Society of Robots - Robot Forum
General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: Cristi_Neagu on April 05, 2010, 04:47:34 PM
-
Hello.
This one is addressed to people outside the US.
I bought an Axon a couple of days later off of the SOR website, via Google checkout. The parcel will be delivered via USPS. I did ordered something from Amazon a while back and they use UPS, so i know where to pick up a parcel from UPS. But USPS is totally unrelated to that, from what i can understand. So where am i supposed to pick up my Axon? Does the USPS has outlets across the world like UPS, or will i have to go down to my local post office? Or is it something altogether different?
I live in Romania, by the way.
Thanks.
-
USPS is United-State Postal Service, the national postal service.
I live in Canada and here USPS packages are delivered by Canada Post.
You will probably have to pick it up at your local post office if you're not home for the
mailman.
-
You may need to be prepared to pay 'customs/import duty' ie VAT
Not sure on the arrangement in Romania.
It also depends how 'switched on' the post man is. In the UK I've sometimes been asked to pay, sometimes not.
-
Cristi,
The package will arrive to the Post Office that handles the international package mailing. You will get a notice to pick it up in the presence of the customs officer. If he feels like, you may have to pay taxes. Most of the times, you won't, but who knows... At least that's what happened to me in Sibiu when I got a package from US. Good luck!
-
When the USPS tracking says its arrived in your country, try calling your local post office or use their website to inquire. Sometimes the tracking number changes. Quite often the tracking just stops.
If you need to pick it up, bring with you a copy of the receipt just in case.
Note for anyone else - I don't know your local customs laws, so if you know tricks to reduce your fees, let me know when you make the order!
As for customs, its often your countries way of protecting you from evil imports, such as the Axon . . .
-
Just write in the form that it's a gift and it will be spared...
-
Just write in the form that it's a gift and it will be spared...
That doesn't work for a business that ships often. I have to keep it legal, at least for me in the US.
If however you live in a 3rd world country, like I do, and getting the mail depends on how you bribe the postman, then I'll make adjustments :P
-
Just write in the form that it's a gift and it will be spared...
That doesn't work for a business that ships often. I have to keep it legal, at least for me in the US.
Maybe telling it's for "educational purposes" is still legal?
-
Just write in the form that it's a gift and it will be spared...
That doesn't work for a business that ships often. I have to keep it legal, at least for me in the US.
Maybe telling it's for "educational purposes" is still legal?
Unfortunately not a box available to check off :P
In some countries, even labeling it as a gift mailed to yourself (same name for both sender and receiver) won't work.
-
Thanks for the replies.
I estimate i'll have to wait at least a week for the Axon to enter my country. And i do foresee quite a hassle getting my hands on it. I think it would have been better if it would have arrived by UPS. But to each his own. But i do like the fact that i'll get a notice telling me to come down and get the package. When i got that delivery by UPS, i missed the delivery guy by a minute, literally. I had to travel across town do pick that package up.
-
I think it would have been better if it would have arrived by UPS
UPS to any country other than Canada will cost about $65+ in shipping. Most people would rather the hour of hassle than pay $40 more, but I can do UPS if special requested (it occasionally happens).
I only recommend UPS if your local post service is very unreliable.
-
when it comes to paying import duty on packages it depends a lot which shipping company you use.
some couriers you rarely pay import duty, others sometimes and others you pay every time.
UPS tends to do everything by the book. on the plus side that means reliable tracking and shipping times.
on the minus side, they are far more likely to notice if there is import duty to be paid on a package and report it to customs.
at least, that's the UPS depot here.
maybe UPS depots in other countries are less strict.
i'd say using USPS from the US to the Romanian postal service has a reasonable chance of missing customs.
dunk.
-
UPS tends to do everything by the book. on the plus side that means reliable tracking and shipping times.
on the minus side, they are far more likely to notice if there is import duty to be paid on a package and report it to customs.
One reason I will never use UPS again is their outrageous brokerage fees "entry preparation". Last time they charged me 20$ + taxes on a 70$ order.
20$ just to print a form... On the other hand, Canada Post doesn't charge a cent and I don't have to drive to the middle of nowhere to get my package...
Chelmi.
-
chelmi, would you recommend I only ship to Canada using USPS ($27 upfront) and not by UPS ($15 upfront)?
I'm trying to reduce total cost to the customer, and if frustration + customs fees are much higher with UPS, I'll end my UPS shipping . . . on my end, shipping everything by USPS is much more convenient.
-
I speak for myself here, but yes, I much prefer USPS. I know that ladyada (www.adafruit.com (http://www.adafruit.com)) uses USPS exclusively for international shipments.
There are other guys from Canada on the forum, maybe they have a different opinion...
