Cape Mail Customs

[ddk1979]

Went to Cape Mail today to collect my very first international order (from GearBest), so had no idea about the procedure.

Anyways, once they had located the package they had me wait for a customs official (who was dressed like he was busy painting the walls at the back - really professional !!!).
He immediately had a problem with the invoice because GearBest doesn't put much info on it. So he opens the package, takes out the contents and disappears into an office with them. He gets back and tells me that the 3 items are valued at $52 !!! Now I'm sure you have an idea of what GearBest puts on the invoice (that you have to download from their website), but these items are no where near the stated $52.

Bottom line is, I now have to provide proof of payment with my credit card statement.
Overall not a really nice experience, especially my dealings with the little officious, pretentious a**hole.


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[JsPLAYn]

That's customs for u .. It makes us appreciate the vendors so much more for what they hav2 go thru to get us what we want

 

[incredible_hullk]

Eish not good @ddk1979 ...looks like CT customs is a balls up...*touch wood* in my last 10 overseas packets I have never been asked for an invoice and they always used the declared value. But thats JHB, maybe the higher volume in jhb they just pump things through

 

[incredible_hullk]

That's customs for u .. It makes us appreciate the vendors so much more for what they hav2 go thru to get us what we want

@JsPLAYn ..I do appreciate what vendors go through but I have a feeling that the clearing agents dont go through this agony with their goods.

 

[JsPLAYn]

@JsPLAYn ..I do appreciate what vendors go through but I have a feeling that the clearing agents dont go through this agony with their goods.

That's true.. With customs u need to have a friend whose dad's brothers sons aunts cousin works there

 

[Cespian]

Went to Cape Mail today to collect my very first international order (from GearBest), so had no idea about the procedure.

Anyways, once they had located the package they had me wait for a customs official (who was dressed like he was busy painting the walls at the back - really professional !!!).
He immediately had a problem with the invoice because GearBest doesn't put much info on it. So he opens the package, takes out the contents and disappears into an office with them. He gets back and tells me that the 3 items are valued at $52 !!! Now I'm sure you have an idea of what GearBest puts on the invoice (that you have to download from their website), but these items are no where near the stated $52.
Bottom line is, I now have to provide proof of payment with my credit card statement.

Overall not a really nice experience, especially my dealings with the little officious, pretentious a**hole.
View attachment 73130
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My last few packages I have not gone into Customs, especially because of the rude overweighted dude that usually sits at the middle PC. Rather get in contact with someone there, email your invoice through and ask them to send it to your local post office. I would suggest you call 0215905717/12 or 0215905488 and request the afformentioned accordingly. Much less stress, and only takes an extra week.

 

[JsPLAYn]

My last few packages I have not gone into Customs, especially because of the rude overweighted dude that usually sits at the middle PC. Rather get in contact with someone there, email your invoice through and ask them to send it to your local post office. I would suggest you call 0215905717/12 or 0215905488 and request the afformentioned accordingly. Much less stress, and only takes an extra week.

Lol dude dnt discriminate. .
That may be someone on the forums father, brother cuzn etc

 

[Cespian]

Lol dude dnt discriminate. .
That may be someone on the forums father, brother cuzn etc

I surely hope so, so that his family can know what an ass he is at work lol. Really, peoples behaviour doesnt usually phase me (except for Taxi drivers), but that guy needs a reality check (yes I have told him to his face that he needs to take that pineapple out his arse).

 

[PsyCLown]

WTF, shame man. That sounds like a terrible experience.

I have been to customs in JHB many times to collect parcels from overseas and never once have I had an issue.
I would be quite upset and I would then probably overstate how much I paid for shipping and insurance as well and perhaps calculate the actual exchange rate vs the Paypal exchange rate etc. etc.

 

[ddk1979]

My last few packages I have not gone into Customs, especially because of the rude overweighted dude that usually sits at the middle PC. Rather get in contact with someone there, email your invoice through and ask them to send it to your local post office. I would suggest you call 0215905717/12 or 0215905488 and request the afformentioned accordingly. Much less stress, and only takes an extra week.

Thanks @Cespian .
Anybody have a contact at CapeMail ???

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[KZOR]

@ddk1979
What I do m8 is print out all the transactions that paypal mails me after purchasing.
All the actual information is on those printouts.
Then I take all of them to customs and when I see what the package is I just hand them the appropriate one.
Never have had issues since I've started doing that.

The worst thing you can do is be rude to them .....somehow they got the special gift to remember faces despite the hundreds they see daily.

 

[KZOR]

I've got them to a point where they actually smile when they see me because they know I always order something interesting and they cannot wait to see and hear about it.

 

[ddk1979]

The worst thing you can do is be rude to them .....somehow they got the special gift to remember faces despite the hundreds they see daily.

@KZOR , I was courteous with the folks at CapeMail. I did not argue with them, but did question (very nicely) how they could come up with that amount. The oke could not give me a straight answer and I could sense I was wasting my time, so I just said thank you and goodbye.
The problem is that they know you are at their mercy and that they can cause you lots of frustration. This is the ideal situation for those who are officious, pretentious and arrogant.

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[incredible_hullk]

moral of the story: dnt live in a city where everything works