Guest Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 5 hours ago, Graham A said: I posted on another thread about a left handed Musicman Sterling which i ended up ordering from Thomann's on the 15/01/2021. I had been waiting a few months before Brexit hoping that it would come in stock beforehand, sadly it came in about 10-11 days after...sods law. I did try & source one from the Musicman distributor in the UK but they informed me that there were no lefties, & none becoming available in 2021!! As Thomann's only had one in stock I bit the bullet & ordered. Prior to Brexit the price seemed to fluctuate between £2030 - £2050 from what i can recall. Price after brexit was £1699 ( no VAT added ). It was shipped on the 16th by the UPS, & seemed to sale through Germany. I received an email on the Thursday night ( 21/01 ) saying that i owed charges totally £399.71, which was the ball park figure i had worked out around the £400 mark. Government Charges - £388.21 Brokerage Charges - £11.50 On the Friday (22/01), it appeared to cross into the UK, as the app showed it had been imported & accepted into Stanford Le Hope. Then there was nothing...... With no apparent movement or update since the Friday i decided to visit my local UPS depot yesterday, as it's only a few miles away in Sedgefield, & definitely better than trying to get through on the phone. That seemed to do the trick & last night it actually cleared customs, something i assumed had happened last week reading the app, but at least it's back on the move. The girl at the depot did mention that there is a huge backlog at Stanford Le Hope with goods trying to get through customs. Fingers crossed it gets here in piece. I would say to anyone buying from Thomann's now, don't expect a quick delivery, mine looks like it's going to be at least two weeks, & a few heart in mouth moments when you think you parcel has been lost.....saying that there's still time for that to happen!! Don’t worry. I had the exact same experience with UPS during Christmas with a parcel from the US. It took less than 24 hours from pickup in the US to arrival in the UK.., then a week to “clear customs” (they asked what woods were in the bass, I guess trying to rule out Brazilian Rosewood). Within 48Hrs of being cleared they were delivered. Tracking still said the parcel was in Stansted I think they’re doing their best and aside from a slightly dodgy tracking system (they could learn a thing or two from DPD - 1hr time slots, name and pic of driver, prompts when your delivery is soon) they’ve not let me down in 20+ years of sending and receiving basses... yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldon Tyrell Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 3 hours ago, EBS_freak said: I can see the TV adverts in years to come. "Have you paid too much VAT? Are you due a repayment of customs duty that was unduly paid? Call us now on...." And lawyers like J.A. will be more than happy to help customers getting their well-deserved money 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Kev said: This is true, provided that the seller collects the VAT. If they don’t, you will pay at import instead. Particularly relevant when it comes to non-VAT registered private sales, to which the £135 threshold is effectively meaningless. No, there is NO import duty on <£135 purchases - it's entirely unrelated to VAT. Paying VAT at the point of import is NOT the same as import duty. Just as the excise duty on spirits is not the same as VAT. Edited January 28, 2021 by Stub Mandrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said: No, there is NO import duty on <£135 purchases - it's entirely unrelated to VAT. Paying VAT at the point of import is NOT the same as import duty. Just as the excise duty on spirits is not the same as VAT. Apologies, I thought you were talking about the mirroring VAT rule. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Recent update from Thomann (apologies if it's already been posted...thread has grown somewhat) https://www.thomann.de/blog/en/an-update-for-our-valued-uk-customers/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassApprentice Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I'm glad there are potential solutions ahead, but you can see how ridiculous they think this situation is by the amount of tongue in cheek in that article, and they're not wrong 😅 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 10 hours ago, Earbrass said: Recent update from Thomann (apologies if it's already been posted...thread has grown somewhat) https://www.thomann.de/blog/en/an-update-for-our-valued-uk-customers/ It's odd that most of the other German stores have already implemented a DDP service and as such are selling for a total price, when they're the size that they are. Good to see that should be changing in a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 I got a pedal from thomann. Less than £135 in total. And that's all I paid. Took just under 2 weeks from ordering to receiving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 