 each of 25mm and 28mm.

    Order Summary

    Item(s) Subtotal:
    $233.48

    Shipping & Handling:
    $25.83


    Total before tax:
    $259.31

    Estimated tax to be collected:
    $0.00

    Import Fees Deposit
    $63.58


    Grand Total:
    $322.89


  3. #3
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    Bettyboo's Avatar
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    I desperately try to avoid any US shippers - here in Korea, Korea Post are great, quick and no duty issues/products held at the airport, etc. But, when US companies have their own USPS or Fedex type team working at the airport all you get is greater charges, paperwork coming out of nowhere and delays in time. It's exactly the same when ordering to the UK, you receive invoices later (with their own high service charge) from companies like Fedex. When I call them to ask for monies back or proof that they actually paid the duties, you get nowhere - absolute scam...

    Undoubtedly their are import systems and duties but certain carries, such as Fedex, have built it into their business model to earn more profits by manipulating the import systems in different countries.

    kuntz, and only ever a problem with the US carriers. BTW, if they lose your product, they have the worst customer service and you will never get refunds or probably even a response (and yes, alas over the years I have had problems with 2 or 3 items, lost via US carriers - I fukin hate them...

    The US is so huge that they've developed this hub system where your product can go miles out of its way, a far worse route than the company is capable of, but some pen pusher somewhere worked out that overall the company makes more profits by hubbing everything rather than sending the product to you via the most direct route - these hubs can be black holes, I've had a couple of products go missing around US hubs which weren't even on the direct route of getting my product to me... fukers, I hate the US shippers, and all the US folks I know feel the same way.
    Cycling should be banned!!!

  4. #4
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Yeah, Lazada has blown the competition out of the water in Thailand.

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  6. #6
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    I frequently get stuff shipped into Thailand for work. It is a frigging nightmare. FedEx are actually pretty good, and I have never had a delivery stopped by customs when shipping with them. DHL are a friggin mess and nine out of 10 shipments get stopped. DHL pretty much wash their hands at that point and clearing the shipment is god damn expensive as we have to arrange a courier company to clear the package and deliver it. The amount of paperwork is unbelievable. I tell all my shippers NOT to use DHL.

    The problem is customs. They seem to "randomly" stop some packages - but they "randomly" stop more for some shipping companies than others.

  7. #7
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Yup, Thai customs are a nightmare and one of the reasons Thailand has been stagnating for years while neighbours move ahead.

  8. #8
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nidhogg View Post
    I frequently get stuff shipped into Thailand for work. It is a frigging nightmare. FedEx are actually pretty good, and I have never had a delivery stopped by customs when shipping with them
    Same here Nid. No issue. Delivery to the lobby and note under door it has arrived. Usually very fast. I have various things shipped to me direct and to the company. The key is how the contents are defined and described. We use the word "Product Samples" a lot. Seems to work with no issues. I will say though, shipping from one company to another is easier. When someone goes to shipper the process is a lot more complicated, especially the "What is it" section on the form.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    I desperately try to avoid any US shippers - here in Korea, Korea Post are great, quick and no duty issues/products held at the airport, etc. But, when US companies have their own USPS or Fedex type team working at the airport all you get is greater charges, paperwork coming out of nowhere and delays in time. It's exactly the same when ordering to the UK, you receive invoices later (with their own high service charge) from companies like Fedex. When I call them to ask for monies back or proof that they actually paid the duties, you get nowhere - absolute scam...

    Undoubtedly their are import systems and duties but certain carries, such as Fedex, have built it into their business model to earn more profits by manipulating the import systems in different countries.

    kuntz, and only ever a problem with the US carriers. BTW, if they lose your product, they have the worst customer service and you will never get refunds or probably even a response (and yes, alas over the years I have had problems with 2 or 3 items, lost via US carriers - I fukin hate them...

    The US is so huge that they've developed this hub system where your product can go miles out of its way, a far worse route than the company is capable of, but some pen pusher somewhere worked out that overall the company makes more profits by hubbing everything rather than sending the product to you via the most direct route - these hubs can be black holes, I've had a couple of products go missing around US hubs which weren't even on the direct route of getting my product to me... fukers, I hate the US shippers, and all the US folks I know feel the same way.
    Interesting experience, I got overcharged some silly duty by FedEx and never got the money back, about 80 EUR on a 200 EUR order

    I guess it's standard procedure for the FedEx fookers, will never use them again!!!

  10. #10
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    It like a lottery with DHL, Fedex, or others, once it goes without any customs charge, once it is a huge problem.

    It's advisable to attach an invoice with a reasonably low amount. And if believable a notice:
    "Sample of no commercial value. For customs purpose only."

    Lately the TNT not so bad.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyrille View Post
    Yup, Thai customs are a nightmare and one of the reasons Thailand has been stagnating for years while neighbours move ahead.
    good observation, and very true

    one of the reason the IMF is asking Thailand to stop being a net exporter and hurting local consumption

  12. #12
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    Has anyone heard of Bicycle tyres requiring a licence when imported to Thailand ? I have had tyres sent previously but the shipper did not do any of this pre- arrival custom checking nonsense and as with everything else I have had sent there were no problems and the package came straight to my house!! I am assuming that the import licence may be because Thailand is a rubber exporter!! In fact I had the inner tubes I hope to use with my new Tyres delivered on Friday they came from the States via a budget shipper named Jersey Post ( of course if a licence is required for rubber products they should have been stopped!!)!! my feeling is that this advance customs checking does not work to the benefit of consignees!!

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat VocalNeal's Avatar
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    I feel it will get worse . I left a pair of glasses at a mate's place in Indonesia. He has had to jump through a load of bureaucracy/export/import permits just to send them back to me.

    On-line shopping is OK but locally there is no VAT etc, etc.

    Free shipment from China. How does that work? Many postal services are losing millions on that alone.
    Better to think inside the pub, than outside the box?
    I apologize if any offence was caused. unless it was intended.
    You people, you think I know feck nothing; I tell you: I know feck all
    Those who cannot change their mind, cannot change anything.

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