PBK duty charges to US.

[commendatore]

That's what I would do. I've heard some recent grumblings about changes to PBK shipping times and policies. I've used them many times and never had an issue, but the first time something like this comes up for me I'll take a pass.

[phatphuk]

Will I be charged customs and import charges?
Orders being placed for delivery outside of the UK may be subject to customs charges or import duties which are levied by the importing country at the time the delivery arrives in your country.

These charges must be paid by the recipient of the parcel. Unfortunately, we have no control over these charges, and cannot advise what the cost may be (customs policies and import duties vary widely from country to country).

(Source: ProBikeKit.com)

The operative word there is "may".

I've bought tons of internationally-shipped stuff from different places. Only once from ProBikeKit though. My experience is it is a crap shoot whether or not I've had to pay customs. Even ordering stuff from the same store, sometimes I'm charged import duties, sometimes I'm not. I can't work out any rhyme or reason like order size, item type, or total amount. Total luck of the draw.

Same kind of deal when I fly internationally. Sometimes even at the same airport the customs people will check my bags for declarable stuff. Sometimes I'm just waved through. The nearest I can work out for most international airports is it sorta depends on the time of day and/or day of the week.

That's why I always plan the foreign leg of my international flights so that I arrive at like 06:00 am Sunday morning. I've managed to get thousands of bucks in self-designated duty free items into the country using that strategy.

[desperado95219]

I also have bought 3 or 4 cycling items internationally a month for years from countless vendors...including bike frames...and never yet been hit with a US customs fee.

[audiphile]

Have not seen this before and would love to know whether PBK has responded to OP as to whether this is scam or legit. The risk of being assessed customs is always there when ordering, but haven't had to pay in the past as long as it comes through USPS.

[bikerjulio]

I'd like to hear from OP too.

My money's on a phishing scam.

[dmp]

I'm putting my money on the phishing scheme too (no pun intended!)- I have bought lots of stuff from pbk and have never had an issue like this.

[dgasmd]

Total BS. An advancement fee of $6.50 on duty of $1.57 ?! And then a $15 handling charge? So the clearinghouse is basically charging you $21.50 for paying $1.57 on your behalf. Maybe just refuse delivery and tell PBK to issue a refund?

Update:

So it turns out as I suspected, that this 3rd party company is used by PBK for shipping and handling of custom fees. They confirmed that. While I have been ordering from PBK for many years without being hit by custom fees, and that includes a set of LightWeight wheels, I do know and have read of the dozens of other people that have being hit by customs at random. I even went through the list of duty free or allowable items as well as the tariff charges in the US a while back and realized most bike parts actually do not qualify for tariff charges.

In any case, I am more than wiling to pay for the custom fees in this case. That is not what I have a problem with. What I had a problem with was paying some 3rd party company what I personally see as an exorbitant fee. The bigger problem is that this must be a new procedure for PBK and I was never told or allowed to choose from the beginning. When I ordered, it said free shipping. Having to pay another company in the US to pay custom and then to ship my order does not qualify in my mind as free shipping.

To conclude, I have cancelled my order and notified both AirCity and PBK of it. I do expect a full refund from PBK. If not, they will have to battle it out with my CC company. I consider this order the last time ever I will purchase from PBK. Shinybikes and Ribble have usually better prices even when adding the shipping charges anyway, and I don't have this hassle.

[bikerjulio]

Thanks for closing the loop.

This is something that should have been disclosed by PBK up front.

I'm only surprised we haven't seen more cases like yours crop up.

It's the same kind of charges we in Canada see if UPS are used from the US. It only happened once to me, then never again will I use them or any seller that uses them.

[boysa]

This is disheartening. I've used pbk so many times and never even considered customs fees. Their prices haven't been stupendous lately, but when coupled with coupons I try to stock up. Guess I'll pass for a while and see what others have to say.

[bikerjulio]

I've just recently bought from Ribble and Wiggle with no delivery, customs or tax issues into Canada at all.

Ribble's carrier hands off to Canada Post and Wiggle handed off to DHL.

[Butcher]

The law is the law. It's not PBK fault. I can understand your frustration and I probably would do the same.

Your probably the same guy that gets pissed at the cop who pulled you over for speeding. It's ok to be pissed, just don't focus it on the wrong person/company. You know when you buy items overseas you have to pay customs. If not, your lying to yourself and us.

I buy my items overseas too, if I get hit up by customs [which I have not], I would not blame the place I bought it from. You never know what their legal issues may be if they do not do something.

But anyway, thanks for the heads up.

[dgasmd]

The law is the law. It's not PBK fault. I can understand your frustration and I probably would do the same.

Your probably the same guy that gets pissed at the cop who pulled you over for speeding. It's ok to be pissed, just don't focus it on the wrong person/company. You know when you buy items overseas you have to pay customs. If not, your lying to yourself and us.

I buy my items overseas too, if I get hit up by customs [which I have not], I would not blame the place I bought it from. You never know what their legal issues may be if they do not do something.

But anyway, thanks for the heads up.

You must completely misunderstood my reply above. I do agree with you in a lot of the points you made in this post. I, however, have no issue with the customs fee itself. I have a problem that PBK finds it ok that without my permission or without being informed about it sees it fit and appropriate to subcontract another 3rd party company to do services that I have to pay for in the end. Of course, they do not say it ahead of time as they know that you are likely not to agree with it. I have never had an issue with paying a custom fee if the law says it is applicable. That is despite never being asked to do so before by random luck.

Oh, and yes. I do get pissed if I get a ticket for speeding. Not because of the speeding, but because I got caught LOL……...

[Butcher]

You just need to pedal faster to get away.

[phatphuk]

This here is a pretty nifty little gizmo. It retroactively worked out with impressive accuracy (adjusting for exchange rates at the time and what not) what my most recent custom duty bill was.

It will work out what you may (or may not) either end up paying or saving in import duty. Check it out!

Incidentally, I found out for the first time today that when delivery companies (UPS, DHL, FedEx, etc.) hit you up for customs charges, their invoices may only estimate what you owe in import duties. I intend to use this little godsend from now on to make sure they're not over estimating.

This might be splitting hairs. But "shipping" is what it costs for DHL's, USPS', UPS' or whomever's "shipping" services. Quite obviously the gub'ment sees that as separate and distinct from their cut; namely, the import duty that may (however capriciously) be owed them.

[bikerjulio]

I spoke too soon about my Wiggle order.

Seems like they too are using a brokerage into Canada - DHL, who just presented me with a bill for tax and fees.