1 hour ago, la bam said: I got a pedal from thomann. Less than £135 in total. And that's all I paid. Took just under 2 weeks from ordering to receiving. Yeah I think there is little chance of the sub £135 orders going wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassist_lewis Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 I've just got an email saying my parcel is arriving tomorrow, which is great, and the predicted delivery date since a couple of days after I bought it. However, the latest "live" tracking info is from 4/5 days ago and says its in Germany... I'm glad its made it here, but would have preferred if the tracking was kept up to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaRik Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Still nothing from UPS here - 3 weeks after the order and 2 weeks after it was delivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham A Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, bassist_lewis said: I've just got an email saying my parcel is arriving tomorrow, which is great, and the predicted delivery date since a couple of days after I bought it. However, the latest "live" tracking info is from 4/5 days ago and says its in Germany... I'm glad its made it here, but would have preferred if the tracking was kept up to date. Hi @bassist_lewis, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if UPS are the courier it's more than likely that date will come & go with no delivery, unless you're very lucky!! My initial delivery date was the 25/01, & i still haven't got my hands on the bass i ordered from Thomann's on the 15/01. I've since been told that the first delivery date you get given is generated automatically, & bears no resemblence to the reality to where your parcel is in the system.....which leads to the question "Why??", a sure fire way to get your customers backs up. Just to give you a bit of a time frame to work with, my parcel arrived into Stanford Le Hope on the 22/01, i paid VAT / fees owing the same day. The next tracking event showed it had cleared customs on the 27/01. It was then rescanned on Sunday evening 31/01, still at Stanford Le Hope!! I ended up emailing the CEO of UPS yesterday afternoon about my non delivery, pointing out that seeing that i had purchased the goods / paid the fees by credit card ( always do this for large purchases for added protection then pay off so i don't pay interest ) i would be looking at contacting them to make a chargeback claim for non delivery of goods. That did the trick, & within an hour UPS's head of customer service for the UK & Ireland had contacted me, & escalated my case. My parcel is now due to be with me tomorrow....but i won't believe it until the goods are in my hands. I have been told by the person dealing with my complaint that despite the tracking saying my goods had cleared customs on the 27/01, they didn't actually clear until Saturday 30/01 because of the backlog!! Edit 02/02 1650hrs ; My parcels just been scanned again, so fingers crossed it's on the move. I'll keep hold of the UPS email addresses i've got, just in case any other Basschatters end up in the same situation as me 👍 Edited February 2, 2021 by Graham A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 I can provide a definitive answer to the original question 'Thomann Price?' Quote In the Toys, Hobby & DIY market in Germany, thomann.de is ranked #2 with > US$300m in 2019. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham A Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Well despite the promises from UPS my purchase from Thomann's still hasn't arrived at the Sedgefield depot for me to collect. From the sounds of it, it's been loaded onto a trailer to be despatched but doesn't look like it has!! So the chances of getting it today are slim 😟 It's now been 19 days in transit!!! While i accept that none of this is the fault of Thomann's sadly i can't see me ordering from them again if this is the run around i'm going to have to endure everytime i make a purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 I had ups and thomann updates by text if this helps: 1. It said is was due on Monday morning (6 days after ordering). 2. Then on monday afternoon it said 'delayed'. 3. Eventually it recalibrated to say delivery due the Monday after. 4. Then on the Friday it said due on Tuesday between (11 and 3). 5. It turned up Monday afternoon 4pm. So, I think we have to bare with the couriers and distributors at the moment. We are only a month in, so problems are be expected, as frustrating as it is. There will be things that need updating, but I'm sure itll be fine soon. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 ...... It's all new & not very shiny atm, things will get sorted / better, but overnight it ain't. 