Info needed regarding Customs

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swordfish123

Forerunner
I had ordered a watch strap from Singapore a month back. Was about $13 mailed to me by Singapore post. I haven't yet received it. If it is held at customs, who should contact me. The customs official or Singapore post. There is no tracking no for this. So not sure how to go about raising a concern with Singapore post.
 
If its a $13 item, then it should come without any issues. Since its coming by Normal Airmail, might take 2-3 weeks and in some cases can take as much as 30-40 days as well.

Anyway if there is any problem, you will have to enquire with the Foreign Post Office in your city.
 
If you had payed via paypal & not recieved the item within 45 days of purchase you can file for a Item not received claim in paypal resolution centre & since seller has not provided any tracking number, the case might just go your way & you would get your money back.

though i have not personally experienced this, but you can try a claim after 45 days

i have bought more than 50 items via ebay.com mostly chinees/HK sellers & all items recvd within 20-25 days, none of them was tampered as most were below $20 items marked as gifts or samples.

Just check your local post office for your airmail they do have a record of airmail parcels too.
 
I knew the seller would not provide any tracking no. It was free shipping. If i had paid $3 more i would have got a tracking number. Should have opted for it. The seller is quite genuine. He has shipped it. He sent me a pic of the package. It is declared as a watch strap and price mentioned is Rs.45
 
in that case just follow up with your local post office or a hierarchy above it, you might just get your item lying there.
 
swordfish123 said:
It is declared as a watch strap and price mentioned is Rs.45
Eh ? In your opening post you said it was $13.

You neglected to mention whether that is SG$ or US$ ?

if you put Rs.45 as the value then could that be thereason for the delay.
 
As siril_k mentioned, there is nothing to worry if you do not get the item. Open a dispute in PayPal or just contact the seller and he will most likely refund the amount.

@blr_p : In any case I don't think such low value items will get held up at customs.
 
There is also a chance that the product might be lost in transit. A lot of little products tend to get knocked off at the lower levels of Indian Customs. I've had several watches and chocloate packages that went completely missing. Luckily enough, the packages were insured even though tracking information was not available.

This happens a lot with parcels or mail that don't have tracking information. This is also the reason why many people choose to go with international couriers like FedEx & DHL, which are not only expensive, but also notorious for being in cahoots with the customs departments and levying ridiculously high & unwarranted charges.
 
Satan said:
This happens a lot with parcels or mail that don't have tracking information.
ok

Satan said:
This is also the reason why many people choose to go with international couriers like FedEx & DHL, which are not only expensive, but also notorious for being in cahoots with the customs departments and levying ridiculously high & unwarranted charges.
You can get tracking with postal services as well.

So if tracked stuff does not go missing, why bother paying the much higher figure asked by fedex & DHL ?
 
I paid with my credit card through paypal. It was SGD16.9. Thats USD 13. I did not know the seller was undervaluing it until i saw the pic. But how would the custom officials know it was undervalued. I am sure he wouldn't enclose a bill which mentions its actual price.

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swordfish123 said:
But how would the custom officials know it was undervalued.
Rs.45 seems rather low to be importing something from abroad don't you think, that US$ 1 (!)

swordfish123 said:
I am sure he wouldn't enclose a bill which mentions its actual price.
Maybe he should have. What did you tell him to put on it ?

Time and again i read threads here where there is some problem or the other and undervaluing (grossly) seems to be the issue.

But i'd give it some more time like varkey said, it could be nothing.

Do let us know how things turned out :)
 
blr_p said:
You can get tracking with postal services as well.

So if tracked stuff does not go missing, why bother paying the much higher figure asked by fedex & DHL ?
Postal Tracking is very rudimentary at best. For weeks on end, you won't see any information about it on the postal company's website.

It's not real time tracking like what courier companies offer.

As long as you are buying it on eBay or any other website that insures your product, go with post. Your customs duties on it (if any and usually for larger products) will be very minimal.
 
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