Am I being taken for a ride?

[osbourne one-nil]

Early in the new year, I started doing what I seem to do every January and pondered a new purchase. This year is was something I’ve listed after for as long as it’s existed; a Vixen mount equipped with Star Book Ten. I settled on an SXD2 and made enquiries with all the normal sources. They all said at least 6 weeks except one who said The distributor in Europe, Bresser, had one and it would take about two weeks. In my mind I allowed for a bit longer, but I placed the order. 
 

When chased, I’ve always had swift and polite responses but they’ve always felt a bit vague. The order had been accepted, it was due to ship, it had shipped but got sent back by customs, it was due to ship again...and now, nearly 7 weeks after placing the order, I get some orders are being received and we expect yours will be coming soon. 
 

I know Brexit and Covid have greatly changed the landscape but it’s the lack of anything other than vague “holding” answers that makes me wonder if I was told what I wanted to hear so I pressed the button. 
 

Does 7 weeks and counting for something supposedly in Germany ring true?

[callisto]

Not on the same scale as yours, but I have been waiting for a Falcon eyes camera bracket from Camera House since the beginning of January....was told they are shipped direct from the suppliers in the Netherlands (doe's not say this on their site)! anyway, still waiting for the thing to be delivered and apparently it's been "sitting in Birmingham" since the 4th of Feb 

[stevenson166]

7 weeks from Germany and still not recieved sounds like never had stock ! I have had items in a week from Germany this year

[osbourne one-nil]

It did strike me that if it turns up soon it will have taken around the same time as the other suppliers quoted. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. Maybe....

[Louis D]

You could always initiate a dispute with your CC company and let them sort it out with the retailer.

[osbourne one-nil]

Oh, I’ll just cancel it if I get any grumpier! Im sure they’d not quibble. I’m just gauging whether I’m being unreasonable or not given the current state of things. 

[callisto]

3 minutes ago, osbourne one-nil said:

whether I’m being unreasonable

I think you have been more than patient 🤨

[Louis D]

46 minutes ago, osbourne one-nil said:

Oh, I’ll just cancel it if I get any grumpier! Im sure they’d not quibble. I’m just gauging whether I’m being unreasonable or not given the current state of things. 

The retailer may not let you cancel, claiming it has already been shipped and is tied up in customs, continuing the runaround.  That's why I suggested going through your CC company.  Tell their representative what you've told us, and that you'd like to cancel the order if the retailer cannot provide proof of shipment to the CC company.  The retailer should be able to provide the name of their shipping company, tracking number, and the name of their customs broker.

[discardedastro]

8 minutes ago, Louis D said:

The retailer may not let you cancel, claiming it has already been shipped and is tied up in customs, continuing the runaround.  That's why I suggested going through your CC company.  Tell their representative what you've told us, and that you'd like to cancel the order if the retailer cannot provide proof of shipment to the CC company.  The retailer should be able to provide the name of their shipping company, tracking number, and the name of their customs broker.

Most retailers are accepting refunds - one of the audio firms I purchased from on the 3rd Jan delivered the end of Feb (after I'd requested a refund and they accepted it) due to UPS not understanding the recall request, and are now trying to sort out a recall through UPS.

So yeah, 1-2 month delays certainly "normal" at the moment. We're seeing similar things with work, despite having an entire team of logistics and customs people prepared for it all. General consensus is that at least for 2021/22/23 this isn't liable to improve dramatically; a lot of import checks were unilaterally waived by the UK govt to lessen the impact of Brexit and will come into force soon, which is widely expected to make things dramatically worse.

[Deadlake]

Everything for Vixen going through Bressner is a bottleneck. Pre Brexit but during the pandemic the SXP2 I bought took about two weeks to arrive. I knew it was in stock, just the shipping. The latest scope I’ve bought in Janauary sourced with parts  from Germany and America still has not arrived. Brexit is more of an issue I hear then the pandemic. Also constant issues with logistics (for all orders the dealer is procuring). I think this the new normal. For the next large orders I’m going to try RVO as they will accept a deposit and charge when on route to them.

[osbourne one-nil]

Thanks all - I'll hang on as ultimately I want the mount and once it's here, I'll forget about the numerous crystal clear nights I've had since ordering it*

7 hours ago, Louis D said:

The retailer may not let you cancel, claiming it has already been shipped and is tied up in customs, continuing the runaround.  That's why I suggested going through your CC company.  Tell their representative what you've told us, and that you'd like to cancel the order if the retailer cannot provide proof of shipment to the CC company.  The retailer should be able to provide the name of their shipping company, tracking number, and the name of their customs broker.

They allow for returns within 30 days of you receiving the package so I'd be ok there but yes, a very good reason to pay with a credit card. 

I just absolutely loathe being misled. I don't do it to my customers (if I've forgotten to do something I say so...shuts them right up!) but the last couple of answers make me think this really is beyond their control. I wish Vixen still distributed from within the UK. Perhaps I can have a career change! How I'd love that....and how my clients would too. 

 

*this is, of course, a lie. 

[AL1]

My kids wanted to spend some of their Christmas money on Lego which I ordered from Europe.  That took two months to deliver.   This might be the new norm

[osbourne one-nil]

Poor them - that's far more important than a telescope mount...and I'm being entirely serious! My eldest son was beside himself when his latest Lego purchase was delayed...and he's 21. 

[theropod]

This seems to be a trend spreading across the pond, without the customs house involvement. I ordered a solid brass adapter to use .965” eyepieces with my 1.25”. My plan is to use this with my DIY refractor so that I can use some all glass and metal eyepieces for solar projection. This was bought on fleabay back in January and still hasn’t arrived. Tracking shows it went from California to Florida. Each is equidistant from me. This is entirely on the USPS.

