On 13 November 2015, I received MFT newsletter saying that they will be having annual MFT Retirement Sale with incredibly diverse collection of more than 300 Die-namics, stamps and stencils, all offered at a 50% savings! Seeing that message, I quickly click to MFT website and navigate my way to the 'Sale' category as there is where the 50% discounted items are!
There really lots of items on this retiring sale including one of my wishlist stamp set, the Lollipop Additions - Birthday. Without much thinking, I just add this stamp set to the cart because:
Well, since I already have one (1) items in my cart, how could I stop just having one when there is this 50% retirement sale going on? The very good reason I gave to myself is as per reason #1 above. So, I just proceed to scan through the potential items page-by-page. After a through search, I finalize the items in my cart by weighing the item usefulness, usage frequency and flexibility or transform ability (means other than being use as it is, can the item be used as it not suppose to be).
I chosen another stamp set which is a sentiment only stamp set. I seldom buy sentiment only stamp sets as I do not think it is worth the money. But this particular sentiment stamp set, Grand Greetings is great as it has some design and style. I also realize that I been lacking on huge sentiment stamp sets which sometimes I struggle when making clean and simple (CAS) cards. So, this Grand Greetings is just perfect as it has the sentiment I use often.
Then, I choose a Die-namics, the Red Delicious as it is good for making Teacher's Day cards. Other than that, since its stem and leaves are separate individual dies, perhaps it can be used to be match with other dies. Finally, I added another two (2) stencils into my cart.
The total order cost less than USD$30 which is just worth it as I really got the items I want but the shipping is the main, main issue as shipping rates always burn a hole in my pocket. There are few options of shipping methods offered and I always go for the cheapest rate which is USPS First Class Package. However, perhaps due to the weight of the items, the shipping rate for USPS First Class Package and FedEx envelope International Priority is just a few dollar difference! Well, since the difference is not much, of course I choose FedEx envelope International Priority as it is more faster arrival and there is tracking number. I must admit that this is where is mistake is.
I paid my order directly using my credit card this time as my RHB bank account where I usually top up my PayPal balance is out of money. Usually I will deposit cash into the bank account and top up my PayPal balance the next day. However, I do not want to wait this time as MFT has announced in the newsletter that these retiring items are at its limited supply. I do not want to risk this order as I encounter numerously previously that the items I really want is out of stock after I deposit the money to top up my PayPal balance. In the end, I end up abandoning my previous cart as the most wanted item is out of stock.
This annual MFT Retirement Sale really popular as after three (3) days of my payment, I receive an e-mail from MFT notifying that they are still working hard to ship the orders generate from this annual MFT Retirement Sale. Later the same day, MFT notify me that my items has been shipped.
Since I am using FedEx services to ship my items, it took about four (4) days for the package to reach my house. However, when I was contacted by FedEx delivery guy to ensure that I am at home, this is where the shocking news hit me! I was told by him that I need to pay RM37.90 for the custom duty tax or he would not release the package to me. What the heck?! The FedEx delivery guy called me again when he reached my apartment compound and ask me to go down to the lobby instead as he could not come in (the lobby is only accessible using access card). I ask my dear hubby to pick up the package instead. When he comes up again, I re-confirm with him if really have to pay the RM37.90 custom duty tax and he says he did or I would not get my package. Hearing that, all my excitement about receiving the goodies just vanished.....
With the package and the RM37.90 custom duty tax payment made, there is receipt and bunch of paper documents. I check the receipt and those documents wanting to know why I am being charged for the custom duty tax as I never encounter this before ever since I start buying from oversea online years ago. I am really not satisfy being charged more as I made quite an expensive payment on shipping fees!
The first document is a custom duty tax advice where it is an invoice issued by FedEx that the package is being imposed with import GST (Goods and Service Tax) at RM32.90 and 'Free Commercial Zone' charges at RM5.00. The second document is a receipt from Royal Malaysian Customs (Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia) whereby it imposed the import GST of RM32.90. The next three (3) pages of third document are declaration documents from MFT.
The last document is how the get the amount of import GST of RM32.90. It written that my items cost USD$28.98 which is correct and exchanged to Ringgit Malaysia at exchange rate 4.3287 which is equal to RM125.45. The next line is the one makes me scratching my head which is the freight charges of RM421.59. I suppose the freight is the shipping charges which I paid at USD$21.06 to MFT. I just do not understand why the freight charges should be imposed with import GST! Even they want to impose charges on the freight charges, it should be USD$21.06 as declared by MFT in the earlier third document exchanged at 4.3287 which will be RM91.16. But they straight away put as RM421.59 which really makes no sense! Then, the third line is insurance at RM1.25. All together totaled at RM548.29 and imposed with import GST at 6% is equal to RM32.90. If the freight charges were to charge at RM91.16, I only need to pay RM13.07 import GST in total! Now, I am paying RM19.83 more! Also, I am not sure why I am being charged RM5.00 as 'Free Commercial Zone' charges. I cannot find this RM5.00 charges anywhere in the documents except the custom duty tax advice issued by FedEx.
The moral of this time are:
I think it will took me some times to consider buying from oversea again after this incident. I am just so not in mood on my new goodies this time.....
