About a month ago I order a lens for my camera. The lens is getting great reviews in the states and I thought it would be fun to have it over to here take some great shots. Plus I have the time to master using it. So I emailed the company inquiring about shipping to India. The company is located in Oregon and they said "no problem". The shipping cost was almost reasonable at $31.0 for United States Postal Service. I made sure to pay with my credit card so just in case I never received it I could always call my bank to have the charge removed. I receive notification that the lens shipped. Since I am unsure of how the mail works here I thought it was safe to have it shipped to my work address.
Last week I receive a letter that there is problem with my package and it is being held at Customs. Granted the lens is kind of goofy looking so I was joking to myself that they must have thought I was a spy. I spoke with Ankoor, who is in charge of making arrangements for me while I am here, about picking up my package. After nearly a week of him trying to track where we had to go, at what time, to meet who, and on what day we finally went to the post office today to pick up the package.
Gamar drove Ankoor and I deep into the heart of Old Ahmedabad and even Ankoor and Gamar got lost. Ankoor tried to use the GPS on his phone to locate the post office but the whindy roads proved to be too much for the locating device. Eventually after doubling back a couple times and asking for directions we eventually made it to the government building. I expected the condition of the building to be nicer than the rest since it was post office, but no it definitely was not.
The three of us sit down in the foreign post office waiting room while the workers find the appropriate forms. Originally Ankoor thought all I would have to prove is that I was visiting in India and prove that I worked at KJWW. So he brought a letter of employment and I brought my passport. After a few minutes I am given a customs form to fill out before I go to the main office.
Ankoor and I are instructed to go to the main office to discuss my package. Ankoor tells the head guy who I am, what I am doing in India, and that I requested this package for personal use. The man responds by saying that the problem is that I had it sent a business address. Since the package originated from a business they are considering it a business to business transaction which carries a tariff charge, 15% of the stated value of $300. However, the shipper did not state how much was paid for shipping they are going to add that on too at 20% of the stated value. Naturally, since I am clearly importing something to the country they ask me where my importer-exporter license is and since I do not have one I am required to pay a penalty fee of 100% of my previous charges.
When it was all said and done, they wanted to collect Rs.6600 from me (or $135). I immediately tell them I am not paying that and I want a better explanation of the charges. A new form appears with a bunch of itemized lines and at the top there is a charge for shipping. I tell him I do not understand why I am being charged for shipping when I paid for shipping in the US. He shows me on the customs form where the sender did not fill out the shipping costs, so they are assuming there were none and they will charge me now. I tell them I have a receipt in my email that shows the shipping cost and if I supply it for them can the charge be dropped? Ok sure, they had no problem.
Then they explain the 15% tariff charge because of the business to business transaction and associated penalty fee for not having an importer-exporter license. I retort that it is not for my company but for me personally. We go back and forth arguing whether it was important to add "c/o" when I listed KJWW under my name. Apparently that made all the difference. I threatened to bring in my credit card receipt and show that I paid for it from personal funds and not company funds. At this point my total fee has dropped to Rs.4500.
The man says fine he will waive the 100% penalty fee but I still need to pay the tariff and a Rs. 1000 fine. This totals Rs. 3300. I am sensing the fine will go straight into his pocket so I counter offer by paying a Rs. 2000 fine but no tarif. He tells me this is impossible as he needs to fill out the paperwork with this tariff attached. I agree to the Rs. 3300 while gritting my teeth. As we walk out of the office, Ankoor confirms to me that the Rs. 1000 will go straight to that man. I need to go back to the office so I can print my order receipt. Tomorrow I will try again to pick up my package. Hopefully I will actually walk out with it...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment