Do I have to pay any postage when I receive my RMAed memory?

PaulProteus · 15 Jan 2007 at 09:42

I have just been called by the Post Office to pay some outstanding £ 31 pounds before I get my RMA-ed memory from the USA.

Do I have to pay this as I had already paid this tax (when I bought the memory in the first place)? Is there any institution I could call and get any assistance?
Can I get ask the memory manufacturer to cover my expenses in case I pay it now (after all I need the memory)?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Jordan

Buffalo2102 · 15 Jan 2007 at 11:33

What is the extra charge for? If it is postage costs then you should read the terms of the RMA. Most RMA procedures require you to pay for the postage costs at least one-way. Some will reimburse you if the product was found to be faulty. Some will charge you for all costs if there was no fault found.
If it is import duty then that is another thing and I think you will have to pay it yourself.

JeffyB · 15 Jan 2007 at 11:39

If it is duty charge thats pretty annoying as hes already paid it once when the ram was origainally purchased. Not too sure how to go about this but im pretty sure trying to get a refund from the post office will be like banging your head against a wall

PaulProteus · 15 Jan 2007 at 12:46

It is not duty charge but Cash On Delivery.

I have paid my sending it back to the US but it has been proven faulty that is why I am being sent a replacement. In this case according to RMA they MUST cover the expenses for sending it back to me.

Is there any institution I could complain?

And the Patriot Memory manufacturer should have an account with UPS.

I am going to call them today as they are 8 hours behind.

Buffalo2102 · 15 Jan 2007 at 12:49

Yeah, give them a call - they should pay this, not you.

Cuchulain · 15 Jan 2007 at 12:51

PaulProteus said:
It is not duty charge but Cash On Delivery.

I have paid my sending it back to the US but it has been proven faulty that is why I am being sent a replacement. In this case according to RMA they MUST cover the expenses for sending it back to me.

Is there any institution I could complain?

And the Patriot Memory manufacturer should have an account with UPS.

I am going to call them today as they are 8 hours behind.

I might be completely wrong (and I'm sure someone will jump down my throat if I am) but do the distance selling regulation cover items that were bought in the USA? If not, you're unfortunately out of luck.

trojan698 · 15 Jan 2007 at 12:54

It's an RMA, not a purchase, from the USA.

Cuchulain · 15 Jan 2007 at 12:58

trojan698 said:
It's an RMA, not a purchase, from the USA.

So? It would still be covered by the DSA if it was purchased/RMA'd in the UK.

PaulProteus · 15 Jan 2007 at 13:19

I bought the memory in the UK two years ago (this is why I have to return it to the manufacturer not the re-seller) for a fat lump sum of money . It has Life Time Warranty.

I followed the whole RMA procedure the way they reccommended.

They have never ever mentioned Cache On Delivery charge in their e-mails to me. This has not been mentioned on their web site either.

RMA must be RMA everywhere (at least this was my understanding), I take your point about DSA but if they have taken the risk to sell in Europe they must have budgeted RMA across the pond, mustn't they?

I hope things are going to be sorted out but it is irritating when such s*** happens.

I am sorry for my French, but could not help.

trojan698 · 15 Jan 2007 at 13:31

Is it a customs charge or a charge for the p+p ?

Cuchulain · 15 Jan 2007 at 13:32

PaulProteus said:
I bought the memory in the UK two years ago (this is why I have to return it to the manufacturer not the re-seller) for a fat lump sum of money . It has Life Time Warranty.

I followed the whole RMA procedure the way they reccommended.

They have never ever mentioned Cache On Delivery charge in their e-mails to me. This has not been mentioned on their web site either.

RMA must be RMA everywhere (at least this was my understanding), I take your point about DSA but if they have taken the risk to sell in Europe they must have budgeted RMA across the pond, mustn't they?

I hope things are going to be sorted out but it is irritating when such s*** happens.

I am sorry for my French, but could not help.

From looking at a few sites offering RMA's overseas it does appear the customer normally has to foot the postage both ways.

PaulProteus · 15 Jan 2007 at 15:23

Cuchulain said:
From looking at a few sites offering RMA's overseas it does appear the customer normally has to foot the postage both ways.

I have read everything on their site wrt RMA. No mention of P+P for oversea cases. They sell abroad so they must have this in mind. It has also never been discussed in my correspondence with them.

They could also try this first to see whether it will work out before spending the dough on delivery. (I hope so).

Cuchulain · 15 Jan 2007 at 15:51

PaulProteus said:
I have read everything on their site wrt RMA. No mention of P+P for oversea cases. They sell abroad so they must have this in mind. It has also never been discussed in my correspondence with them.

They could also try this first to see whether it will work out before spending the dough on delivery. (I hope so).

What brand of memory is it?

PaulProteus · 15 Jan 2007 at 16:30

Cuchulain said:
What brand of memory is it?

Patriot PC1G3200XBLK 2-2-2-5

mcwildcard · 15 Jan 2007 at 18:16

I'm guessing you've been charged VAT on it, check with RM, because if you have then it's wrong as you've not made a purchase.
The value of the package will be on the wrapping somewhere and customs will of used that to calculate the tax.
It does suck though.

PaulProteus · 15 Jan 2007 at 20:44

mcwildcard said:
I'm guessing you've been charged VAT on it, check with RM, because if you have then it's wrong as you've not made a purchase.
The value of the package will be on the wrapping somewhere and customs will of used that to calculate the tax.
It does suck though.

Your guess was spot on. They are charging me VAT as the clerk in the US has put a value of $ 100, instead of explaining that this is a RMA item.

I was told that I need to speak to the Customs Department at UPS, but at this time nobody could be bothered to answer the phone.

nightic · 16 Jan 2007 at 00:15

Had something similar happen myself.

Do not pay the fee as you won't be able to reclaim it.

Instead you need to get proof that this was an RMA item (and so presumably the original faulty item would have had tax paid on it) whereafter UPS should release the package to you w/o the charge.

PaulProteus · 16 Jan 2007 at 20:53

nightic said:
Had something similar happen myself.

Do not pay the fee as you won't be able to reclaim it.

Instead you need to get proof that this was an RMA item (and so presumably the original faulty item would have had tax paid on it) whereafter UPS should release the package to you w/o the charge.

I was told that had I paid the import tax it would have been impossible to claim it back (its is fair isn't it?

). Patriot have paid the import tax and now I am waiting for the payment to reach UPS in the UK. Hopefully it will be in place tomorrow.

The morale of the story is to always ask the manufacturer/re-seller to clearly mark the parcel that it is RMA.
From now on (I hope it would not be necessary but one never knows) whenever I need to RMA anything outside the UK I will make sure that this is in place.