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Frustrated with International Shipping! How do I deal with it?

Privateday7
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MSNWatch MSNWatch
Problem is these packages were both opened at the port of entry into the US and in both instances I received an empty FedEx box. The first time it happened, the watch was eventually located - it was carelessly misplaced somewhere in a FedEx warehouse and eventually showed up in a lost and found section there - the condition of the watch though upon receipt was a bit worse than when it left the seller - probably got beat up a bit as it was not handled with due care. In the second instance all I had was a FedEx box containing an empty watch box with FedEx claiming Customs confiscated the watch but I received no proof whatsoever that this was the case - likely it was stolen. Also in the second instance FedEx was of no help whatsoever - they wouldn't even bother to try and track who handled the package or check in their lost and found. And in both cases, the watches were described appropriately as vintage omega watches with correct value (the first was a gold plated ranchero the second was a NOS early 861 speedmaster), I faxed a watch worksheet form as I always do when receiving watches via FedEx and I have an account with them where they bill me for their fees and duties. I don't think the paperwork was the issue.


::facepalm1:: very bad service from such big brand............
 
shaun hk
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I import drugs from Australia to HK as a big part of my job. We have sent thousands (probably 10 a week for 10 years) of parcels by EMS speedpost and only ever lost two that did turn up eventually. Legally we have to send the good stuff (dangerous drugs) by courier and Fedex have lost one of these shipments. Fedex were awful, they refuse to acknowledge they had lost the parcel and would only say "we cannot locate the box right now", which they repeated frequently.
As for a watch to Japan, I would go EMS every time, Japan is such a safe country, crime rates are so low that I would send with total confidence.
 
Archer
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No carrier is perfect. If you ask enough people, someone will have had a problem with any carrier at some point, and will swear "they are the worst!"

I get watches in via the postal service all the time - never lost one. I get watches in from within Canada using various carriers, from Canada Post to various couriers - never lost one. I send them out using FedEx most of the time - never lost one. Probably over 99% of my business are watches that are shipped to me in one way or another, so when we talk about volume, 1000 high value parcels isn't that many for me.

The only carrier I tell people to avoid specifically is UPS. That is because when the driver (same guy most of the time) drops off the packages, he never knocks or rings the doorbell. He knows I'm here - I've caught him a few times as he was walking away, and told him that I'm always here, but still he just puts the package down and walks away....

Cheers, Al
 
X350 XJR
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And in both cases, the watches were described appropriately as vintage omega watches with correct value (the first was a gold plated ranchero the second was a NOS early 861 speedmaster), I faxed a watch worksheet form as I always do when receiving watches via FedEx and I have an account with them where they bill me for their fees and duties. I don't think the paperwork was the issue.

Here in lies your mistake. You over described the items, giving too much detail inviting inappropriate snooping.

Parcel Pro's online Commercial Invoice for FedEx lists a watch as a "Precision Instrument" with the appropriate tariff code. They specifically forbid any descriptives even in the shipper's company name, which might tip off anyone, that there may be something of interest contained in the shipment.

Considering they specialize in the worldwide shipment of jewelry, precious metals, stones, watches etc., I think perhaps they know what they are doing.
 
Archer
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X350 XJR X350 XJR
Here in lies your mistake. You over described the items, giving too much detail inviting inappropriate snooping.

Parcel Pro's online Commercial Invoice for FedEx lists a watch as a "Precision Instrument" with the appropriate tariff code. They specifically forbid any descriptives even in the shipper's company name, which might tip off anyone, that there may be something of interest contained in the shipment.

Considering they specialize in the worldwide shipment of jewelry, precious metals, stones, watches etc., I think perhaps they know what they are doing.

Well yes and no. It's not that easy when shipping to the US in particular. FedEx requires that you fill out a watch work sheet for every shipment sent to the US containing a watch. This lists details of the case material, strap material, number of jewels, if it's manual winding, automatic, or quartz, if it's a digital; watch or analogue, if it's a chronograph or not, a breakdown of all these values, and finally the country of origin of the movement. This information is required by US Customs for determining the level of duties/taxes associated with the import of the watch.

All good using a sneaky "Precision instrument" description on the commercial invoices, and putting in the package value as "zero' as the ParcelPro web site does automatically, but when all the details are laid out in plain sight anyway, it becomes a moot point.

And with using FedEx, you will not get a watch into the US without that sheet - trust me I know this well as FedEx will often loose the sheets, even though they have never lost a watch. In fact if you are sending back a repaired watch, I will send that sheet, plus 2 other sheets that they require me to fill out with various details repeated in differing formats, all with 2 copies of course. I will have to list when the watch came to me, the name and address of the person who sent it, what the extent of the repairs done were, what the value of the various parts I repaired was before and after I repaired them, and on and on and on...

