TVpad shipping question

fudgenubs

I have ordered a TVPad online from TVPad website(cannot post link as new user) where they do free worldwide delivery within 3-5 days. The item was paid using credit card. This morning I got a text message from DHL telling me I am due £16 from duty and VAT. The website have the option to display the value of their products in various currencies so I was under the impression that they sent it from the UK as nowhere on their website do they state that any orders were subject to local import fees etc.

I found out that they actually shipped the item from Hong Kong but on their website their banner explicitly states free worldwide shipping therefore I do not believe I should be responsible for the import duties charged (as this should be included in the free worldwide shipping otherwise it can't be advertised as free?!)

As I don't see anything in their shipping page about import duty can I get them to cover for this charge? As a consumer I would like to know where I stand before I accept the parcel.

jwruk

Shipping and import duty are separate things. You got free shipping, and now you have to pay the relevant import duty.

Money-Saving-King

Also UK consumer regulations only apply to UK websites. If you bought from a Hong Kong website you'd have to look up their law as far as rights go. The top site listed on Google for that product had a .hk ending which to me would be obvious it was from Hong Kong.

wealdroam

Did you buy from www.tvpad.com?

If so, their T&Cs state:

Any Customs/Duty/Tax Fees that may incur at arrival are the sole responsibility of the purchaser.

Lots of dubious stuff in their T&Cs... I wouldn't be dealing with them.

fudgenubs

Thanks for your responses, yes I did buy from that website. I've paid up and hopefully chalk this up as a lesson with buying online outside of websites with UK domains. I just wished that they made it clearer in the shipping page as most buyers won't be prepared to wade through the T&C's.

Ironic thing is that we are going to Hong Kong in a few weeks time so I could have got one over there!

wealdroam

fudgenubs wrote: »

Thanks for your responses, yes I did buy from that website. I've paid up and hopefully chalk this up as a lesson with buying online outside of websites with UK domains. I just wished that they made it clearer in the shipping page as most buyers won't be prepared to wade through the T&C's.

Ironic thing is that we are going to Hong Kong in a few weeks time so I could have got one over there!

Fudgenubs, do keep in mind that not all websites with .co.uk in the URL are actually representing UK companies.

I would suggest that you need to make sure there is a UK address and a UK phone number available before dealing with any website.
Even that's not entirely foolproof, but it's a step in the right direction.

Money-Saving-King

wealdroam wrote: »

Did you buy from www.tvpad.com?

If so, their T&Cs state:


Lots of dubious stuff in their T&Cs... I wouldn't be dealing with them.

The prices are all in $. Wouldn't it then be almost certain that it's coming from outside the UK?

wealdroam

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

The prices are all in $. Wouldn't it then be almost certain that it's coming from outside the UK?

I would've thought so.

Why do you ask?

Money-Saving-King

wealdroam wrote: »

I would've thought so.

Why do you ask?

I'm now a tad surprised that the op thought he was buying from the UK with the currency charged being in dollars.

shaun_from_Africa

It's possible that the OP actually went to the "UK" site:
http://tvpad.co.uk/?page_id=2
where the prices are all shown in £s, or they might have been redirected there when they put their details on the website.

I'm not in the UK at the moment so can't see if a redirection is in operation.

Money-Saving-King

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

It's possible that the OP actually went to the "UK" site:
http://tvpad.co.uk/?page_id=2
where the prices are all shown in £s, or they might have been redirected there when they put their details on the website.

I'm not in the UK at the moment so can't see if a redirection is in operation.

It's not and there's also a massive banner on that site anyway in Chinese symbols.