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| From left to right: My Favorite Things (MFT) Lollipop Additions - Birthday Stamp My Favorite Things (MFT) Grand Greetings Stamp |
- this stamp set is retiring as announced by MFT in the newsletter. Thus, this is the best time to buy this stamp set or it would be hard to find in the market later
- I need this stamp set because few months ago, I bought the Die-namics Lollipop Treat without the matching stamp set due to limited budget
- I am thinking to make a small gift to distribute to my son's classmates during his birthday (crossing fingers that it can happen next year since his this year birthday is in two (2) days time, 22 November)
- There are appreciation sentiments in this stamp set other than birthday sentiments which is great as giving lollipop as appreciation gift would be a good idea! :P
Well, since I already have one (1) items in my cart, how could I stop just having one when there is this 50% retirement sale going on? The very good reason I gave to myself is as per reason #1 above. So, I just proceed to scan through the potential items page-by-page. After a through search, I finalize the items in my cart by weighing the item usefulness, usage frequency and flexibility or transform ability (means other than being use as it is, can the item be used as it not suppose to be).
I chosen another stamp set which is a sentiment only stamp set. I seldom buy sentiment only stamp sets as I do not think it is worth the money. But this particular sentiment stamp set, Grand Greetings is great as it has some design and style. I also realize that I been lacking on huge sentiment stamp sets which sometimes I struggle when making clean and simple (CAS) cards. So, this Grand Greetings is just perfect as it has the sentiment I use often.
 |
| My Favorite Things (MFT) Red Delicious Die-namics |
The total order cost less than USD$30 which is just worth it as I really got the items I want but the shipping is the main, main issue as shipping rates always burn a hole in my pocket. There are few options of shipping methods offered and I always go for the cheapest rate which is USPS First Class Package. However, perhaps due to the weight of the items, the shipping rate for USPS First Class Package and FedEx envelope International Priority is just a few dollar difference! Well, since the difference is not much, of course I choose FedEx envelope International Priority as it is more faster arrival and there is tracking number. I must admit that this is where is mistake is.
I paid my order directly using my credit card this time as my RHB bank account where I usually top up my PayPal balance is out of money. Usually I will deposit cash into the bank account and top up my PayPal balance the next day. However, I do not want to wait this time as MFT has announced in the newsletter that these retiring items are at its limited supply. I do not want to risk this order as I encounter numerously previously that the items I really want is out of stock after I deposit the money to top up my PayPal balance. In the end, I end up abandoning my previous cart as the most wanted item is out of stock.
This annual MFT Retirement Sale really popular as after three (3) days of my payment, I receive an e-mail from MFT notifying that they are still working hard to ship the orders generate from this annual MFT Retirement Sale. Later the same day, MFT notify me that my items has been shipped.
Since I am using FedEx services to ship my items, it took about four (4) days for the package to reach my house. However, when I was contacted by FedEx delivery guy to ensure that I am at home, this is where the shocking news hit me! I was told by him that I need to pay RM37.90 for the custom duty tax or he would not release the package to me. What the heck?! The FedEx delivery guy called me again when he reached my apartment compound and ask me to go down to the lobby instead as he could not come in (the lobby is only accessible using access card). I ask my dear hubby to pick up the package instead. When he comes up again, I re-confirm with him if really have to pay the RM37.90 custom duty tax and he says he did or I would not get my package. Hearing that, all my excitement about receiving the goodies just vanished.....
 |
| From left to right: My Favorite Things (MFT) Graduated Hexagons Stencil My Favorite Things (MFT) Scallops Stencil |
The first document is a custom duty tax advice where it is an invoice issued by FedEx that the package is being imposed with import GST (Goods and Service Tax) at RM32.90 and 'Free Commercial Zone' charges at RM5.00. The second document is a receipt from Royal Malaysian Customs (Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia) whereby it imposed the import GST of RM32.90. The next three (3) pages of third document are declaration documents from MFT.
The last document is how the get the amount of import GST of RM32.90. It written that my items cost USD$28.98 which is correct and exchanged to Ringgit Malaysia at exchange rate 4.3287 which is equal to RM125.45. The next line is the one makes me scratching my head which is the freight charges of RM421.59. I suppose the freight is the shipping charges which I paid at USD$21.06 to MFT. I just do not understand why the freight charges should be imposed with import GST! Even they want to impose charges on the freight charges, it should be USD$21.06 as declared by MFT in the earlier third document exchanged at 4.3287 which will be RM91.16. But they straight away put as RM421.59 which really makes no sense! Then, the third line is insurance at RM1.25. All together totaled at RM548.29 and imposed with import GST at 6% is equal to RM32.90. If the freight charges were to charge at RM91.16, I only need to pay RM13.07 import GST in total! Now, I am paying RM19.83 more! Also, I am not sure why I am being charged RM5.00 as 'Free Commercial Zone' charges. I cannot find this RM5.00 charges anywhere in the documents except the custom duty tax advice issued by FedEx.
The moral of this time are:
- never ship with other big and popular commercial logistic providers as listed by the vendors you want to buy from
- just because the shipping rate is a few dollar difference between the usual shipping method, USPS First Class Package and the more expensive shipping method, FedEx envelope International Priority, do not be greedy
I think it will took me some times to consider buying from oversea again after this incident. I am just so not in mood on my new goodies this time.....