If anyone can't figure out it's a watch looking at all these sheets, then they are pretty thick....and yes I use ParcelPro for all my FedEx shipments, and they know all these other documents are being sent along with the watch.

Cheers, Al
 
X350 XJR
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Sorry, I should have clarified I was speaking specifically to shipments sent from the US internationally, which I believe the OP was dealing with. I also always fully value my shipments as well and list them as "commercial".
 
Tony C.
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And in both cases, the watches were described appropriately as vintage omega watches with correct value (the first was a gold plated ranchero the second was a NOS early 861 speedmaster), I faxed a watch worksheet form as I always do when receiving watches via FedEx and I have an account with them where they bill me for their fees and duties. I don't think the paperwork was the issue.

They were described on the Airbill as "vintage omega watches"? That would be an invitation to problems, which is why at least one major third-party insurer won't bind any package that includes the word "watch" on the airbill. A euphemism is used, although the contents are described specifically in the customs paperwork.

I've imported many watches using FedEx and this method, without a single incident.

With regard to Al's response above, PP has had a tremendous amount of experience with this, and clearly there is an advantage to not identifying the contents as a watch on the airbill. Any employee who is rummaging through the customs paperwork would be asking for trouble, obviously. It's a tried and true method, though obviously not failsafe.
 
Archer
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X350 XJR X350 XJR
Sorry, I should have clarified I was speaking specifically to shipments sent from the US internationally, which I believe the OP was dealing with. I also always fully value my shipments as well and list them as "commercial".

It would appear to me these were incoming shipments to the US, not outgoing, but perhaps Mike can clarify. If they were outgoing shipments, they would not need the watch worksheet that he described having filed for each of the shipments - again these sheets tell you it's a watch - it says so right on the sheet, and gives a full breakdown of value.

Cheers, Al
 
Archer
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Tony C. Tony C.
They were described on the Airbill as "vintage omega watches"? That would be an invitation to problems, which is why at least one major third-party insurer won't bind any package that includes the word "watch" on the airbill. A euphemism is used, although the contents are described specifically in the customs paperwork.

I've imported many watches using FedEx and this method, without a single incident.

With regard to Al's response above, PP has had a tremendous amount of experience with this, and clearly there is an advantage to not identifying the contents as a watch on the airbill. Any employee who is rummaging through the customs paperwork would be asking for trouble, obviously. It's a tried and true method, though obviously not failsafe.

Not sure what you mean by rummaging through the papers - when I had a package over to FedEx, a copy of all these forms are in the pouch that is stuck to the parcel, along with copies of other paperwork they need - 2 more copies of the commercial invoice and shipping label for example. Also a copy of the shipping label, commercial invoice, and all 3 forms I fill out are left out of the pouch, and handed to the FedEx employee - they don't have to "rummage" for anything.

I ship watches to the US almost every week, so I have literally done this hundreds and hundreds of times using FedEx and ParcelPro. I follow all their rules with regards to what is on the commercial invoice, but it's clear that a shipment going to the US will not need any significant investigation by anyone to determine what's inside the box. The reason I scan every one of those extra forms that FedEx requires is that they often loose the forms - so someone is picking them out of the pouches before they get to US Customs - I don't think people opening the pouch is a terribly unusual thing...

Cheers, Al
 
MSNWatch
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It would appear to me these were incoming shipments to the US, not outgoing, but perhaps Mike can clarify. If they were outgoing shipments, they would not need the watch worksheet that he described having filed for each of the shipments - again these sheets tell you it's a watch - it says so right on the sheet, and gives a full breakdown of value.

Cheers, Al

Incoming shipments to the US to me - and you are correct about the watch worksheet. And lots of overseas sellers are honest - they don't want to misdeclare or undeclare anything which is fine by me - I've paid a few hundred $ in duties in watches shipped to me via FedEx in the past (and even more for other correctly described antiques) I just don't like to lose the item! The underdescribing the watch doesn't always work also - I know others who have had packages actually confiscated by customs with a letter arriving later pointing out the misdeclaration.
 
Tony C.
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Not sure what you mean by rummaging through the papers - when I had a package over to FedEx, a copy of all these forms are in the pouch that is stuck to the parcel, along with copies of other paperwork they need...
Cheers, Al

Al –

What I mean is that I subscribe to Occam's Razor when it comes to this issue. By which I mean that I suspect strongly that when someone attempts to steal something from within FedEx, they are highly likely to be lower level employees. Those type of employees would almost certainly do quick scans of parcels in order to separate those of interest (e.g. an item easily fenced, etc.). In order to do that, they would look at the one document that is easily readable without arousing suspicion – the Airbill.

