MSI Graphics card RMA (send for repair) to EU after Brexit postage question

[Liv1u]

Evening everyone,

Just want to say I've been reading this forum for many years and the wealth of knowledge here has always been invaluable, tonight i find myself faced with an issue which i need your help with and which hopefully will help others seaching that have the same issue.

I have an MSI Gtx 1050 Ti 4 Gb graphics card that has artefacts which I have arranged with MSI ( worth mentioning for those that might be wondering that they have been very quick to respond and very helpful ) to send in for a repair at their Poland repair center.

So I packaged the card as instructed by MSI, put the invoice, RMA notice, 3 extra copies of the invoice in a pouch (UPS courier request that i provide extra copies) and the postage label itself on the outside of the box and put another loosely taped extra invoice copy to the parcel just in case, I sent it off on the 17.12.2021 and on the 21.12.2021 I got a notice to say that my parcel is being returned the reason being " Return to Shipper , Reason for return : Service disruption occured". The parcel made it all the way to Stanford Le Hope, United Kingdom which I am guessing is where the customs check is done before being put on a plane.

Now I am guessing that the reason for the return is that the customs officer didn't like something, my question is if there are any among you that have done this before, what didn't they like what didn't I do correctly?

My only guess is that perhaps the parcel size is too small the and invoice is not adequetly streached out, or that the courier couldn't be bothered to rip the pouch to take out the extra invoices to hand to the customs guys and maybe I should have done that differently.

Ignore that the parcel looks a bit battered in the photos that is cause on the return UPS dropped it over the fence and it sat in the rain for 6 days ( I was unaware it was returned though it was stuck in Stanford Le Hope), luckily I packaged it well and it is safe.

 

[Liv1u]

Tried posting some pictures of the parcels via Dropbox links but seems it doesn't work

 

[MeatLoaf]

Did you put a customs label on the parcel? Not sure uf UPS require it but royal mail / parcelforce certainly do

 

[Quartz]

Why don't you ring HMRC and ask them?

 

[Liv1u]

No I didn't have one of those it was just the invoice (provided by MSI), RMA notice, extra invoice copies and label, nothing else which is what MSI instructed me to do. Supposedly they receive hundreds of these every month/year so presumably they have this ironed out by now. They specifically asked me to post either with UPS or DHL Express (but DHL were just extortionate) for a smooth process, by the sounds of things they are in contact in UPS, as they said they contacted their contact at UPS to try and find out from the pictures of my parcel why it got returned but they couldn't find any fault. Tried calling UPS but talking to the call center operator seemed hopeless.

 

[Liv1u]

Why don't you ring HMRC and ask them?

You think that would work? just my problem seems very specific to my case for some guy in an unrelated office to have the answer. I was sort of expecting that if it gets rejected by the customs officer that they would put a sticker with an error code on the parcel or something to tell the sender why it got rejected, as now I am at a stalemate as I can't afford to keep paying 15 pounds a try to figure out what magic formula gets the parcel goes through the net.

Shame I can't upload photos of the parcel here.

 

[MeatLoaf]

What on earth would you ring HMRC for?

Having worked in a post office anything going out of the UK now needs a customs label. If you didnt have one on the parcel thats probably a good reason for it to be returned.

 

[Thekwango]

Return to Shipper , Reason for return : Service disruption occured

says service disruption - only did a quick google but seems to suggest some issue at their end. tried contacting UPS?

 

[Liv1u]

arcel size is too small the and invoice is not adequetly streached out, or that the courier couldn't be bothered to rip the pouch to ta

aving wo

What on earth would you ring HMRC for?

Having worked in a post office anything going out of the UK now needs a customs label. If you didnt have one on the parcel thats probably a good reason for it to be returned.

Many thanks for the reply, I am guessing you are referring to the "customs declaration CN22" form as doing a quick search seems to show loads of people selling these in bulk on Ebay so sounds like this might indeed be the culprit. Seems so weird that MSI didn't mention that I need one of those and instruct how to fill in the declaration since the available boxes don't seem to apply to my case (an RMA) and since the invoice I got from them states that price in euro's while the declaration requires one in GBP. Also weird that their UPS contact didn't pick up on it and that UPS Uk themselves bothered to take the parcel all the way to London just to return it when I was told it wouldn't be picked up by the courier if it didn't have the extra invoice copies.

 

[Liv1u]

says service disruption - only did a quick google but seems to suggest some issue at their end. tried contacting UPS?

Yes I actually called them immediately after I got the parcel will be returned to sender notice as well as after but they were useless to put it politely, worst still I don't understand why the customs office doesn't just put a sticker on it to say the reason for it being rejected seems common sense this should be protocol as there must be hundreds of parcels weekly if not more that are getting returned like this.

Has anyone send a graphics card or other computer part for a repair to the EU, how do you need in to fill in that CN22 form, it seems that is my best bet for a new try.

 

[PhoenixTank]

Yes I actually called them immediately after I got the parcel will be returned to sender notice as well as after but they were useless to put it politely, worst still I don't understand why the customs office doesn't just put a sticker on it to say the reason for it being rejected seems common sense this should be protocol as there must be hundreds of parcels weekly if not more that are getting returned like this.

Has anyone send a graphics card or other computer part for a repair to the EU, how do you need in to fill in that CN22 form, it seems that is my best bet for a new try.

Here is how Royal Mail do it:
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/106
Guidance is generic but helpful. The PDF forms they link to may be specific to RM.
Assuming the value for a 1050Ti fits under the threshold for CN22 vs CN23 but you'll want to check.

 

[Quartz]

You think that would work? just my problem seems very specific to my case for some guy in an unrelated office to have the answer.

