Question for the RS brain trust.

[omicron1792]

I purchased two scope mounts for my Blaser r8 from Germany. They are not cheap, about 350 dollars each. After tax and shipping it was about 800 USD. The mounts were shipped to the USA.

Once in the USA, but before being delivered, UPS said I owed them 800 MORE dollars for fees. This was right in the middle of the tariff craze and this was clearly an extortion attempt. I called and emailed UPS and told them the tariff for Germany was 10% and their published import fee was 19$. I would pay them 100 dollars but no more. Eventually they released the package to me without me paying anything (literally hours of phone calls and emails with at least 13 different people all over the world with UPS).

This was several months back. Now, the company I bought the mounts from in Germany emailed me and said that UPS has “taken” the 800$ from their account and he has no way to get it back. He is asking what I should do to “make things right for him.”

Thoughts?

 

[gbflyer]

Reads to me like the vendor needs to take it up with UPS. You could provide documentation of calls and emails on your end to the vendor but that's really about it. You paid the money to the vendor for the product as agreed upon. In my view your conscience is clear. I suspect it will get cleared up but could take some time.

 

[Nine Banger]

Ugh...all my tarrif drama was for prepping for a winter trip and stuff that was already delivered...and then Fed Ex started hassling me...and then I got a bill from UPS months after I got something. And no bills for most of the stuff.

I was also getting emails months later out of the blue asking me for the address where my fishnets were manufactured...

The evil side of me wondered what would happen if I tossed the stuff in the garbage but we paid it because we don't need the hassle.

The gentlemanly thing to do is probably pay the whole thing and move on.

 

[Theringworm]

It has nothing to do with you making it right for him. That's not your responsibility. He should have investigated more fully the expense of shipping to the US and disclosed appropriate fees to the buyer at that time. This is all in the rears now. It's between him and UPS.

 

[Nine Banger]

It has nothing to do with you making it right for him. That's not your responsibility. He should have investigated more fully the expense of shipping to the US and disclosed appropriate fees to the buyer at that time. This is all in the rears now. It's between him and UPS.

I didn't get any estimates or head's up from companies in Finland, Norway or Poland when I was gear binging. A lot of stuff just got thru. I wonder if the sellers are gambling or just putting their heads in the sand and brushing it off as not their problem.

 

[spike camp]

Similar thing happened to my wife for some Italian shoes.
She refused delivery. They delivered eventually anyway.
Then she received a bill from UPS.
She told them to get bent.
No more issues.

 

[wind gypsy]

Holy shit man!

What a clusterF these tariffs have been.

 

[Theringworm]

I suspect that is the case. The old thought, "they need it bad enough that they bought it from overseas, it's now sitting on their doorstep, the number of people willing to pay the fee on delivery will outweigh the number refusing and returning it.... so let's just send it.". It is in no way the buyer's responsibility.

And if it was shipped prior to the tariffs but was in transit when the tariffs started, the carrier UPS/FedEx should honor the rate charged initially.

 

[gbflyer]

I read this morning that the tariff refund process is underway. Imagine what a county fair that will be for all concerned. The big boys will be able to navigate it...everyone else....

 

[RockAndSage]

I purchased two scope mounts for my Blaser r8 from Germany. They are not cheap, about 350 dollars each. After tax and shipping it was about 800 USD. The mounts were shipped to the USA.

Once in the USA, but before being delivered, UPS said I owed them 800 MORE dollars for fees. This was right in the middle of the tariff craze and this was clearly an extortion attempt. I called and emailed UPS and told them the tariff for Germany was 10% and their published import fee was 19$. I would pay them 100 dollars but no more. Eventually they released the package to me without me paying anything (literally hours of phone calls and emails with at least 13 different people all over the world with UPS).

This was several months back. Now, the company I bought the mounts from in Germany emailed me and said that UPS has “taken” the 800$ from their account and he has no way to get it back. He is asking what I should do to “make things right for him.”

Thoughts?

Man, that's beyond ridiculous.

The German vendor needs to contact his financial institution that the money was taken from, and make it clear that the charge is both unauthorized and possibly illegal. Have them claw it back.

 

[wapitibob]

I purchased two scope mounts for my Blaser r8 from Germany. They are not cheap, about 350 dollars each. After tax and shipping it was about 800 USD. The mounts were shipped to the USA.

Once in the USA, but before being delivered, UPS said I owed them 800 MORE dollars for fees. This was right in the middle of the tariff craze and this was clearly an extortion attempt. I called and emailed UPS and told them the tariff for Germany was 10% and their published import fee was 19$. I would pay them 100 dollars but no more. Eventually they released the package to me without me paying anything (literally hours of phone calls and emails with at least 13 different people all over the world with UPS).

This was several months back. Now, the company I bought the mounts from in Germany emailed me and said that UPS has “taken” the 800$ from their account and he has no way to get it back. He is asking what I should do to “make things right for him.”

Thoughts?

My wife deals with worldwide shipping/Customs on a daily basis so I sent her a text. From your post It appears that UPS was acting as the Brokerage. As such, they would be collecting the Tariff, and as the recipient, you are responsible for the cost. Just like all the US businesses that have been paying since the increase. The amount of the tariff depends on the HTS Code provided by the mfg. The wife is paying 18% - 28% currently.

 

[RockAndSage]

My wife deals with worldwide shipping/Customs on a daily basis so I sent her a text. From your post It appears that UPS was acting as the Brokerage. As such, they would be collecting the Tariff, and as the recipient, you are responsible for the cost. Just like all the US businesses that have been paying since the increase. The amount of the tariff depends on the HTS Code provided by the mfg. The wife is paying 18% - 28% currently.

That's great info.

I just heard that the Administration is beginning to issue the tariff refunds because of the Supreme Court's ruling on the issue - could that be an angle for the original seller to get his funds back, either through USG or through UPS?

One thing that still doesn't set right, is what seems to amount to a 100% tariff on the original sale.