I frequently buy books from the UK, and until recently have never had much of a problem, apart from erratic delivery times.
However, for some reason three orders in succession from a company called World Of Books have had customs charges imposed. Although the actual amounts are small, three or four euros, there is a compulsory eight euros handling charge imposed by La Poste.
La Douane are clearly in the wrong. Under the current IOSS arrangements all charges for items such as books are paid in the country or origin, and there are no further costs incurred by the recipient. This was confirmed by World Of Books, and doesn’t happen with other companies I use – Wordery or Amazon. All of the packages had the relevant IOSS label visible.
However, knowing that the customs office is in the wrong, and getting them to realise it and change their procedures are very different things. The La Duane website, when it is available, doesn’t seem to give any information about how to proceed with a complaint. Has anyone here experienced anything similar, and can give me a clue?
Just had a significant (and regular ) delivery from Wob and have never had any issues. That said I mix and match; sometimes from the UK site, sometimes from the FR site, and sometimes from EBay, depending on what works out best value / easiest with the specific book. If you buy direct perhaps EBay may be an alternative as perhaps it uses eBay’s IOSS code rather than Wob’s and may be more successful? But maybe they use their own even on eBay? I dunno, this is a stream of consciousness and not much help to you
The last order I made actually arrived with about 3 labels, the last one being a logistics company in Belgium suggesting that things go to Europe first, then get sent to the customer. Previously I’d got the impression they had literally posted things direct to me from Lancing or Worthing or wherever their warehouse is, so was surprised that things seemed to have been upgraded (outsourced) for international deliveries, so you could be right that one party in a now longer chain has got something wrong.
I was using wob on a regular basis but about four months ago started to be charged so I switched to the French wob and was still charged so now I’m using La bourse aux livres which so far seem pretty good and very cheap but I shall try Kennie’s next time
Thanks for the reply. However, frequently WOB have exactly what I want at the right price, and I don’t see why I should b e inconvenienced because the French Customs service can’t operate properly.
That won’t work I’m afraid. The duty relates to the country of origin, and WOB send the books that I order from the UK. I asked whether they could send them from Ireland and they said that they couldn’t.
What I’m after is some information about how to make a complaint to or about the French Customs Service for putting charges on deliveries despite to goods being duty free (or at least with the duty paid in the country of origin, which is what the IOSS agreement is,)
Ring the Douanes and see if they can shed any light on the matter. I still think that if you access them through something like Amazon.fr where they have a ‘shop’ you won’t have that problem, even though the books come from the UK. Naturally I can only vouch for my own experience, I haven’t yet had to pay anything on top of the price for books from the UK whoever I have bought them from.
That brings back childhood memories Its a long swim to the Burren from Galway. I used to spend school holidays on Inishmaan and used to go fishing on the Currachs along the coastline of the burren couldnt ,see galway onlythe lights when it got dark.
I just ordered some stuff from Amazon UK and checked for the limits and as far as I can see a shipment to the EU from a non EU country is tax and duty free up to €150. We were ordering something that was on special offer with 40% off and wanted to stock up with 10 of them which would have come in at around 150 sterling so we split it into two lots of 75 quid and no tax or duty was withheld.
Those are the rules, and no doubt to a mistake rather than any willful efforts the French Customs Service have misunderstood them on three successive occasions. I’ve ordered hundreds of books from the UK pre and post Brexit and until now there has never been a problem. However, three times in a row from the same supplier is more than a coincidence, and I’m trying to find out how to tactfully get them to change their ways.
) delivery from Wob and have never had any issues. That said I mix and match; sometimes from the UK site, sometimes from the FR site, and sometimes from EBay, depending on what works out best value / easiest with the specific book. If you buy direct perhaps EBay may be an alternative as perhaps it uses eBay’s IOSS code rather than Wob’s and may be more successful? But maybe they use their own even on eBay? I dunno, this is a stream of consciousness and not much help to you 
