My First International Vape Mail.

[smokinGAVIN]

I just received my first order from the US. They only ship via USPS so I had no choice of carrier. I ordered the Big Dripper V2 from Grand Vapor Station. It cost $65 and shipping was $35. USPS ships here and passed over to Phlippine Post which passes thru the greedy customs guys here. They opened the package and they insisted that it was some kind of turbo add on for a race car and taxed me 6000 pesos, that is about $136. More than what I paid for my atty and shipping combined. That is 15% of what they think the value of the item is. I really tried to argue and explain to them what it was but they wouldn't even believe what wsa printed in the Invoice. They lay their argument on the banner that says "Don't Drip and Drive" on the box and from there concluded that it was some kind of exotic and expensive car part. After customs I was charged VAT, Value Added Tax, of 4000 pesos, that's about $90. My atty ended up costing me around $300. The funny thing is based on their computation the atty is worth more than $1000.

 

[MrVibes]

Wow, sometimes we as international vapers take a hit from our greedy customs... Hope you find a better solution next time

 

[Spencer87]

Holy Crap... Wow you got screwed. I would have told them to keep it then....

I mean, having been to the Philippines before, vaping is big there, you would think they would know what an atomizer is.
As for your Shipping, Here in Japan, Most of what I order is 25 international flat rate shipping.

 

[Wolfenstark]

pfffffffffffft to that

 

[smokinGAVIN]

I could have just left it there but I really wanted it. I couldn't have ordered a new one because the website says they only use USPS and that means it will go thru the same customs office and the same post office and probably the same customs officer.

 

[greyclouds]

Whew! I guess I was really lucky to have stopped over when I did during the manila vapecon last march 15,It was vape galore! I upgraded from my sigelei with a plume veil clone and got a beautiful black kamagon parallel box mod with kwago atomzer, both original philippine designed and made ones, efest 18650's,quick charger, a tactical vape pouch, and assorted juices (go for alas' brand ejuices, viper labs, ruse and vaporetto.. my new personal faves) for my now proud ultra- advanced vape kit. Now I must figure out how and what it costs to send some over for my friends back home, either ship or bring home in check in luggage in a few weeks. The philippines is new for me, and the best place for adventure tavel vapers like me. In cambodia it was illegal and no ejuice available except the black market when I was there, shamefully relapsed and smoked cigarettes again. It seems it would be silly to import products from china to the US and then export/import into a country that in my opinion- has the best vape gear I've come across so far.. but that's the strange thing about global trade I guess...