-
I do have to admit that when i used UPS in the past, i had something delivered from UK to Romania. Shipping was 9 bristish ppounds for a 3kg pack (i think it was 3 kilos anyways). They said it will arrive in 18 days, but, even with 1 day delay because i missed the delivery, i got my hands on the package in 5 days, using low priority delivery. All went fine, even tough there was a hole in my package suspiciously shaped like a boot. Thankfully, Amazon know how to pack their products, and the inner box was unharmed.
Obviously, shipping form the US is different, and when i'll receive my Axon i'll give you feedback on just how well it went, if you want me to.
P.S. If you say that UPS charges $65 for shipping over the pond, I don't see the point of using UPS then.
Thanks for the replies.
-
P.S. If you say that UPS charges $65 for shipping over the pond, I don't see the point of using UPS then.
For Canada its only ~$15. Also, for 3rd-world countries, your package is likely to 'disappear' if you use the local post service. I only ship stuff to myself in Thailand by UPS/FedEx, despite it costing $40 more upfront.
-
A customer just reported that Canadian customs fees for an Axon is now $57. Disgusting, considering the Axon is $94.
I'm going to try shipping only by USPS for Canada, now.
-
It was about £30 in the U.K. They really get their arm in.
-
Hi,
Just write in the form that it's a gift and it will be spared...
That doesn't work for a business that ships often. I have to keep it legal, at least for me in the US.
Maybe telling it's for "educational purposes" is still legal?
Unfortunately not a box available to check off :P
In some countries, even labeling it as a gift mailed to yourself (same name for both sender and receiver) won't work.
"Sample(s)" usually work :)
-
"Sample(s)" usually work :)
I don't think that'd work... I'd probably get a mean stare and possibly a suspection of smuggling stuff into the country. I'm sticking with the gift story for now ;D
Disgusting, considering the Axon is $94.
On an unrelated note, here's something that probably needs fixing:
(http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/3932/screenshot003jc.jpg) (http://img710.imageshack.us/i/screenshot003jc.jpg/)
I'm seeing it right now on the right side of the forum. Please note the pricing.
-
On an unrelated note, here's something that probably needs fixing
oops, fixed
-
Do you guys have DHL in the US? I live in Canada and i work at an outdoors store and all out stuff is either UPS or DHl. (if its not Canada Post)
Tyler
-
For Canada its only ~$15. Also, for 3rd-world countries, your package is likely to 'disappear' if you use the local post service. I only ship stuff to myself in Thailand by UPS/FedEx, despite it costing $40 more upfront.
Actually I live in Canada, and it arrived via UPS and I had to pay $57.xx
Update: admin already quoted me lol
-
I received mine in Toronto sent through USPS and didn't had to pay anything. Avoid UPS, FedEx or DHL. You will be charged customs if you use those carriers.
-
Hi.
I know i'm late with the update, but here it goes...
My Axon arrived at my local international post office on april 15th, which was thursday. I went down there monday, 19th, to pick it up. They hadn't yet sent me a notification, so if someone thinks that their delivery is late, just pop on down to your local post office and check if they know anything about it.
So, anyways, i went in, and when the lady handed me the package showed me an invoice, showed me where it says "$94", and told me: "if it goes over $75, you have to pay tax". And that was it. She let me go without paying taxes.
I do have a complaint to make: when i opened the package, i noticed the LDO was bent, as if someone decided that my package would look great under a huge pile of something. Also, the ground pin on the battery connector is slightly bent. Is it supposed to be like that, because it doesn't look accidental. I could post photos if you like.
All in all, everything works ok. I would suggest adding a styrofoam cover over the Axon, in order to avoid such mishaps.
-
So, anyways, i went in, and when the lady handed me the package showed me an invoice, showed me where it says "$94", and told me: "if it goes over $75, you have to pay tax". And that was it. She let me go without paying taxes.
useful! thanks!
I do have a complaint to make: when i opened the package, i noticed the LDO was bent, as if someone decided that my package would look great under a huge pile of something. Also, the ground pin on the battery connector is slightly bent. Is it supposed to be like that, because it doesn't look accidental. I could post photos if you like.
All in all, everything works ok. I would suggest adding a styrofoam cover over the Axon, in order to avoid such mishaps.
You are the second person to say this . . . a bent LDO is perfectly harmless, however. I used to put bubble wrap in with it, but it would make the package very bulky. I might just start doing it again, though. Those packages aren't allowed over 4 or 5 ounces (with the Axon its already 4oz, which is fairly lite) . . . so stacking even a hundred isn't enough force to cause bending . . . its probably very rough handling that caused it . . .
-
mine was bent too when i received it, but i just bent it back straight..
note: careful when you do, you don't want to loosen the soldering.