International Duty, customs and Brokerage

Hi,

I know you don’t recommend to post in both the forum and via email, but this must be both public and solved.

I have been very clear since my firm date of delivery was announce that I intended to manage myself the customs clearance and brokerage. I asked and receive the commercial invoice from you as asked and I was expectantly waiting for the remaining documents from the shipping company when it would clear customs. My Glowforge did so yesterday and I asked FedEx to provide me with the documents, they provided a copy of a commercial invoice they received. (Which was different from the one I received but in any case). I went to the customs office (an hour drive away) to finalize the payment but they informed me I was missing a document, a shipping manifest. I thought I had everything, but no problem, I called FedEx directly to ask for it, maybe only an honest mistake.

But no. They pointedly refused to provide the needed document, saying the brokerage was already signed on and approved by the shipper. So it seemed that I would need to go back home, wait more time for @glowforge answer to confirm if it was true that they contracted the brokerage. If so, I would be obligated to accept the brokerage fee (which I clearly from the start intended to avoid) and since Glowforge doesn’t do duty, customs or brokerage, they wouldn’t reimburse me. So Glowforge created a fee I clearly told them that I didn’t want to pay.

If Glowforge hasn’t signed that brokerage service, then it is FedEx who is clearly lying to me.

In any case, it adds even more salt to the already salty wound from a waiting crowdfunding Canadian customer who, because I don’t intend to pay the brokerage fee, must wait for the awaited Glowforge even if it is at the door. And since they will only keep the shipment for a few days, it needs to be solved soon or the shipment will be sent back, further adding to the problem.

I hope it can be resolved before tomorrow because else it will create even more of a mess.

Thank you

1 Like

Well I was able to resolve the issue myself. I now have a specific contact at FedEx to whom I can ask. In the future, Glowforge should help/ insure that the when a customer request to pay the duty and taxes themselves, that the shipping service knows and doesn’t actively hinder the process.

I was able to save 90$Can by doing it myself, minus the time/ drive money to go 1h30 to the border twice to be able the second time to pay (in my case, totally worth it).

Hopefully today (at this time) I will receive at home the shipment, and be able to laser-up.

I am so sorry for the trouble you experienced while receiving your Glowforge. I’ve followed up directly in an email, so I’m going to close this thread.