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TRENZ / MEGA65 Problems - So far, an terrible experience. Think before buying.

    Snoopy

    Trenz tried everything from their end, but the problem is with UPS UK, they are the ones that want to charge the customer a second time the import tax. Trenz even contacted UPS and tried to clarify this. (That's already more than many other companies would do !)

    So what else can they do ? How on earth is Trenz responsible for an incorrectly requested import tax from a country and their postal service ?

    I don't know what else I can do really. Saying it's my problem to sort out is wrong. I am the customer at the end of the day and I've been left in limbo. It is Trenz responsibility to get it to me.


    I've tried talking to UPS every day - different people, same result.


    Trenz have tried to help by emailing UPS today, and have had as much success as I have. UPS is their chosen supplier. What happens when it goes back to Germany and is sent out again ? Same situation ? Different paperwork ?


    I don't like bashing people - but with so much money on the line and both sides saying they've helped as much as they can leaves me (the customer) in a bad situtation.


    If the boot was on the other foot, I'm pretty sure as a buyer most people would be angry in this situation.

    Quote from Snoopy
    Quote from Saskia

    Actually Trenz has no way of fixing this. He has to reach out to his local UPS branch office or their imports office to sort this out.

    The MEGA65 then goes back to Trenz and they have to send it out again.


    It can never be the paying customer's job to have to take care of something like that. The seller must ensure that the goods reach the customer correctly.

    No, you are clearly wrong. When in Germany you buy something from a Non-EU-Retailer that does not have correct CE documentation, customs can simply destroy it. Good luck getting your money back then. I guess that the UK has the same legal situation as the EU: The importer/receiver is responsible for tariffs. And in this specific case, the tariff is imposed either by UK customs or by an overeager UPS representativ - but not by Trenz.

    As I believe that Trenz has sent the correct paperwork, the best way to resolve this would be to pay the tariff to get the device out of customs, then challenge the paid tariff. Quick internet seach shows that there is a specific form but that does not seem to apply to UPS.

    BOR286 - Customs Duty and/or import VAT relating to imports by post


    Trenz can only send stuff with correct paperwork. The challenge of a tariff imposed on the receiver by the tax office can only be contested by the receiver, not the sender. That's the way custom system work and it makes life hellish for many small retailers, especially in the UK. As seen here it can be bad the other way around too.

    Quote from adtbm

    Snoopy

    Trenz tried everything from their end, but the problem is with UPS UK, they are the ones that want to charge the customer a second time the import tax. Trenz even contacted UPS and tried to clarify this. (That's already more than many other companies would do !)

    So what else can they do ? How on earth is Trenz responsible for an incorrectly requested import tax from a country and their postal service ?

    I am not saying that they are responsible for the specific problem at UPS. It may well be a fault with UPS.


    However, Trenz is the one who sent the parcel, and in my experience with various parcel shippers so far, the recipient can do exactly nothing. The shipper is responsible here, and only he can, if at all, make arrangements with the shipper.


    If nothing happens now, the MEGA65 will come back to Trenz and then Trenz will have to find a solution for getting the MEGA65 to the customer. After all, he has paid for it and wants to hold it in his hands.


    But to impose any responsibility or task on a buyer of an 800 EUR item is simply “customer unfriendly”. Trenz has the money for the MEGA65 and now has to deliver it. How, that is not the task of the buyer.

    There is no way I am paying an extra £129, to release it from customs - to then attempt to claim it back.

    I have heard nightmare stories about this where it's taken years and few have the money refunded. I had it once with Ebay, for double taxation... I lost about £80... they refunded about £19 of the £100 I should have had back.


    What happens if the repair is unsuccessful and it needs returning too ?


    It just looks like I have to wait for it to be returned - which I think the process will start mid next week if not resolved and delivered. God knows how quickly that will be sent back... and then... I have no idea...


    I have no idea if the paperwork was correct - and if so, why are they asking for more import tax ? - and if Trenz have spoken to them since and supplied the relevant data - why has it not been cleared.?

    The plot thickens. Just had this from UPS:


    Good afternoon Corinna

    VAT and a brokerage fee were applied to the shipment as the attached commercial invoice we received from Trenz stated the goods were a sale rather than a return.

    As the Customs entry has already cleared on the information provided the charges would need to be paid to take delivery and a reclaim would need to be submitted directly to HMRC using form C285 which can be found on their website using the following link. As this was not a UPS error we would charge a Postclearance amendment fee of £70.00 plus VAT to submit the claim to HMRC on the importer’s behalf.

    How to claim a repayment of import duty and VAT if you've overpaid - GOV.UK

    I have attached a copy of the Customs declaration as the MRN/entry details will be required to submit the reclaim.

    Regards


    Rachel Collier

    Postclearance Broker

    Brokerage Office, Douglas Way

    East Midlands Airport

    Derby DE74 2BQ

    rachel.collier@ups.com

    Phone: +441332 975249

    umm, not with UK gun laws. In the UK, knifings seem to be ok and tolerated. Same as here.


