My Watch kidnapped by FedEx, who asks for a ransom.
**Update December 2023: FedEx has sent me an invoice. I found in my physical mailbox. It is really unbelievable, I did think the issue was solved, but I was wrong.
PLEASE AVOID FedEx, it seems there is a total chaos at their office, and they will ask you to pay for it.
*update of November 8: the case is solved, thank you very much everybody for your help. I have detailed further in my post at the end of your comments. Thank you!
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Hi guys, I write this in the hope that anybody did experience something like this, so to hopefully get some good advice.
I purchased a Grand Seiko in Japan (online platform C24),
When delivered, I was asked to pay GST and import fees.
I duly paid all that GST and import fees (800 dollars +).
More than one year later, the watch was sent back to the seller for a repair under warranty (he managed everything with Grand Seiko Japan, as I had several bad experiences with GS Singapore ..another story).
After the repair, when the watch arrived back to Singapore (where I live), before the delivery I was asked again to pay that same GST and import fees (800 dollars +).
To clarify the situation, I have sent to FedEx evidence that I have already paid at the time of the purchase (2022), evidence that the repair was done under warranty and evidence I did purchase the watch one year ago through the online platform.
Nevertheless, they have retained the watch and insist I have to pay GST and import fees.
When I asked them to return the watch back to Japan (I could arrange through some friend to recover it there, early next year), FedEx requested first the sender in Japan to pay the 800 dollars+ I refuse to pay. Of course, the sender refused as well. So, the watch cannot go back to Japan, nor can it be delivered to me, unless I pay again that 800 dollars +.
The way I see it: FedEx has kidnapped my watch and asks for a ransom.
Apparently dealing with FedEx Singapore does not work. What do you think should I do? Anybody able to give me a good advice?
Thank you very much!
Overwhelmed by life, I paused for a while, and started a watch collection. Eventually I did resume what was left behind, but I still like dwelling on watches. It gives me some peace of mind.
Whoa this is wild
Sorry for your dilemma, if it were me I would hire a lawyer. I’d rather spend money on the lawyer then give it to FedX.
Get yourself a good lawyer & get a letter off to Fed Ex asap.
I suspect that Fed Ex have already paid the fees on your behalf in error, hence their reluctance to release the watch. They should be perfectly capable of requesting the refund of their costs but that will take time & will be dependent on how frequent their reporting responsibilities are.
That’s utterly ridiculous. Sorry to hear of your trouble. As I’m not familiar with Singaporean laws, I don’t really have any advice to give on how to approach this. Several people above mentioned lawyering up and that’s probably the best course of action. I do hope this all gets righted for you, though.
import taxes are collected by customs and FedEx is only the agent that does this work on your behalf. You should contact the customs office to confirm whether you have to pay taxes or not.
That is outrageous. 1st I'd get in touch with Singapore customs & excise and get proof that you've already paid your dues. Then I'd take that to FedEx, if they still play hardball sue the b@#&?€ds
I’ve heard of this before. You need to prove that it was a repair and not a new purchase. Get a lawyer.
import taxes are collected by customs and FedEx is only the agent that does this work on your behalf. You should contact the customs office to confirm whether you have to pay taxes or not.
My impression is that FedEx ignored the invoice issued by the sender, which was clearly referring to a repair mentioning that no trade/no payment did occur… thanks for your comment anyway.
Firstly I would get the official proof from customs you paid the tax upon purchase. Then combine the evidence ( paid tax and document of FOC/warranty service ) and hire a lawyer to write official letter to Fedex stating the obvious and if not returned the watch there will be further legal actions taken and file official complaint to customer rights state office. The letter should be delivered personally from courier with mandatory signature of reception directly to HQ legal department. Then you stand a chance of winning this situation.
One option is to file official complaint to customer rights state office directly without a lawyer letter ( you probably have it in Singapore ).
Last option is to pay the amount and claim return with simmilar procedures.
Hey guys, thank you very much for all your good advises. I read all of them and developed a strategy based on them. It worked, and I finally got the watch from FedEx without any additional cost (except for the time I had to dedicate to the issue).
I looked for a lawyer, as many of you suggested, and informed him about issue and the possible need for help, but did not "activate" him.
I notified FedEx about impending chance to enter into a legal dispute.
Eventually, I wrote a letter to customs (also suggested by some of you), explaining what already explained to FedEx and adding the same evidence I did send to FedEx.
As a result of the above actions the watch was finally delivered at home.
The letter to customs was actually recommended by FedEx as well, which made me think of some misunderstanding from my side, so FedEx might not be the culprit I did describe.. (but I do wonder why FedEx did not manage it with customs buy using all the same evidence and emails I sent to them, which is in fact the same information/evidence I did write in the letter to customs, I think this should be their job!).
However, I still believe something went wrong at FedEx side, as this is not the first watch I send for repair (and returned through FedEx) but this is my first the like experience with such an issue.
So, I believe FedEx did not duly considered the invoice from the sender (which stated that no repair/no payment was involved).
And eventually, FedEx was definitely wrong when requiring the GST + ImportFess from the sender, in case the watch would have been sent back to Japan (why the hell the sender in Japan should pay for Singapore import fees + GST if the watch is returned to Japan? It sounded like a blackmail to me).
Be that as it may, all is good now ...although I think in the future I will recommend to my friends the use of another carrier for cases like a repair with the watch to be moved oversea (I found online stories like mine, and some people stated UPS is better choice if you want to avoid cases like this... who knows...).
I was wrong, just after Christmas I found an invoice in my phisical mailbox.
FedEx is very unprofessional, their office is a total chaos… Beware of using them.