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassist_lewis Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 1 hour ago, Graham A said: Well despite the promises from UPS my purchase from Thomann's still hasn't arrived at the Sedgefield depot for me to collect. From the sounds of it, it's been loaded onto a trailer to be despatched but doesn't look like it has!! So the chances of getting it today are slim 😟 It's now been 19 days in transit!!! While i accept that none of this is the fault of Thomann's sadly i can't see me ordering from them again if this is the run around i'm going to have to endure everytime i make a purchase. That sucks, especially for a reasonably pricey guitar. Hopefully it arrives soon. My pedalboard is in the Edinburgh depot and due to be delivered tomorrow, so fingers crossed! It implies that things are straightening out, albeit slower than we'd like! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 1 hour ago, Graham A said: Well despite the promises from UPS my purchase from Thomann's still hasn't arrived at the Sedgefield depot for me to collect. From the sounds of it, it's been loaded onto a trailer to be despatched but doesn't look like it has!! So the chances of getting it today are slim 😟 It's now been 19 days in transit!!! While i accept that none of this is the fault of Thomann's sadly i can't see me ordering from them again if this is the run around i'm going to have to endure everytime i make a purchase. The tracking is worse than useless, sadly. When my order was delivered, the tracking was suddenly updated with a ton of events that weren't there before, and actually changed some of the time stamped events that were already on there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 I can see negative reviews in Thomman's future - when it's not actually their fault. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 40 minutes ago, Kev said: The tracking is worse than useless, sadly. When my order was delivered, the tracking was suddenly updated with a ton of events that weren't there before, and actually changed some of the time stamped events that were already on there. Yes I have the same experience every time I have international shipping via UPS. I get the feeling that their handheld scanners don’t work very well and tracking events appear in batches. If you compare with more modern/accurate tracking systems it’s pretty pointless really - and their explanation of what each tracking event name is hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_c2 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 I can't imagine Thomann wouldn't regularly review these kinds of things and if UPS are worse than others, switch courier sooner or later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 25 minutes ago, paul_c2 said: I can't imagine Thomann wouldn't regularly review these kinds of things and if UPS are worse than others, switch courier sooner or later. I wonder if they'll consider switching government border forces rules. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham A Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) On 02/02/2021 at 13:43, bassist_lewis said: I've just got an email saying my parcel is arriving tomorrow, which is great, and the predicted delivery date since a couple of days after I bought it. However, the latest "live" tracking info is from 4/5 days ago and says its in Germany... I'm glad its made it here, but would have preferred if the tracking was kept up to date. That's great 👍 This adds to suspicion that they've actually lost my parcel!! Can is ask, did your parcel go through customs, & Stanford Le Hope? If so how long did it take if you don't mind me asking? Edit - Quoted the wrong thing @bassist_lewis. Should have been about your parcel being at the Edinburgh depot. If mine ever makes it to the Sedgefield depot i'm going to collect. Lol Edited February 3, 2021 by Graham A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham A Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) 52 minutes ago, paul_c2 said: I can't imagine Thomann wouldn't regularly review these kinds of things and if UPS are worse than others, switch courier sooner or later. In the end i've had delivery escalated by the customer resolution team due to me i emailing the CEO of UPS UK on Monday, i can't see what else i can do my end. It'll be 3 weeks on Friday since i ordered, the parcel cleared customs either on the 27/01 ( according to tracking ) or 30/01 ( according to the person dealing with it from UPS ). Looking on social media I've seen other people in the same boat as me, but others seem to be getting there parcels with only slight delays. There just doesn't seem to be any system in place on how goods are being cleared!! I've already expressed my concerns to Thomann who have just sent me an email saying that the parcel is fully insured whilst in transit, & that they will continue to monitor the tracking, so i'm sure they are aware of what's going on. Maybe i've just been unlucky 😞 Edited February 3, 2021 by Graham A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Do you know what's funny.... You reckon this will get to me quicker than your guys stuff from Thomann? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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