    Not send stuff via UPS next time.

    but bear in mind that FedEx is in no way better. Fedex quoted me 208 € shipping and charged me 468. And they do not respond to customer service requests.

    Quote from docbobo

    Snoopy, Trenz has delivered.

    A product is only delivered when the buyer holds it in his hands.


    I'm not even saying that Tenz has done anything wrong here. That's not the point at all. There is probably a big misunderstanding between UPS and Trenz's documents.


    However, this is not the problem of the buyer, but - unfortunately - that of Trenz. The buyer pays and Trenz is responsible for ensuring that the buyer either gets a MEGA65 or his money back. That is the business risk of a commercial seller.


    It cannot be that the customer has to take care of it. If there is no other way, Trenz must send the MEGA65 with DHL or another service.

    Actually you are mistaken. Unless the conditions of contract explicitely state otherwise the customer is always responsible for all import duties etc for overseas shipment. A notable exception is digikey / mouser, i.e. if you order from them, customs clearance is included in the shipment and the stuff is precleared before it leaves their warehouse. For any other shop I know, they always state that import fees/taxes/duties are the sole responsibility of the end user. tbh my impression is that UPS screwed up big time and Trenz is going out of their way to resolve it for the customer. If in doubt UPS could return the parcel to Trenz and they could reship it. But they would have to get the old parcel back first.


    The EU did everything to make an example of the UK to prevent others from exiting. It would not have had to be this bad. But anyway, this does not help the end user.


    Btw receiving a parcel from the UK is a similar nightmare. Have you ever filled out the electronic goods declaration which is now mandatory for shipments > 150€ (thanks to Faeser) ? It's EU bureaucrats that are the main problem. Plus UPS hiring from the cheap labor pool.

    Quote from Saskia

    Actually you are mistaken. Unless the conditions of contract explicitely state otherwise the customer is always responsible for all import duties etc for overseas shipment.

    However, the issue here is that it is a return shipment for repair, which according to Trenz is exempt from a new import tax. But UPS has booked it as a normal shipment on which tax is payable.


    And there is nothing the customer can do as the recipient of the shipment. He did not fill out any documents, that was Trenz. Obviously something has gone wrong here that the recipient cannot correct, even if he wanted to.


    The parcel will probably be returned to Trenz and then they will have to try again with a different parcel service provider or agree to cancel the purchase and refund the customer's money.

    Latest update.


    After a lot of emails I finally spoke to someone sensible at UPS and convinced them to waive the fees and allow me to pick up. The lady was very nice - but wanted to make a point to Trenz that the paperwork was not right (although Trenz say it was) - I don't know who was right or wrong, but I didn't want it to be stuck at a stalemate. The lady agreed it would be pointless to send back, just to tweak paperwork and return it - which makes no sense to all parties.

    So I went and collected it. Not ideal, as the depot was miles away and meant I had to get out of work early - but I just wanted it done.


    So I now have the machine. Not had a chance to test the fault yet, but hope to this evening if I get time - but will do it in the next day or so.


    Fingers crossed its all fine and I can put this all this drama behind me.


    The whole Brexit / EU imports thing is a bit of a mess. I don't think stopping sales to the UK is a solution. If a machine was made in the UK/USA and EU members wanted one but the UK/USA decided not to ship, it would annoy buyers. It goes both ways. We don't want to go the way of Trump with massive tariffs, and becoming xenophobic. It just needs to be simpler for exports/imports - and certainly easier to resolve. I guess its the way of things in the modern world. Foreign call centres, less staff, stupid automated websites / chat portals. All due to cost cutting.


    It's been very frustrating. Hopefully this is the end of it.

    Good to have you in the circle of MEGA65 owners and I hope you enjoy the machine as much as I do.


    As mentioned, I have stopped buying stuff at two of my favourite online retailers in the UK because of the tariff and customs nonsense especially when shipped with DHL / Deutsche Post where they prepay the tariff without asking me and then charge me extra for prepaying it and also make me go to a far away post office for pickup because I can't pay the driver as he can only take cash and does not have change. I did that three times and then just stopped buying anything from the UK.

    Update; So I have finally tested the Mega65, which was returned after a faulty external SD port was fixed.


    The card now latches, allowing me to try and use it - but it wont format any SD cards.

    Tried 3 cards. To the spec required - Micro SD 32gb SDHC


    Starts to format and throws up a message 'Erasing configuration area 1021' - a red border appears and it locks up.


    On rebooting - a message pops up saying:

    WARNING: UNSUPPORTED PAGE SIZE.

    ERROR: FAILED TO PROBE FLASH

    (DIP #3 NOT ON?)


    Has an internal switch been altered during maintenance ?


    Before I go back to Trenz again, I thought I would try the experts in here first.


    Any info would be greatfully received. Thanks