The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

[venom21]

To avoid getting charge for a rma device, you have to go customs behind ttpost in piarco, it has an "articles of export" form which you can fill out in duplicate with the customs officer there, the customs officer keeps one copy for when the device is returned to Trinidad and you keep one for yourself. Afterwards you can ship the device back using ttpost express service if you prefer.
When the rma device is repaired or replaced and delivered to the sky box and is in transit to Trinidad, you then forward the form to the skybox company along with the tracking number explaining it is a rma device and is not to be charged duties again. they will contact their customs personal and you end up just paying for shipping. i have done this plenty times with tropical express without issues.

[stev]

wow...excellent info there. thank you very much!!!

[hydroep]

Good info there venom21, muchas gracias.

[Kenjo]

Basically customs is never willing to step out of their basic work which is to charge a tax , if importing a fridge there is a form by TTMA in barataria to fill out that you have to do yourself . Otherwise customs will hold the item but it’s good to find out the same applies once you add the extra effort otherwise double tax for sure

[adnj]

To avoid getting charge for a rma device, you have to go customs behind ttpost in piarco, it has a form (cant recall the name) which you can fill out in duplicate with the customs officer there, the customs officer keeps one copy for when the device is returned to Trinidad and you keep one for yourself. Afterwards you can ship the device back using ttpost express service if you prefer.
When the rma device is repaired or replaced and delivered to the sky box and is in transit to Trinidad, you then forward the form to the skybox company along with the tracking number explaining it is a rma device and is not to be charged duties again. they will contact their customs personal and you end up just paying for shipping. i have done this plenty times with tropical express without issues.

Thanks for the info.

[maj. tom]

That's helpful info! Bookmarked for future reference.
"RMA return customs form"

[venom21]

Found a copy of the form, this is what it looks like, also forgot to mention the device to be returned and supporting rma documents have to be presented to the custom officer for inspection.

[hydroep]

^Nice man. Any charges or fees to get the form/have it filled out?

[venom21]

^Nice man. Any charges or fees to get the form/have it filled out?

nah no charges involved.

[fallen18]

wow...excellent info there. thank you very much!!!

Just to add to this, you can also liase with the relevant shipping company to determine whether they will assist in this regard. Last time I had to send a phone for repair I believe i used UPS and they handled everything. They collected the phone, handled the articles of export and since I was using aeropost as the return address, they liased with them (most like provided the article copy) to effectively handle the return. So in this instance, there was no need to go piarco etc. which was really convenient.

[supercharged turbo]

How do you maintain consistent prices when shipping through ocean?I'm considering bringing in a barrel of items to sell back as a sideline income but I can't have shipping prices(customs,local handling,freight costs etc) fluctuating wildly.The issue is really with customs and their mood swings.Is it better to go through a broker or clear it yourself?How do most people get around this to maintain consistent prices?Feel free to PM.

[paid_influencer]

How do you maintain consistent prices when shipping through ocean?I'm considering bringing in a barrel of items to sell back as a sideline income but I can't have shipping prices(customs,local handling,freight costs etc) fluctuating wildly.The issue is really with customs and their mood swings.Is it better to go through a broker or clear it yourself?How do most people get around this to maintain consistent prices?Feel free to PM.

most skybox companies have a feature to email the value of the shipment in advance. once customs have a value to work with, the charges are usually very predictable. your skybox company will usually have a calculator to help.

also your prices should be consistent, but sometimes you gain, sometimes you lose.

[hydroep]

You really cannot control that nuh, even if you have "an experienced broker".

Best advice is to do an average costing based on past purchases and set prices based on that...

[Blaze d Chalice]

Some time ago I was getting a US$750 phone for $300.
Receipt and everything.
Guess how much I had to pay to receive in hand?
Bout 2500.

So phone cost US300 x 7 = TT2100 ( Using 1:7 for easy calculation)
Customs = TT2500
That making any sense?
120% tax?

I mean I could pay it, but the dishonesty is what real annoying.

Imagine you go KFC with $100 to buy that $99 deal and them tell you nah is $220, even though you seeing it on the menu for 99. And next available day you go and they say nah is 150 etc.
I just use KFC as an example, but you could replace it with the Ruby or the TGI or the Buzo etc.

Because as far as I know there is a fixed list of items and the respective tax % (vat+duty) from Customs themselves, and most skybox companies have it on their site.

