This. I rarely keep hold of packaging. I don't buy stuff to not use it.
Ordering From Overseas,....
Moderator: robbosmans
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It sounds like it's all about the box!robertbb wrote: ↑Fri Jun 22, 2018 2:31 amI ordered a set of spare I ordered a set of spare Chorus shifters from Merlin. What showed up was a nondescript OEM box, not the retail one. Of course, I may not end up using these and may want to sell them down the track... and OEM packaging reduces their perceived value. I emailed Merlin and they said they have a mix of retail and OEM, don't and won't specify what they are selling on the site as the picking/packing system is "automated", can't guarantee an exchange for the retail version. I promptly returned them for a refund, but have been told they won't cover return shipping at all despite their description failing to state that items may be OEM. Return shipping to the UK ran me AU$50... so I'm down $50 for the whole experience. I escalated to a "manager", who politely told me to go get f*cked.
DO NOT BUY FROM MERLIN CYCLES.
It's ALL about the bike.
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If you order from any german site (including starbike) you get DHL tracking so you can see where your package is at all times. Only when packages are sent by regular mail, you lose the ability to track once stateside.
I've bought tires from Nashbar and many of the European sellers. Most tires did not come in a nice box like you see in the bike shops stacked neatly on shelves. Most came with a rubber band around the middle. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't care. They sit in the basement until needed just fine. Have bought shorts from various places. They always come in clear plastic bags, WITHOUT the pretty cardboard placard stapled to the bag with the Pearl Izumi name on it. Don't care. I just put the shorts in the drawer and use them.
I bought these as spares... with a view to being able to sell them if I don't end up using them. Harder to do that in a nondescript brown box.
Anyway, I ordered a retail product, not an OEM product. "OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. In this case, however, the acronym isn't commenting on who sells the product as much as who the product is meant to be sold to. OEM hardware and software is packaged for distribution to companies who build systems."
If they are selling OEM items, they need to call it out and let the consumer decide. If they are even allowed to be selling direct to public to begin with. I asked them to refund the postage and they refused. I even suggested just a voucher to put towards my next purchase.... they simply ignored me.
Either way, another UK store matched the reduced price and a week later I got a set in proper retail packaging. Guess which store I'll be ordering from in the future... you just don't treat customers like that if you want to keep them.
I just ordered a seat clamp from the Berk on Sunday and tax was added to the price. It went from $99.28USD to $102 and change. Not bad.ParisCarbon wrote: ↑Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:40 amAll depends on how the shipper sent the item... mine was sent to Canada via registered... registered mail sits different in the Canada post tracking world.. anything Ive ever ordered from ribble to canada always tracks with the parcelforce or royalmail tracking the sent.... Im guessing the original poster had his item sent registered with a signature required, and the US postal system has the same internal only tracking system..TonyM wrote: ↑Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:22 amI track it via the postal service of the country of origin as well as in the Canada Post tracking systemParisCarbon wrote: ↑Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:05 amWhere were you ordering to country wise.. lots of times ordering from overseas if it gets dumped in the actual mail (ie not Fedex, UPS, DHL) the item will not track... I ordered a jersey and short set from Belgium, they threw it in the mail to Canada, sent me all the tracking info, and the only track I ever saw was that it left Belgium for destination country.. My friend works for Canadapost and literally told me oh we have a secondary tracking system.. told me it was out for delivery.. when I got home there it was... To this date if I track it on the Belgian Post site it still shows it was not delivered 3 months ago!
As soon as it arrives in Canada, the tracking in the Canada Post system is accurate.
Also on a sidenote..if you are ordering to Canada say from sigmasport or similar, they give you the option to pay the taxes up front... do not do this!! My package arrived via DHL from Sigma and the taxes I owed were half of what the site was trying to charge me if I prepaid!
2015 Pinarello F8: 13.13lbs/5.915kg(w/Roval 64's). Sold.
2016 Rca: 11.07lbs/5.048kg.
2015 Rca. 11.15 lbs(w/Roval CLX 32's)
2015 Rca/NOS(sold).
2018 S-Works SL6 Ultralight 12.03lbs(w/Roval CLX 50's)
2016 Rca: 11.07lbs/5.048kg.
2015 Rca. 11.15 lbs(w/Roval CLX 32's)
2015 Rca/NOS(sold).
2018 S-Works SL6 Ultralight 12.03lbs(w/Roval CLX 50's)
Just had a Merlin experience. Bought a basic DT Swiss G1800 wheelset for about the same price a few other places had it. They should have come with a a bunch of adapters (including a ~$60 XD driver), but didn't. I shot them an email. We'll see what they say.
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Ordered a Ultegra Di2 rim brake groupset from Merlin last month on a Thursday, received it on the US East Coast the next Tuesday with UPS and so far haven't seen an invoice for duties.
Ultegra chain came without Shimano quicklinks or connecting rivets and also no Shimano grommets for internal cable routing or seatpost shims to hold the battery.
Ultegra chain came without Shimano quicklinks or connecting rivets and also no Shimano grommets for internal cable routing or seatpost shims to hold the battery.
- Greatestalltime
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I’ve ordered thousands of dollars worth of stuff from Merlin and (knock on wood) have never been charged a duty fee. Always get my stuff within in a week. Most of the time within a few days.
My Visa card did recently attempt to charge me a “money conversion fee” when I ordered a De Rosa from Italy. It was over 100$. I called and they took it off. I do wonder if this is new or possibly unique to Italy and I’ll find out when I order my groupset from Merlin.
My Visa card did recently attempt to charge me a “money conversion fee” when I ordered a De Rosa from Italy. It was over 100$. I called and they took it off. I do wonder if this is new or possibly unique to Italy and I’ll find out when I order my groupset from Merlin.
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I've ordered numerous items from Merlin without any issue during last 2-3 years - fast delivery to California and no issue with US custom. For those you still have question on duty, here is what US Custom said on their site regarding to mailing goods:
Up to $1,600 in goods will be duty-free under your personal exemption if the merchandise is from an IP.
Up to $800 in goods will be duty-free if it is from a CBI or Andean country.
Any additional amount, up to $1,000, in goods will be dutiable at a flat rate (3%).
Just remember to keep the total order amount under $1,600 if you don't want to pay duty. Splitting a large order into small orders might be a good way to avoid duty.
Up to $1,600 in goods will be duty-free under your personal exemption if the merchandise is from an IP.
Up to $800 in goods will be duty-free if it is from a CBI or Andean country.
Any additional amount, up to $1,000, in goods will be dutiable at a flat rate (3%).
Just remember to keep the total order amount under $1,600 if you don't want to pay duty. Splitting a large order into small orders might be a good way to avoid duty.
Yeah, haven't had any problem with Merlin on duties or returns. Just goods missing retail-packaged bits. My frustration is just the non-disclosure.
Merlin emailed back saying that I was basically hosed on my wheel's accessories aside from paying for a return. They're websites only says that the units should have come with "Skewers and tape" (thru axle; pre-taped rims ) , which is inaccurate. Anyway.... buyer beware I guess.
Merlin emailed back saying that I was basically hosed on my wheel's accessories aside from paying for a return. They're websites only says that the units should have come with "Skewers and tape" (thru axle; pre-taped rims ) , which is inaccurate. Anyway.... buyer beware I guess.
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Shimano, Sram, and DT swiss.
S-WORKS VENGE 1ST GEN
PINARELLO F8
PINARELLO F10
2018 BMC SLR01
2019 SCOTT SPARK RC 900
PINARELLO F8
PINARELLO F10
2018 BMC SLR01
2019 SCOTT SPARK RC 900
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
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