You have nothing to lose and they may well have recorded the reason. Plus if it was HMRC who rejected it you can ask them how to send it properly next time.

 

[Armadillo]

Not a graphics card, but had to return a USB stick to Sandisk and that was to Poland. Sandisk's instructions seemed to be similar to what MSI told you. Provided a "commercial invoice" that I had to make 3 copies of and a prepaid ups label. Stuck the three copies in a pouch on the outside and that was it. No mention of cn22 or anything from Sandisk and it got there fine.

Definitely didn't fill in any customs stuff, only paperwork was the Sandisk provided "commercial invoice". Maybe UPS took care of it on Sandisk's behalf, but all included was what Sandisk told me to and it made it there fine.

 

[Liv1u]

Has anyone send a graphics card or other computer part for a repair to the EU, how do you need in to fill in that CN22 form, it seems that is my best bet for a new try.

Not a graphics card, but had to return a USB stick to Sandisk and that was to Poland. Sandisk's instructions seemed to be similar to what MSI told you. Provided a "commercial invoice" that I had to make 3 copies of and a prepaid ups label. Stuck the three copies in a pouch on the outside and that was it. No mention of cn22 or anything from Sandisk and it got there fine.

Definitely didn't fill in any customs stuff, only paperwork was the Sandisk provided "commercial invoice". Maybe UPS took care of it on Sandisk's behalf, but all included was what Sandisk told me to and it made it there fine.

Many thanks for posting your experience, when I purchased the label on UPS's website it allowed you to fill in a form on the computer which in hindsight sounded just like the CN22 form mentioned by PhoenixTank , not wanting to do anything that would screw up the tax bracket (since the price provided on invoice from MSI is in Euros vs the form which asked for a price in GBP ) i skipped that, perhaps you filled that in on the PC and that is why yours went through? Do you by any chance recall if you did that?

 

[Szydero]

Has anyone send a graphics card or other computer part for a repair to the EU

I do send a lot of stuff to Poland.

They probably lost the invoice during the transit or they need a translation of invoice in their lang. ( this might sounds stupid, but it happened couple times at my work )

 

[Liv1u]

I do send a lot of stuff to Poland.

They probably lost the invoice during the transit or they need a translation of invoice in their lang. ( this might sounds stupid, but it happened couple times at my work )

It wouldn't be that as in my case all the invoices were still attached to the parcel, they were in English and it got returned before it left the UK. When you send your stuff do you attach to the parcel the CN22 form?

 

[Szydero]

It wouldn't be that as in my case all the invoices were still attached to the parcel, they were in English and it got returned before it left the UK. When you send your stuff do you attach to the parcel the CN22 form?

I don't attach any of CN22.

You can try with Royal mail, because you don't have to do any paperwork like invoices etc. ( just make sure to declare it as a "return goods within warranty" )

If Polish post will needs something then they will usually ask the receiver.

 

[Armadillo]

Has anyone send a graphics card or other computer part for a repair to the EU, how do you need in to fill in that CN22 form, it seems that is my best bet for a new try.


Many thanks for posting your experience, when I purchased the label on UPS's website it allowed you to fill in a form on the computer which in hindsight sounded just like the CN22 form mentioned by PhoenixTank , not wanting to do anything that would screw up the tax bracket (since the price provided on invoice from MSI is in Euros vs the form which asked for a price in GBP ) i skipped that, perhaps you filled that in on the PC and that is why yours went through? Do you by any chance recall if you did that?

Definitely didn't fill anything in on the pc side.

My label was pre-paid and provided by Sandisk. I didn't have to go through the UPS site. Everything was provided by email and the only instructions Sandisk gave were to print 3 copies of the commerical invoice, sign them and give to the ups driver. I did a drop off, so just put them in one of those "documents enclosed" pouches on the outside and to use the provided pre-paid UPS label.

Definitely didn't fill in anything else. Maybe Sandisk took care of it as Sandisk provided me the pre-paid shipping label.

 

[Liv1u]

st will needs something then they will usually ask the receiver.

I don't attach any of CN22.

You can try with Royal mail, because you don't have to do any paperwork like invoices etc. ( just make sure to declare it as a "return goods within warranty" )

If Polish post will needs something then they will usually ask the receiver.

Thanks for sharing your experience and for the tip, its MSI who sort of insisted that I use UPS to make sure it goes smoothly supposedly Royalmail, parcelforce etc may cause delays.

I emailed UPS and they replied very fast but again they couldn't tell me why it was returned nor even if I need to complete a CN22 form, not sure why they bother replying at all .

Think if when I will try again I will have to fill in a CN22 form, just not sure what to do about the value as the value they've given me in the provided invoice is in Euro's rather than pounds and I can see that being an issue causing yet another return.

 

[Liv1u]

Definitely didn't fill anything in on the pc side.

My label was pre-paid and provided by Sandisk. I didn't have to go through the UPS site. Everything was provided by email and the only instructions Sandisk gave were to print 3 copies of the commerical invoice, sign them and give to the ups driver. I did a drop off, so just put them in one of those "documents enclosed" pouches on the outside and to use the provided pre-paid UPS label.

Definitely didn't fill in anything else. Maybe Sandisk took care of it as Sandisk provided me the pre-paid shipping label.

Will need to keep Sandisk in mind, think it's unbelievable that they provided a prepaid label for a memory stick which presumably is no more than 20-30 pounds, surprised they didn't just tell you to throw it away or something.

Wish MSI would have sorted this out as while they were quick to respond and very pleasant to deal with I think looking forward will need to buy a card from a manufacturer with UK based repair center as this is proving rather costly both in terms of money and time if it wasn't for cards costing what they do these days it would have probably been sent off to the scrap heap. I'd hate to think people that own 800+ pound cards having to pay for shipping to Poland.