Chinese logic; or, my brain is about to explode!

[leaford]

Right this moment I feel like my brain is going to explode. Allow me to vent.

I just had the most frustrating conversation with my factory assistant, Cherry. Chinese logic at its finest.

We had a problem with the shipment of defective goods back to me. Chris declared the contents as one battery, and the value at $10.

Chinese customs didn't believe either that it was just one 5kg battery, or that it was only valued at $10. So it's being held for a new declaration, and we have to be honest about the contents at least, in case they check.

So I got a list of the contents from Chris, and asked Cherry to assign a minimal value to it for the declaration. That's what we ALWAYS do. Cherry, or the shipping clerk, fills out the customs declaration and the values for each item.

But this time, just because it is coming FROM the US instead of going TO the US, Cherry said she didn't know how much to value them at.

I kept explaining over and over to her to just give them a minimal value because they are broken goods, not new, but she just kept arguing.

"But this is coming from the US, I do not know how much value!" It doesn't matter, just set a low value.

"But they are not all batteries!" It doesn't matter, declare the contents accurately, just set a low value.

"But I don't know what their value is!" Make one up. A low one.

"But they are broken, how do I value broken?" Declare them as broken items, and set a low value because they are broken!

"THey will not understand if I say Items!" (yes, she actually said that) I mean declare them as Broken batteries!

"They are not all batteries!" Broken PCC, Broken Chargers, broken cartomizers! And set a low value!

"But I don't know how much to value them!" ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!

I finally broke down and just said 50 cents each. And then got "But they will not believe if all are same!"


I'm telling you, it is a testament to my self control that I still own an unbroken cell phone.

 

[beachpuff]

Leaford, this has probably been covered somewhere, but why can't this stuff be made in the US? Is it just not cost effective overall?

 

[pmos69]

Just make an excelL spreadsheet with a random value for each item for the poor woman.
You are obviously tormenting her.

 

[Frick]

Just be glad you don't have to pay bribes to the Customs people to get your product. That goes on in some countries, from what I'm told.

 

[TheKush]

I wanna know too!

 

[profection]

It sounds like your getting it from all sides. When do you get a vacation? Never, LOL.

 

[leaford]

Leaford, this has probably been covered somewhere, but why can't this stuff be made in the US? Is it just not cost effective overall?

I wanna know too!

No, it's not cost effective. Labor costs are too high to do it by hand, machines (and creating those machines) for automation would be too expensive.

 

[leaford]

Just be glad you don't have to pay bribes to the Customs people to get your product. That goes on in some countries, from what I'm told.

Don't be so sure I won't.

 

[redempti0N]

well good thing I didnt send the list broken down between fusion and maxx fusion

 

[leaford]

well good thing I didnt send the list broken down between fusion and maxx fusion

I feel like I've been broken down between fusion and maxx fusion.

 

[redempti0N]

imagine how I felt packing that package. and that was on my first day. I must really like you guys that I'm still here (with the company not the office)

 

[leaford]

It gets worse.

Cherry called. FedEx rejected the declaration. They say you aren't ALLOWED to ship goods for repair to China. So we can't declare them as broken. I think I'm just going to go into a cornher and cry now.

Next time I'm going to do the same thing chinese companies always did when I was ordering direct from them back in the states. Declare it as "gift."

 

[redempti0N]

I wonder if Labeling them as samples would have been better?

 

[leaford]

I wonder if Labeling them as samples would have been better?

Couldn't have been worse. And that bribery idea is sounding better and better.

 

[redempti0N]

I still cant believe how fast they got there.

 

[Evie Luv]

Hummmm... wonders how much the broken cell phone would be valued? LOL

 

[redempti0N]

9.95 US dollars

 

[analog]

I still cant believe how fast they got there.

Me neither, 2 weeks to get from there to here, 2 days to get from here to there!

I feel like I've been broken down between fusion and maxx fusion.

Aw man, come on, you're the hero, remember! I'm going to live forever thanks to you!

Doesn't china do a lot of recycling? Might fit well if they were labeled broken items for recycling? Or would that just create a whole new set of recycling hoops to jump through? Broken research samples?

 

[Frick]

It gets worse.

Cherry called. FedEx rejected the declaration. They say you aren't ALLOWED to ship goods for repair to China. So we can't declare them as broken. I think I'm just going to go into a cornher and cry now.

Next time I'm going to do the same thing chinese companies always did when I was ordering direct from them back in the states. Declare it as "gift."

Why return them to China anyway? Is there that much value involved, or does the manufacturer insist on seeing every 'defective' item to give you credit? Or is it to research how to make them better-quality?

 

[starsong]

Might fit well if they were labeled broken items for recycling?

They will not understand if you say ITEMS!