Missing SAPO Parcels and Letters

[lucifir]

I just tried that ems link and it seems my packages are in the country, but it says unsuccessful delivery attempt .... anyone know how I can follow this up?? The tracking number is an international number and I doubt the post office will be using that, so what can I provide them to identify the parcel??

 

[morkhans]

I just tried that ems link and it seems my packages are in the country, but it says unsuccessful delivery attempt .... anyone know how I can follow this up?? The tracking number is an international number and I doubt the post office will be using that, so what can I provide them to identify the parcel??

As mentioned earlier:

Call 0860 111 502, give them the USPS tracking number and they will give you a SAPO tracking number, then go to http://www.parceltrack.co.za/ and track your parcel.

 

[koeksGHT]

Hmm interesting, maybe I should get involved in this. My system keeps a record so could just work out easily how many parcels are delivered to how many being sent. (also busy working on average delivery time currently)

 

[Bundu]

Hmm interesting, maybe I should get involved in this. My system keeps a record so could just work out easily how many parcels are delivered to how many being sent. (also busy working on average delivery time currently)

yes please, before no country is prepared to ship to SA

 

[lucifir]

As mentioned earlier:

thanks ... I missed that
ended up calling the post office that the ems site said had the packae ... so still a very good tool ... thanks for this guys
now if only it was possible to check for any parcels that may not have tracking

 

[Space_Chief]

Just received a package from Japan. It was sent as RR....JP but SAPO did not realise it was a registered item and did not enter it in the system. Japan Post tracking ended when the item left Osaka. They didn't see the REGISTERED MAIL stamp or the RR number on the big waybill. Luckily my 1970s Miyuki Ningyo traditional vintage and wooden kokeshi dolls arrived safely.

 

[Space_Chief]

You'd have to be more specific about exactly which country allows $2000. Last time I checked it was something like £40 in the UK in regard to VAT and a hundred and something Pounds for duties (but VAT's the real killer usually anyway). I'd expect European countries to be similar.

I don't know a single individual that has ever registered to be able to import regularly for personal use. The rule may be there, but they've never bothered much with enforcing it. And of course you can easily just register if you're concerned.

Apologies. It is $200 not $2000 which is duty free for personal importation into the US although I know people who do not pay for $2000 worth of items from proper bona fide shops which declare goods correctly. However multiple items for multiple people may be enclosed in one parcel, so you can say you and your wife can qualify for $400 tax free on internet purchases for personal use. You, your wife and her mother will qualify for $600.
In addition the US tax rate is lower, and the duty rate on average is 3% which is one of the lowest in the world. Plus items from NATFA countries are duty free and the Yanks generally obey other trade agreements so you may not be dutied on other items depending on what they are and with which country the US has a customs treaty.

http://reviews.ebay.com/Canada-amp-USA-Import-Export-Shipping-Guide?ugid=10000000000067340

In SA it is R400, applies only to gifts and any amount OVER this amount cancels the whole thing. If you get a gift of R450 worth in a parcel, you pay the full R450 worth of duties.

Still R1600-2000 is what their allowance is per person, while for us it is R400 and we earn way less than they do. So we get screwed more than they do in absolute and relative terms.

I can attest that you do need to register, and are required by LAW even if you're an individual who imports for personal use to register. You have to use your importer's code on shipments. FedEx, UPS, TNT etc will demand proof of your registration or a signed affidavit that you did not import more than 3 items in the given year if you want release of your imported DVD or RC airplane.
You are welcome to verify this by calling SARS and speaking to their CUSTOMS division. The forms are available on the SARS website.

I don't think anyone else has such a requirement, especially at this day and age of internet purchases. It's a pity that people let their governments do this as there is no rational reason for this encroachment on personal freedom. But such is life.

 

[Space_Chief]

While this is the law it is not enforced.. I've ordered many more items than 3 per anunnum and have had no problems! I've also very rarely been charged duties in my items, some of very high value!

I think that's why they want people to register to keep tabs on who gets charged. You may or may not get charged based on how empathetic the customs/SAPO guys are to you, I get the feeling. But strictly speaking we break the law if we import >3 items per year without registering with them. Registration is a free but tedious process requiring proof of address, proof of banking details, proof of CC if you are one, proof of cell phone number and there is a processing period.

