US Duty for an Aero

[HorseHide]

I made a very difficult decision today - I refused to accept a shipment from Aero because the UPS driver asked for $157 in fees for duty/customs/etc. I have bought numerous jackets (new and used) from Aero and the fees are usually in the $30-$50 range. This particular jacket happened to be a used one (although the price of the used jackets is now where the new jacket prices used to be :eusa_doh and it really surprised me.

I'm sure I'm going to regret it.

Any other experiences with US import fees?

 

[leopardstyle]

I haven't dealt with those. But that was a bold move bro!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I just don't get it...
Someone else posted about high fees..and now they seem to be calling the fee a 'brokerage fee' rather than 'import' or 'duty' fees. Evidentally something has changed. Perhaps Aero would know what is going on. That's quite a $$ jump.
HD

 

[Peacoat]

Sometime back I was waiting on an Eastman to get here. While tracking it, I noticed it was in customs in NYC awaiting release for delivery. After a week I got a call from a lady with the shipping company. Can't remember the name, but I believe it is headquartered in Belgium. She said additional fees of $75 import duty and $30 "handling" fees were due. This was after I had already paid a good chunk of money to Eastman for shipping. Wasn't real happy about it, but I paid up and received the jacket the next day.

So assuming the charge I paid was a valid charge, that is quite a jump from $105 for a $1000 new jacket to $157 for a used jacket. I think it was in September when I got the Eastman. Interestingly, it took three times longer to get from NYC to here than it took to get from England to Brussels to NYC. The delay was caused by the hang up in customs, which was the fault of the shipping company. Part of it can be blamed on Eastman as the jacket in the package wasn't properly described. I had to provide that, and the shipping company gave the info to the customs people before customs would release it.

Not sure how much of the additional charges are valid and how much goes to pad the shippers' pockets. They certainly have us over a barrel. And yes, that was a bold move you made by refusing delivery.

 

[Edward]

Over here, Parcelforce like to get the arm in with a "handling fee" - basically they charge you an admin fees of sorts for them having to pay the import duties and then claim it back from you. Nowhere near as steep as that sounds, though. Not for the admin charge, anyhow, which is equivalent of around USD20.00 if memory serves. Import & VAT on the other hand ads 22.5% to purchase price, and is calculated on total including shipping...

 

[Grayland]

Who makes the decision on what the import fees are? The shipping company or some govt. agency? Does Aero normally use UPS to deliver their jackets?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

That seems strange to me Peacoat.
My new Aeros always came by USPS...and the mailman collected a 'duty..or import fee' at the time he delivered it...and gave me a receipt. Never payed over $50. I think that I received my last new Aero jacket in late summer of 2011.
HD

 

[Jeff M]

I was the one who posted earlier this week about the $157 "brokerage" fee I was assessed by UPS.
I've called them....initially told that was what the "customs fee was". When I told them I knew of others who received the exact same item to the same region of the country within the past month who had just a $48 dollar assessment...I was referred to another number.
That person noted that the invoice did not say what the item was. Just "A2 jerky seal" ie, the person who assessed the fee likely had no idea what the package contained.
I was referred to another number I called on Monday. Was asked for the "bill number" As I had not yet received a "bill" from UPS in the mail, I did not have that yet. (Didn't matter what the tracking number was....they wanted the "bill" number.)
They also did not "have it in their system yet" .
I will be calling them tomorrow to see if I can get any further.
BTW, the number I was finally given to call at UPS is 582 485 2600...extension 6, then extension 2. Their "brokerage accounting department". Give them a call. The more that hammer on that door the better.

I've also notified Amanda at Aero about this. She was shocked...said that is WAY above the norm for jackets to the states.
Give her a call/email. Tell her what happened. We need Aero to hammer on some doors here too. (This is certainly not good for their business in the states.)

 

[leopardstyle]

Let me tell you guys I've had some horror stores with UPS. They shipped a cafe racer jacket of mine to some other apartment not even on my street. Then told me they had shipped it to me. I might have been able to get my money back after a while but the jacket was a one of a kind jacket. I was insensed. I went door to door until I finally say it through the window of some guys apartment. He was nice. I got my jacket. And I've been majorly suspicious of ups ever since.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

When did Aero start using UPS..? Maybe this accounts for the new fees(what they now call brokerage fees). My new Aeros have always been shipped USPS (stateside postal service).
HD

 

[Jeff M]

When did Aero start using UPS..? Maybe this accounts for the new fees(what they now call brokerage fees). My new Aeros have always been shipped USPS (stateside postal service).
HD

Not sure. I wish they would go back to their old shipping method.

