Fedex Advancement Fee - What you can do about it!
Aug 18, 2020 14:17:15 GMT
mikeyb and jandl100 like this
Post by Bigman80 on Aug 18, 2020 14:17:15 GMT
As most of you are probably aware, I quite often import a fair few Chinese made bits and pieces.
Like usual, the items are made and posted by my PCB supplier and I get an email from FedEx/DHL/Royal Mail to pay my customs & VAT, which I always do.
Last week, with the arrival of such an order, I was not sent an email or letter but the good arrived at my door. Woohoo! "fee free" I thought to myself......wrong.
A couple of days ago, I received an invoice from FedEx, who had delivered my PCBs. It invoiced me for:
£12.00 VAT
£12.00 Advancement Fee.
Total £24:00
I went online to pay and had a thought....."what is an advancement Fee?"
Turns out that FedEx, in their wisdom, decided that they would pay the £12.00 VAT to get them through customs, and then charge me £12.00 for the pleasure of doing so.
I was a little pissed off to say the least. In 3 years of buying from Asia regularly, I have never had anything paid on my behalf and have never received a bill for an Advancement Fee.
Off onto the worlds best resourse.....a money forum, to do some research.
Turns out that FedEx cannot and should not be charging an Advancement Fee for the loan of money/funds to get things through customs IF you haven't agreed to it. Think of PPI and all that mess for a life size example of charging uneccessary fees.
One of the posts on said forum directed the reader to this email template:
"Dear FedEx,
This is in reference to invoice #xxxxxxxxxx.
After having bought xxxxxxxxxxx from China, I understood there would be the possibility of VAT due on receiving them.
I was however surprised to see an additional section for an Advancement Fee of £12.
Since China is outside of the EU, I of course will pay the VAT due.
However, I refuse to pay the Advancement Fee of £12, since at no point was I made aware of, nor did I agree to, any terms and conditions which clearly stated that I would be liable for any such charges.
At no point in the transaction and subsequent delivery was any contract for an Advancement Fee made between FedEx and myself.
I paid the supplier for delivery, and would expect that any international clearance fees or Advancement Fee would be factored into the initial cost of such a shipment.
If you want to pursue further charges for delivery or Advancement Fees, or the terms upon which goods are shipped, I suggest that you take it up with the company who shipped the goods initially.
Therefore, I request that you update this invoice to reflect no Advancement Fee, and once that has been done I’ll make immediate payment.
Please let me know when this has been done.
Kind Regards,
XXXXXXX
I did as it said and sent this template off with the blanks filled in for my details.
Sure enough, today I get an email saying I have been given £12.00 credit to cover the costs of the Advancement Fee.
So, if you receive the same bullshit fee, take a copy and challenge them.
Like usual, the items are made and posted by my PCB supplier and I get an email from FedEx/DHL/Royal Mail to pay my customs & VAT, which I always do.
Last week, with the arrival of such an order, I was not sent an email or letter but the good arrived at my door. Woohoo! "fee free" I thought to myself......wrong.
A couple of days ago, I received an invoice from FedEx, who had delivered my PCBs. It invoiced me for:
£12.00 VAT
£12.00 Advancement Fee.
Total £24:00
I went online to pay and had a thought....."what is an advancement Fee?"
Turns out that FedEx, in their wisdom, decided that they would pay the £12.00 VAT to get them through customs, and then charge me £12.00 for the pleasure of doing so.
I was a little pissed off to say the least. In 3 years of buying from Asia regularly, I have never had anything paid on my behalf and have never received a bill for an Advancement Fee.
Off onto the worlds best resourse.....a money forum, to do some research.
Turns out that FedEx cannot and should not be charging an Advancement Fee for the loan of money/funds to get things through customs IF you haven't agreed to it. Think of PPI and all that mess for a life size example of charging uneccessary fees.
One of the posts on said forum directed the reader to this email template:
"Dear FedEx,
This is in reference to invoice #xxxxxxxxxx.
After having bought xxxxxxxxxxx from China, I understood there would be the possibility of VAT due on receiving them.
I was however surprised to see an additional section for an Advancement Fee of £12.
Since China is outside of the EU, I of course will pay the VAT due.
However, I refuse to pay the Advancement Fee of £12, since at no point was I made aware of, nor did I agree to, any terms and conditions which clearly stated that I would be liable for any such charges.
At no point in the transaction and subsequent delivery was any contract for an Advancement Fee made between FedEx and myself.
I paid the supplier for delivery, and would expect that any international clearance fees or Advancement Fee would be factored into the initial cost of such a shipment.
If you want to pursue further charges for delivery or Advancement Fees, or the terms upon which goods are shipped, I suggest that you take it up with the company who shipped the goods initially.
Therefore, I request that you update this invoice to reflect no Advancement Fee, and once that has been done I’ll make immediate payment.
Please let me know when this has been done.
Kind Regards,
XXXXXXX
I did as it said and sent this template off with the blanks filled in for my details.
Sure enough, today I get an email saying I have been given £12.00 credit to cover the costs of the Advancement Fee.
So, if you receive the same bullshit fee, take a copy and challenge them.