 

[Space_Chief]

A tip: if your status remains at "Record item customs information" for more than one day, your item is stuck at customs and you're gonna have to produce an invoice and pay them out. Sometimes proof of payment is necessary too, so you may have to show a credit card statement as well.

http://ems.sapo.co.za/EmsWebSite/IPSTracking.aspx

 

[Space_Chief]

As mentioned earlier:

It's good advice. But even better is to call the place where the item is stuck at e.g. Capemail for Cape Town. Then ask for Customs and give them your number. They may tell you immediately that you need to fax the invoice. Alternatively you can save yourself a few days by visiting the customs directly with the invoice and cash (don't bring a laptop like some guys to show the Ebay auction - just do a print out) and collect your parcel right there and then. Sometimes you can even get a better deal as the guy may ask you exactly what the item is and you may be charged a lower tariff or just VAT. Sometimes the Customs guys make mistakes and you end up paying 10x the amount you should, so being there while the item is cleared is sometimes a bonus. If you call SAPO they won't know that and will direct you to Customs to inquire where your item is. Customs usually send invoice requests by FASTMAIL but in my case FASTMAIL sometimes takes a week or longer to travel 20km. Fast Mail is hardly fast.

 

[morkhans]

I've gotten to the point where if it's stuck at capemail for more than two days I fax them a copy of the invoice with the local tracking number. It then usually it gets released in a day or two and then I just collect from my local post office.

 

[morkhans]

I think I may have to give the SAPO the benefit of the doubt with regards to the delays in parcels from overseas. I recently ordered 2 items. One from DX which shipped from China and another from a shop in the US. My DX item is listed as having left China on 2012-08-04. It is finally showing on EMS as received in SA on 2012-09-13. In stark contrast my parcel from the US is listed as having left the country on 2012-09-11. It is showing as received in SA on 2012-09-14.

Granted the shipping from DX is Super Saver whereas my package from US was Priority Mail International Parcels, but it I think it does show that customs is processing parcels pretty quickly.

 

[Vis1/0N]

I think I may have to give the SAPO the benefit of the doubt with regards to the delays in parcels from overseas. I recently ordered 2 items. One from DX which shipped from China and another from a shop in the US. My DX item is listed as having left China on 2012-08-04. It is finally showing on EMS as received in SA on 2012-09-13. In stark contrast my parcel from the US is listed as having left the country on 2012-09-11. It is showing as received in SA on 2012-09-14.

Granted the shipping from DX is Super Saver whereas my package from US was Priority Mail International Parcels, but it I think it does show that customs is processing parcels pretty quickly.

My recent experiences from China have been variable, some have not arrived and some have been in pretty quick. So I won't give the SAPO the benefit as easily as you. I have not picked up these murmurs regarding DX on other (international) forums. I have also looked at the feedback left for ebay sellers and generally there are only few complaints on slow shipping. On Bidorbuy I notice more negative feedback regarding shipping.

 

[ichigo]

So far with my parcels from USA/Canada and Israel seem to arrive by my postbox in a week so not bad and always passes customs quickly even if the value is high.

Most of the time it's 2/3 days to South Africa from oversees and the rest is to get to PMB (moves to a different hub once a day compared to a courier which moves the whole way in 1 to 2 days from JHB)

Don't think I have ever had to pay customs on any orders or personal gifts from family.

 

[atunguyd]

I have recently (6 moths ago) back to SA after living in Sydney for 14 years. Since arriving here I have ordered about 6 small items from eBay, mainly from Hong Kong and China. Of these 6, 2 arrived, 3 never arrived, and 1 was resent by the seller up to three times before I eventually got one of them.

I also have had these delivered to three different postal addresses (Pinetown, Durban North and Glen Anil) and all three have had losses.

The real kick in the pants for me was how efficient things were for me last year in Sydney. I would buy an item from Hong Kong on eBay and typically have it in my hands 4 days later. Also Australia charges no duties on anything imported with a value lower than $1000 (apparently it works out more expensive for the government to retrieve these duties than to just let them go by). In those 14 years I never had to pay customs once, also when I check my total paypal payments I have ordered a total of over $40 000 of items over that time all tax free!!!

I bought one DSLR from HK that I paid for on the Tuesday morning and had in my hands on the Wednesday afternoon. Sure it was with Fedex priority, but I cant see SA ever being that fast unless the seller puts one of their employees on a plane to hand deliver the item

Yeah this whole SAPO thing just totally sucks, I have ll but given up on purchasing online anymore.