Another UPS story.
About 2 months ago I received a guitar shipped from a luthier in Canada.
He assured me there would be no "customs" fees involved..because of NAFTA. (He ships lots of guitars to the US.)...and whatever minimal "brokerage fees" UPS charged he would cover.
When the guitar arrieved, they wanted a check for $550.00 for "brokerage fees".
I refused the package...emailed the sender. He was irate.
He got on the phone with UPS that day, called me back to tell me it had all been clarified (there should have been no fee). I received a call on my answering machind from somebody at UPS saying there should have been no fee and the guitar would be delivered the next day.
The next day the UPS guy shows up again...still wants the $500 + "brokerage fee". I explained to him what I had been told, ...offered to play him the answering machine message from UPS.

Aero, PLEASE do the same. Get on the phone with UPS and clarify this.
He was a nice guy caught in the middle. He was able to contact one of his supervisors (it was after 5 pm), who told him no fee was due.
Ended up working out, but what a pain in the ass.

Aero, PLEASE do the same. Get on the phone with UPS and clarify this.
I have the feeling something similar is going on here. Some clown at UPS who doesn't know what they are doing assigning random "brokerage fees" when they don't know what should be assigned.

 

[too much coffee]

Heck, it's just rampant. I had an M-1 Garand "lost" with FEDEX. Three month battle to get the insurance claim.

I commend you HorseHide for your refusal of the jacket. That took a lot of self discipline.

Jeff M.: Don't let UPS give you the high hard one. Keep fighting the good fight. I urge all of us to do the same.

We need to all draft letters to all the major carriers and just have them explain, by written response their policies on collecting fees (Customs, brokerage or what have you) upon delivery of foreign made goods. I'm doing mine tonight.

Regards,

coffee

 

[HorseHide]

I'm not sure you can describe a guy that owns 5 (ok 6) Aeros as "self-disciplined"... I'll be curious to see what Amanda says.

BTW - Aero has always shipped UPS to me (and in Chicago UPS is hands-down better than the USPS)

 

[leopardstyle]

Yes, we should. And not to put the onus on someone else but I think ups pays more attention when the vendor puts the heat on them.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Just checked all my receipts over the last 10-11 yrs to make sure. Yep..all my Aeros have been delivered by USPS. Highest 'duty fee' was for $47. Never had a problem with USPS.
HD

 

[Grayland]

Damn, Mark at Aero USA only charged $75 for shipping and customs! I should buy my jacket from him....never mind.

 

[GoodTimesGone]

I was the one who posted earlier this week about the $157 "brokerage" fee I was assessed by UPS.
I've called them....initially told that was what the "customs fee was". When I told them I knew of others who received the exact same item to the same region of the country within the past month who had just a $48 dollar assessment...I was referred to another number.
That person noted that the invoice did not say what the item was. Just "A2 jerky seal" ie, the person who assessed the fee likely had no idea what the package contained.

Perhaps overseas companies should use words like "jacket, apparel, or clothing" on the invoice. Your average man on the street probably doesn't know what an A-2 is. They may have guessed it was beef jerky or illegal baby seal meat.

 

[HorseHide]

They may have guessed it was beef jerky or illegal baby seal meat.

Or haggis... :eeek:

BTW - nothing new to report, Amanda has emailed her account rep at UPS. I guess any US-based buyer needs to hold off on a purchase (or at least a shipment) until this gets resolved or factor in (yet another) price increase.

 

[Jeff M]

Spoke with the "accounting" department at UPS.
For some reason, unlike the person I got previously, she did not need a UPS invoice number, just the tracking number.
Very nice rep.
Told her the situation. She checked how the package was entered into the system by the UPS person who assigns customs fees.
It was entered as "mens shirts"...which have a higher custom fee.
Asked for Aero's web site.....gave it to her and showed her the exact item I purchased.
Refund is in the works. Will take 4-6 weeks.
She noted if this happens again in the future to refuse delivery, contact UPS, and they will make the appropriate corrections at that time. The driver will make 3 attempts at delivery...so by the next time they attempt delivery they will have the correct brokerage fee.

She also noted the person who entered the item as "shirts" should have called Aero to find out what the item was. :eusa_doh:

 

[sbhva]

There is no import duty on used clothing. Aero needs to fill out the paperwork correctly as a used item at the beginning of the process.