Project Elf shipments on their way

? This user is from outside of this forum · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 11:25

[quote author="stuk" date="1295003606"]I think nobody have to paid anything! this is a free gift not a buy![/quote]

but tell that to customs, they are a different animal altogether ! still this is a too good a deal in my opinion :P

andre · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 11:49

Still, the $200 paulo has to shell out to be able to get his gift is quite a let-down, I'd imagine. That is a serious amount of money!

troubalex · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 12:25

Gnah!

I should have stated this more clearly probably. None of you should have been asked to pay any kind of fees or taxes to receive the package. I keep telling the shipment companies we use that EVERYTHING is supposed to be billed to our account. It goes wrong repeatedly though.

After all, the point of it is that it's a GIFT.

And yes, we declared every little thing in the package including it's value. How much do you think is a sticker worth?!

In any case, since I am not in the office today, I will go through the list together with my colleague who shipped the packages and see what is stuck where and why.

All the Russian shipments by the way (incl. the ones for the translation project) have returned because DHL can't get them through customs without the receivers having to pay EVERYTHING...

stukdev · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 12:32

No, this is not our problem!
If i ahve to paid only 1 € to my spedition i refuse the spedition. Because the packed is a free and i and the devnet are seriuos people! There are many assholes people that buy some 't-shirt' in other country without paid the taxes and receive correctly the packed.
For this reason i not paid anything!

[quote author="chetankjain" date="1295004345"][quote author="stuk" date="1295003606"]I think nobody have to paid anything! this is a free gift not a buy![/quote]

but tell that to customs, they are a different animal altogether ! still this is a too good a deal in my opinion :P[/quote]

andre · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 12:32

Seems like soon this whole project Elf thing will cost more in time dealing with the shipping and handling than the worth of the prizes :(
I guess that's the benefit of handing out prizes like this at an event like the Dev Days: people can just stick them their luggage and nobody asks questions...

troubalex · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 12:36

[quote author="Andre" date="1295008374"]
I guess that's the benefit of handing out prizes like this at an event like the Dev Days: people can just stick them their luggage and nobody asks questions...[/quote]

Indeed. The only question is: how can we reach people who cannot attend those events? Suggestions welcome. ;)

stukdev · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 12:44

For me the spedition is correct. But this is the the real cause because many site that create a contest limit that only for their country.
For me this is bad, internation shipment is correct, after this spedition, we know that in italy t-shirt have some rules, in Russian batteries have some rules...ecc.
Maybe in a future contest, should be necessary add some document that specific the spedition is a gift, the t-shirt,the batteris ecc...

[quote author="Andre" date="1295008374"]Seems like soon this whole project Elf thing will cost more in time dealing with the shipping and handling than the worth of the prizes :(
I guess that's the benefit of handing out prizes like this at an event like the Dev Days: people can just stick them their luggage and nobody asks questions...[/quote]

Smar · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 12:51

[quote author="Alexandra" date="1295008568"][quote author="Andre" date="1295008374"]
I guess that's the benefit of handing out prizes like this at an event like the Dev Days: people can just stick them their luggage and nobody asks questions...[/quote]

Indeed. The only question is: how can we reach people who cannot attend those events? Suggestions welcome. ;)[/quote]

I suppose main problem is that different delivery companies in different countries vary in quality quite a lot. Russia is exception with its corruption based policy, but seems like even European countries have serious problems with custom handling and stuff...

When I got my N900 from Nokia, the delivery company called me to ask my data so that they can deal with the customs instead of me. So there everything worked correctly :)

disperso · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 14:37

[quote author="Alexandra" date="1295007929"]
I should have stated this more clearly probably. None of you should have been asked to pay any kind of fees or taxes to receive the package. I keep telling the shipment companies we use that EVERYTHING is supposed to be billed to our account.[/quote]

Woops. Well, TNT called me yesterday, and they told me I have to pay the VAT. It surprised me a little bit, because I stated that I don't even know all the things that are in the package besides the phone, and that I don't know how much the phone costs.