 

[Vis1/0N]

Update:
Item posted from DealExtreme on 2012-06-28.
Post Office sent 1st Notice slip for registered mail yesterday 2012-09-21, dated 08/08 on it. Parcel stamped 2012-09-08.
Collected from local post office : 2012-09-22

Actual item inside is wrong model ( another issue, google "dealextreme eztv645 not eztv668") - but it would work anyway just not as well. I already had contacted Dealextreme and after investigating and concluding that the parcel was lost they agreed to send me a replacement. Which means when that arrives I will have to pay them back. Wonder how long that would take.

 

[Space_Chief]

Update:
Item posted from DealExtreme on 2012-06-28.
Post Office sent 1st Notice slip for registered mail yesterday 2012-09-21, dated 08/08 on it. Parcel stamped 2012-09-08.
Collected from local post office : 2012-09-22

Actual item inside is wrong model ( another issue, google "dealextreme eztv645 not eztv668") - but it would work anyway just not as well. I already had contacted Dealextreme and after investigating and concluding that the parcel was lost they agreed to send me a replacement. Which means when that arrives I will have to pay them back. Wonder how long that would take.

When it arrives you can refuse delivery and it will be sent back.

 

[Space_Chief]

I also have had these delivered to three different postal addresses (Pinetown, Durban North and Glen Anil) and all three have had losses.

The real kick in the pants for me was how efficient things were for me last year in Sydney. I would buy an item from Hong Kong on eBay and typically have it in my hands 4 days later. Also Australia charges no duties on anything imported with a value lower than $1000 (apparently it works out more expensive for the government to retrieve these duties than to just let them go by). In those 14 years I never had to pay customs once, also when I check my total paypal payments I have ordered a total of over $40 000 of items over that time all tax free!!!

That does not stop SA authorities. You see they charge an extra "inspection" fee - approximately R35 per item. They will bill you that even if they find hand knitted socks your overseas living grandma sent you, i.e. even if they don't charge tax of duties. Australians just haven't seen the way yet. But to be totally honest it's not the ANC's fault. It's a National Party thing. Before apartheid fell, SA customs were also the worst in the world, it was a way to get back at South Africans with British passports who would travel abroad to the UK, OZ, NZ or HK and bring stuff back. ANC picked up this lucrative method of making extra cash by milking the filthy rich people who get stuff from overseas.

I bought one DSLR from HK that I paid for on the Tuesday morning and had in my hands on the Wednesday afternoon. Sure it was with Fedex priority, but I cant see SA ever being that fast unless the seller puts one of their employees on a plane to hand deliver the item

Yeah this whole SAPO thing just totally sucks, I have ll but given up on purchasing online anymore.

FedEx SA is not the real FedEx. They're SUPASWIFT a local subsidiary who doesn't even collect customs payments as they did in the past. You have to EFT the money ahead of time and fax EFT slip before they deliver. They also won't accept cheques either. They charge R100+ for the privilege of paying your customs duties. All the local courier firms are terrible. And I say so also because I've had experience of lousy service when it comes to shipping of samples for big pharma companies. They suck.

 

[Space_Chief]

Don't think I have ever had to pay customs on any orders or personal gifts from family.

Cos they haven't noticed you, yet. There will come a time however when they will charge for every item, and I mean $25 items too.

 

[Space_Chief]

It seems that the SAPO strike is involving mail delivery after all. My EMS item is still stuck in JHB.

PARCEL TRACKING RESULTS
Item Number: EJxxxxxxxxx was last scanned on: 12:30:10 at 2012/10/04
Location last scanned: JIMC E EMS
Currently has status of: Send item to domestic location
TYPE DATE LOCATION
Send item to domestic location 2012/10/04 12:30:10 JIMC E EMS
Return item from customs 2012/10/04 12:24:39 JIMC E EMS
Send item to customs 2012/10/04 11:38:29 JIMC E EMS
Receive item at office of exchange 2012/10/04 11:38:24 JIMC E EMS
In transit 2012/10/04 14:44 JHB INT MAIL CENTRE (HUB)
To Customs 2012/10/04 11:38 JHB INT MAIL CENTRE (HUB)
Incomming International 2012/10/04 11:38 JHB INT MAIL CENTRE (HUB)