A next bedjrin buy a Huawei or something for bout $500US and pay bout 500TT

I find they should give all them uneducated MC to do the Maths part in the SEA exam or even the newspapers, and fire all who lose even 1 mark.

[VexXx Dogg]

Christmas coming.
They inspecting everything, make sure your paperwork in order before they dump arbitrary valuations on ya.

[Kenjo]

Over the last few months even with receipts customs putting their own values for some reason

[maj. tom]

yeah paperwork and invoices don't mean sheit for TT Customs. These corrupt, uneducated aa$holes seem to look up the highest possible prices for items from i don't know what database, even when you got yours on a Black Friday or in-store sale at a very low price. The blasted invoice right there from the company with watermark and contact number and everything eh. These stink mc!!!

[hydroep]

I once got a very expensive promotional item for free and the invoice reflected that. But they based calculations off of the full retail value of the item so I got jam good.

To be honest, I'm not sure it's always customs fault or if unscrupulous companies do that and keep the extra monies for themselves. And when people complain they just blame customs...

[Blaze d Chalice]

I remember years ago, maybe early in this thread or in the V.1 a man talk bout how he buy some music CDs on sale or something and had to pay almost 100% of the pre-discounted price, extra (NOT including the shipping) when it reach.

I mean them music CD woulda be like 12-15USD and after discount like 5US so end up paying bout 25-30US.
And while some might argue that still small, it would add up if the fella was a collector or regular buyer.

I use to wonder if they would watch the price of an old game (physical disc) ~10US and want to charge you like if it was a newly released one for 60US. Took the chance twice because I wanted physical copy of those game (G.o.t.y. edition business) and even though they did overcharge, it wasn't as bad as 100% but since then I always buy all my game/software digitally.

When they having sale and you getting all kinda 75-85% discount, you getting it immediately and don't have to worry with these local incompetence.

I think for basic PC parts MB/Cpu/Gpu/Ram they were fairly consistent but last time I did any major buying of parts was like 3 yrs ago. Don't know if that changed also.

[*KRONIK*]

Yea it rel screwed up.....

I got a warranty returned brand new laptop and payed freight only. 1200us value.

My sister payed 260tt to clear a 1k US worth. (Ipad, case, stylus etc)

I get shaft 480tt for duties on 1100tt carparts.

Get shaft again 300tt for a inner and outer rack end and boot in a tiny box. 1000tt worth.

[maj. tom]

found on Reddit




btw that last product is real, not a mere photoshop.

[supercharged turbo]

So the question still remains..how do some businesses maintain a consistent price?Do they have somebody inside under declaring their goods,the company they buying from making a false invoice etc?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Any one compared shipping the same item with Amazon via DHL vs their Skybox?

[zoom rader]

So the question still remains..how do some businesses maintain a consistent price?Do they have somebody inside under declaring their goods,the company they buying from making a false invoice etc?

Yes they have an inside person.

Money passes bro

[Kenjo]

Any one compared shipping the same item with Amazon via DHL vs their Skybox?

It has a whole thread we had opened on this and I think someone bumped it today but the timing seems about the same and amazon refunds if they overestimate the tax, amazon gives you a final price with customs charges included off the bat

[Blaze d Chalice]

Any one compared shipping the same item with Amazon via DHL vs their Skybox?

Yeah boi Dewayne

https://www.trinituner.com/v4/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=744710

https://www.trinituner.com/v4/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=723481

[MaxPower]

ooOO gosh Customs well like to wine on allyuh.

PAY UP!

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Any one compared shipping the same item with Amazon via DHL vs their Skybox?

It has a whole thread we had opened on this and I think someone bumped it today but the timing seems about the same and amazon refunds if they overestimate the tax, amazon gives you a final price with customs charges included off the bat

Ok cool

[supercharged turbo]

I suspected as much.Thanks Zoom

So the question still remains..how do some businesses maintain a consistent price?Do they have somebody inside under declaring their goods,the company they buying from making a false invoice etc?

Yes they have an inside person.

Money passes bro

[zoom rader]

I suspected as much.Thanks Zoom

So the question still remains..how do some businesses maintain a consistent price?Do they have somebody inside under declaring their goods,the company they buying from making a false invoice etc?

Yes they have an inside person.

Money passes bro

If you are not known to customs your arse is grass.

Customs has to be the most corrupted dept, these officers live the best lives and don't pay for 5hit.

PNM wants to go after tax collection but fail to go after these crooks.