But since I think that for prizes, lottery, etc., you have to pay VAT (at least in Spain), I accepted. Anyway, TNT has not called me since yesterday morning, and I don't have any notice of them passing by my door. :-( I hope I have news from them this afternoon.

dangelog · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 14:47

[quote author="Alexandra" date="1295008568"][quote author="Andre" date="1295008374"]
I guess that's the benefit of handing out prizes like this at an event like the Dev Days: people can just stick them their luggage and nobody asks questions...[/quote]

Indeed. The only question is: how can we reach people who cannot attend those events? Suggestions welcome. ;)[/quote]

Uhm... instead of a cell phone, free attendance+flights for DevDays? :-)

dangelog · wrote on 14 Jan 2011, 14:52

[quote author="Alexandra" date="1295007929"]Gnah!

I should have stated this more clearly probably. None of you should have been asked to pay any kind of fees or taxes to receive the package. I keep telling the shipment companies we use that EVERYTHING is supposed to be billed to our account. It goes wrong repeatedly though.
[/quote]

100% right. I've asked TNT to mail me a copy of the packing list, and on the 2nd page there is a nice list including

what's inside the package;
the items' overall value (in EUR);
the fact that the shipment is "Delivery Duty Paid" (see "here":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incoterm and "here":http://incoterms.atspace.com/incoterms2000/seafreight/ddp.html ).

So... WHY IN THE WORLD are they asking the "buyers" (i.e. the receivers) the contents or to pay money for clearing customs? Sigh...

qtrahul · wrote on 15 Jan 2011, 05:55

Today, is 15-1-2011.

I have not received the shipment, according to the tracking number ,I might receive it at 17-1-2011 (monday).

I am from India, I live in small city in India, that is why it takes long time to reach from Oslo( Norway) to Bhavnagar(India).

One question for chetankjain and Qtk, I need your help. (Because you both are from India, If I am not wrong).

Did you paid some money to custom officer ?
If, Yes then what amount ?
And is it legal payment or to get the shipment we have to pay ?

Thanks,
Rahul

xsacha · wrote on 15 Jan 2011, 15:09

It's very odd, I have not been contacted by anyone nor do I have a tracking number.

We don't have to pay any tax in my country as long as the item is:

Under $1000
or
Declared as a gift

Every international ebay seller with items over $1000 always declare them as a gift and it gets through no troubles.

Immii · wrote on 15 Jan 2011, 17:26

Wow I got it I got it I got it .... after all these days expecting I will get call from related to custom things but No call no email and it was at my door step yesterday. Thank you Elf it is great gift for me .

Best of luck to others who are still waiting....

vcsala · wrote on 15 Jan 2011, 19:57

As I wrote earlier I have received the package, but only after I have paid customs fee and VAT. When they called me and sent me the consignment note I told them that it is clearly stated on it that sender pays and moreover it is a gift package so I am really suprised if I have to pay. They insisted that I have to pay custom fee as it come from Norway (outside of EU).

Now I plan to call them to get reimbursement (not only as a matter of principle but it was also significant amount) as I understand from above (as Alexandra wrote) that I was right and the original plan was that the sender pays all related costs.

xsacha · wrote on 16 Jan 2011, 22:59

Yay! Received the package! Thanks a lot Nokia!

stukdev · wrote on 17 Jan 2011, 13:13

I see now , most spedition is 'Out For Delivery' :)

Zlatomir · wrote on 17 Jan 2011, 13:38

I received my package this morning, it's a very nice phone and the t-shirt looks good ;)

Alexandra, QtDN team and Nokia thank you all

parancibia · wrote on 17 Jan 2011, 14:22

I continue dealing with customs and people of TNT, now finally my package is "Out for delivery " but, to a wrong direction, someone change the delivery address, but in TNT they don't know anything about it, today I talk with TNT and they will try to stop the shipment to the wrong address. Hope tomorrow they can solve all these problems to finally receive my gift. :(

dangelog · wrote on 17 Jan 2011, 14:23

The package's just arrived! Thank you so much!