I’m trying to set up a tracked projector so the 2024 solar eclipse can be blown up to the side of our house size. I have a first surface mirror and the plan is to build a bracket I can adjust to keep the projected image where I want it. A small clamping ball head and holder for the mirror that clamps to the eyepiece ought to work. Anyway, this was ordered January 17th, and arrived in Florida yesterday. I’m only a week or so away from what I should have had in less than a week.

[DrMcCoy]

I made a 'large' order through BresserUK 31 Dec 2020 and then another early Jan.  Finally fulfilled this last week.  It appears to have been quite the logistic project.  Good comms throughout with BresserUK although I nearly cancelled, but stuck it out as I really wanted the items.  Of course it comes from Germany so suffered from the learning curve of Brexit. 

[osbourne one-nil]

That's good to hear although my transaction isn't with Bresser directly so I'm reliant on my supplier who perhaps simply doesn't know much more than me as to where things are! Hopefully it'll be here soon. 

[Cyril]

One German retailer,  soon after the New Year, website said they didn't deliver to the UK!

I was going to place an order a few weeks ago but backed out because they said some of it was on back order and awaiting delivery.

Perhaps Chinese goods aren't getting through customs!

This pandemic will still be sending shockwaves around the globe for sometime yet,  but lets not forget  Brexit.

BBC News 04/01/2021

VAT is now being collected at the point of sale rather than at the point of importation.

This essentially means that overseas retailers sending goods to the UK are expected to register for UK VAT and account for it to HMRC if the sale value is less than €150 (£135).

A government spokesperson said: "The new VAT model ensures goods from EU and non-EU countries are treated in the same way and that UK businesses are not disadvantaged by competition from VAT-free imports.

"The new system also addresses the problem of overseas sellers failing to pay the right amount of VAT on sales of goods already in the UK at the point of sale, raising an anticipated £300m every year.

Campaigner Richard Allen, founder of Retailers Against VAT Abuse Schemes, told the BBC that the massive increase in international online shopping had led to VAT evasion on a huge scale.

"For providing this service, [HMRC] intend to charge a fee to every company in the world in every country in the world which exports to the UK," said Dutch Bike Bits on its website."

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Cyril

[osbourne one-nil]

Yeah, ok, but apart from those things.....

What a mess! Perhaps I should swap hobby and become a Morris Dancer. I think the UK is the world's leading sticks and bells manufacturer. 

[Louis D]

18 hours ago, Cyril said:

A government spokesperson said: "The new VAT model ensures goods from EU and non-EU countries are treated in the same way and that UK businesses are not disadvantaged by competition from VAT-free imports.

"The new system also addresses the problem of overseas sellers failing to pay the right amount of VAT on sales of goods already in the UK at the point of sale, raising an anticipated £300m every year.

Campaigner Richard Allen, founder of Retailers Against VAT Abuse Schemes, told the BBC that the massive increase in international online shopping had led to VAT evasion on a huge scale.

"For providing this service, [HMRC] intend to charge a fee to every company in the world in every country in the world which exports to the UK," said Dutch Bike Bits on its website."

After the US Congress passed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA) in 2010 requiring foreign banks to report any assets held by Americans in them to the US government, most foreign banks simply refused to open accounts for Americans, so they wouldn't have to deal with the expenses and bureaucracy associated with compliance.  This has made it incredibly difficult for Americans to permanently live abroad.  Combine that with tax laws that require US income taxes be paid on all income, foreign and domestic, even if you haven't lived in the US for decades, and Americans abroad have been renouncing their US citizenship in droves.

Likewise, I foresee many, if not most, EU and non-EU retailers simply refusing to do business with the UK to avoid the hassle and expense of collecting VAT for them.  I can't imagine small American retailers wanting to deal with the hassle of VAT.  They already have to deal with 50 different state sales taxes along with myriad different local sales taxes.

[DAVE AMENDALL]

7 hours ago, osbourne one-nil said:

Yeah, ok, but apart from those things.....

What a mess! Perhaps I should swap hobby and become a Morris Dancer. I think the UK is the world's leading sticks and bells manufacturer. 

You would probably find deliveries a problem on the sticks and bells as well. Hey nonnie no!...Dave

[Tiny Clanger]

8 hours ago, osbourne one-nil said:

Yeah, ok, but apart from those things.....

What a mess! Perhaps I should swap hobby and become a Morris Dancer. I think the UK is the world's leading sticks and bells manufacturer. 

No need for sticks, just get yourself a beer tray, as wielded by the excellent dog rose morris

 

[osbourne one-nil]

I had to make my excuses at a meeting once and said I had to leave early because I had morris dancing and bell ringing that evening. No one batted an eyelid.

I was mortified. 

[barkis]

It's quite aggravating when you want to get a reasonable delivery time after you commit payment based on the answer you are given. One has to wonder if the fear of losing an order is enough to persuade some dealers to be a little conservative with the truth.      I have used TS in Germany twice, but for small payment Items only, but they they were were delivered in very reasonable time.   I always use UK dealers for major Astro. items, mostly our sponsor, less trepidation that way.

These are very difficult times for dealers of all genres, and one has to afford them some sympathy and patience.   I hope your item arrives safe and sound soon. 

                     Ron.

 

[osbourne one-nil]

Wise words from someone just up the road - thank you!

[Robindonne]

Well you ordered mid-pandemic but pre-pricerise😉.