Again, there is no doubt that PP arrived at its careful approach on good grounds. If a parcel does not have the word "watch" on the airbill, it is likely to be far safer, irrespective of the detail that is available on the customs paperwork.

Cheers,

Tony
 
Archer
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Tony...you seem to have missed that copies of these papers are out of the pouch and handed to the FedEx people when the package is dropped off...they do not need to rummage through anything to see this detail. Who do you think it is that looks at these papers? FedEx acts as your customs broker when they import on your behalf, unless you specify another broker of your choosing...so many FedEx people will know what is in the package and what it's worth. Now for a domestic shipment things are different, but shipments coming into the U S are what is being discussed here in this instance.

There is no argument that reducing the risk is a good thing, and as I've said several times I use ParcelPro so I am very familiar with their procedures and follow them every week. But I think it's a mistake to point to this one thing, the description on the paperwork, and "blame" this for the watches being stolen.

Al
 
Tony C.
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But I think it's a mistake to point to this one thing, the description on the paperwork, and "blame" this for the watches being stolen.
Al

No need for straw man arguments, Al. What I suggested is that parcels are clearly less likely to be tampered with when PP's protocol is followed.
 
MSNWatch
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Well aware of all the tricks of the trade but sometimes, the overseas seller will do an honest and specific description/declaration of the watch and that's to be applauded I think. Have yet to lose a post office sent package- and in many instances the watch was honestly described including value. I also know a fellow collector who has had over a dozen vintage pateks shipped to him from overseas via the postal service without losing a single one.
 
Archer
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Tony C. Tony C.
No need for straw man arguments, Al. What I suggested is that parcels are clearly less likely to be tampered with when PP's protocol is followed.

Never said otherwise, just saying that if you read the thread, what I said is not a straw man mate - it's what has happened here.
 
Tony C.
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Never said otherwise, just saying that if you read the thread, what I said is not a straw man mate - it's what has happened here.

Al, really, there are no hard feelings, but the quote of yours that I highlighted in my previous post is the very definition of a straw man argument.

Cheers,

Tony
 
Archer
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Tony C. Tony C.
Al, really, there are no hard feelings, but the quote of yours that I highlighted in my previous post is the very definition of a straw man argument.

Cheers,

Tony

Tony - no hard feelings here either, but seriously...

Tony C. Tony C.
That's very odd. I'm curious – how were the watches described on the airbill?





X350 XJR X350 XJR
Here in lies your mistake. You over described the items, giving too much detail inviting inappropriate snooping.



Parcel Pro's online Commercial Invoice for FedEx lists a watch as a "Precision Instrument" with the appropriate tariff code. They specifically forbid any descriptives even in the shipper's company name, which might tip off anyone, that there may be something of interest contained in the shipment.



Considering they specialize in the worldwide shipment of jewelry, precious metals, stones, watches etc., I think perhaps they know what they are doing.



Tony C. Tony C.
They were described on the Airbill as "vintage omega watches"? That would be an invitation to problems, which is why at least one major third-party insurer won't bind any package that includes the word "watch" on the airbill. A euphemism is used, although the contents are described specifically in the customs paperwork.



I've imported many watches using FedEx and this method, without a single incident.



With regard to Al's response above, PP has had a tremendous amount of experience with this, and clearly there is an advantage to not identifying the contents as a watch on the airbill. Any employee who is rummaging through the customs paperwork would be asking for trouble, obviously. It's a tried and true method, though obviously not failsafe.

Anyway at this stage I exit this thread...

Cheers, Al
 
MMMD
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Hold on... by the laws of internet dialectic, this sort of debate cannot end on a double straw man (the assertion that your opponent has misrepresented your characterization of his argument as a misrepresentation). This can only end with a) the comparison of an opponent to Adolf Hitler or b) the even less palatable deus ex machina appearance of a cuddly albino marsupial.
Oh :censored: !
Awwwwwww...

30F40C69-796F-428B-8059-767AE2024638-7983-000004BC7CD2A954_zps3fb56d50.jpg
 
cicindela
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MMMD MMMD
less palatable deus ex machina appearance of a cuddly albino marsupial.


30F40C69-796F-428B-8059-767AE2024638-7983-000004BC7CD2A954_zps3fb56d50.jpg
or the oft wished for, once a year, deus ex machina deux l'apparition

Double Albino Wombats!
wombats7292-420x0.jpg


And no comments from Dennis about the size of 'dem Wombats. 😒
 
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