FedEx asking for customs payment for item they damaged

hdh74

I ordered a large item from Amazon EU sarl @£280. It seems this came from abroad but customs was included in the price. The item was damaged in transit, delivered by Fed-ex. In any case it says on Amazon that it is eligible for return up to 30 days.

It was delivered 4 days ago. The sender issued a refund and said not to return the item, but to dispose of it. They asked for photos to recoup loss from Fed-ex, which I provided.

2 days ago and again yesterday, I got a text from Fed-Ex, asking me to pay customs and taxes of £67 - the text says 'to avoid unneccessary delays' as though it hasn't been delivered. I'm guessing they are trying to re-coup some of their losses. Am I liable for this? I have tried replying to their text but it won't deliver.

Woodstok2000

No - if the sender was paying import fees, and then fedex have refunded those to the seller, that's nothing to do with you.

Aylesbury_Duck

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892820#Comment_81892820

Are you sure? I suspect you're correct, but I wonder if this is a separate matter, and the demand arises from the original importing? The fact the text refers to the items not yet being delivered suggests it relates to clearing customs before arriving with OP. Perhaps the seller didn't pay the fees, or didn't pay them in full?

Jenni_D

Regardless, it the seller was the Importer Of Record then they are liable for any import duty/fees, surely?

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6656271/fedex-asking-for-customs-payment-for-item-they-damaged

Are you sure?

Amazon would have paid the charges were it under £150, they have no choice, but normally if its over £150 it's down to you.

If you are sure then get onto Amazon and tell them that the courier doesnt believe it was DDP, they would then pay the courier for clearance (though it would be slightly less than the bill to you)

hdh74

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892896#Comment_81892896

No, I'm not sure, but there is nothing on the Amazon page to suggest there was anything more to pay, nor did Fed-ex make any request for this before delivery. We did find the same item on another site, where it was clear that duties were extra. The total price was a little more via Amazon, but we went with it due to simplicity as it seemed to be the total price delivered. While the reviews are mixed regarding quality, there is no mention of unexpected duties on the Amazon page, though additional duties were grumbled about on the other site. Delivery was listed as £19.99 - refunded.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892942#Comment_81892942

Many retailers dont tell you, it's your responsibility as an importer to know. In many countries these sorts of rules can vary by state. It would be a major overhead to maintain all tax rules for all countries you are willing to ship to. Gets massively more complex for people like Amazon which sell a vast array of goods. In some places you dont only need to know where you and the buyer are but also where the goods were originally made.

Do you have a link to the product?

sheramber

It is common for items to be delivered and the customs charge demand arrives later.

Aylesbury_Duck

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892942#Comment_81892942

Couriers don't usually hold items pending payment, it would cost them storage volume and cost. Most simply process the customs stuff at their initial cost on your behalf, then invoice you later, plus an administration charge.

hdh74

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892987#Comment_81892987

https://www.amazon.co.uk/murando-Double-sided-Non-woven-Partition-c-B-0193-z-c/dp/B0B4WT4SJW/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1K0YKTLBUQG8P&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bBeJTMv-wp6Zq4lSVUk4lhOuwny92yZNbSyMPhXezKEqtgteVe1eftbsEs6rS4WnjHKtcpc_zHULppfY-JX_cC2cHEqSUWxkuh8wfI0wWr40icOXa4GF2CV4lcbWISbc9hOYl_3sJz6ZwbIzb6H-mw_NbIfD1uBLJdkIqosj2_lP0xqUBquNqvq86IU7-B0AFIKThZLvrAHnDoPTVdgO8oQ5oHyyNI36qp7llzXv724pyIEKRSJo9nmi61qe87rKCWLrzshDsnkIcUp2-rJebupsRecA91FqCem-6gIpDmk.Vd4rq4luv4RFJSQSYIGj3YIZ2RnqrVE0p1ypJbwu0cQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=murando%2Bacoustic%2Broom%2Bdivider&qid=1771611742&sprefix=murando%2Baccoustic%2Broom%2Bdivider%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-7&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.d7e5a2de-8759-4da3-993c-d11b6e3d217f&th=1

dumpster_fire2025

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81893044#Comment_81893044

OK, so it's a third party seller rather than Amazon. I don't see anything on that page that mentions the risk of duties, and to be honest I don't think I've ever seen that. Do Amazon even have the facility for people to mark this?

The only way to tell officially is that if you click on the seller they are based in Poland, which whilst not a guarantee, does make it a risk that it will come from there.

"Watch out for import tax. £47 to pay on doorstep"

Looks like someone else got caught out too. Surprising that only one person mentioned this though.