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Did Shop & Ship just get more expensive?

Over the weekend I got the following email from Aramex:

We would like to inform you of an important customs update for incoming shipments to Kuwait. As per Kuwait Customs regulations (Customs Authority 68, 2012), customs duties are calculated based on the weight, value and the customs estimated freight charges of the shipment (as per IATA published tariff).

The new customs calculation formula can be determined by using our new Customs Calculator. Please click here to access the calculator.

So after clicking on their link and downloading the excel file I plugged in the weight of the package as 1KG and the value as KD10 and it told me I would have to pay around KD4 as a customs fee. Previously any package under $100 you would only pay KD1 as a clearance charge. I have no idea if DHL have implemented this new system as well but I’ve got two packages that will be arriving sometime this week to both Aramex and DHL so I’ll post an update once I get them.

53 replies on “Did Shop & Ship just get more expensive?”

I honestly feel they should increase the custom duties like most of the other countries do and regulate the prices in the retail segment. It’s a no brainer for kuwait to play into the hands of developed nations like US by allowing the almost zero duties and leave the local dealers to have a price mafia.

Reminder for Aramex prices prior to June 2008:

0.5 Kg: 2.5 KD
each additional 0.5 Kg: 2 KD

No clearance fee (2 KD)

So you had to pay 14kd in shipping and clearance charges for a phone cover…thats just awesome. Stupid customs.

Correct me if I wrong, but the table you posted shows KD28 “FREIGHT” charges.
They don’t charge you for freight if they are not your courier.

I ordered a shipment last week and it’s on route! WTF! I won’t accept paying any extra cause I wasn’t informed about the increase of shipment cost prior to my order, I believe that we should not allow them to do this to us!

Mark you’re the expert which shipping company do you recommend now?

Aramex service is extremely slow and they over charge and blame everything on customes, While I never had any issues with FEDEX or DHL!

What a rip off!!! :(. I’m canceling my Aramex account. Which courier should I sign up with?

you guys deserve this. Mark used to bring this topic up at least once a year but nobody wants to take any action. I suggested a boycott but nooooo. You’d rather complain and comment on the post.

Aramex is nothing without us. And just like frozen yoghurt, they know you can’t live without them.

This always happens around Apple product announcements, now I have to pay an arm and a leg for my MacBook Pro Retina! Especially since I have 2 coming in together LOL! :/ Lord have mercy!

Oh God!!! I will shortly be having a macbook Ratina coming too. Jacqui can you please let me know what are the charges you paid once you get them. I will ask to hold the shipment. Maybe it will be cheaper to get it from UAE Apple store with educational discount after all.

a 2.6GHz 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM is costing 840KD ($2,999) at the US Apple store and 863KD (AED 11,315) from UAE Apple store with educational discount. I do not think the 23KD additional is worth it but I wil wait for your experience.

Cheers,

Oh wow I got the same model hehe with also Educational discount, shipping it through DHL not sure walla how much it’ll cost but I ordered one for myself and my friend as well and the total is around 6500$ so I am going to really be paying an arm and a leg but I will keep you updated.

BTW, I forgot to mention that US Store the above mentioned Macbook can ship the same day while in the UAE store the same machine will ship in 3 – 4 weeks.

Cheers,

Hi Mark,

It would be great if you do a side by side comparison / review based on your experiences with the Shop and Ship services.

Thanks,

Hi,
I was at Aramex the other day since I had many shipments pending. I had spoken to them earlier and they told me they had 17,000 packages pending in customs as they were trying to implement a new system. The new system is charging the extra customs, it is not applied only on Aramex it applies on any package you get from any company .According to them any package no matter how much it costs will be considered a 100 dollar value and you will pay 4% customs on it….online shopping just got more expensive !!!!

I don’t know, Im suspicious of Aramex they seem to be using this same strategy EACH YEAR…increasing the so called ‘custom duties’ and blaming it on the ministry while other companies aren’t… I think its just another gimmick to get more money off the customers…

Iuse DHL thought myus.com and for every and each shipment I pay at least KD17 that;s includes bank fee, NAS fee, Duty, % on shipment value

Well, that’s it for me, I’m not dealing with them again, I’ve had enough of this bullshit.

-Gus

Recently i picked up a box of items at the aramex and opened it after getting home. one of the items was opened out of its box and stolen. I didn’t even bother to give a call to aramex since they would easily say that shipper may have done it. shipments get opened at the customs and there is no guarantee of your items to be intact. So, if you are ordering multiple items into one shipment beware of this.

I just got a Tamron 17-50 lens thru DigitalRev, shipped thru DHL, and there’s an 8KD Customs charge, not sure if this is the same tax though, coz its the 1st time I ordered hardware online 🙂

Am I the only one who thinks that FREIGHT charges mentioned above and worth KD28 are applicable only if they are shipping your items? other wise its not applicable if you are using a different courier?

Plus the table shows 5 percent customs duty. THIS IS NOT APPLICABLE on all shipments.

I believe that whoever done this excel sheet is ripping us off.

last month when i shipped a laptop i didnt pay any customs , i have another one coming soon , will i have to pay customs now?

Just got the sms from aramex, a 2pounds package with cost of 34$ is being charged 9.55KD

Actually the shipping and customs is more than the cost of the goods.

Insane!!!

Someone must confirm whether Customs have started charging 5% for products under 100$

If they are not, then how does Aramex justify the Calculator Formula?

My shipment was in the beginning 5.8KD when Arrived last week in New York, when arrived today at home I paid 9.55KD there was almost 4KD Overcharged, I talked to the guy and he showed his delivery list with almost everyone paying from 3 to 7KD of customs….

I just got my camera Panasonic GX1 from Digital rev, ordered on 28th Jun, Shipped on (30/6) delivered through DHL today (3/7). Amazing service. I paid KD 2 only to DHL.

By the way, does anyone have a copy of that regulation they are referring to in order to justify their price increase: Customs Authority 68, 2012.

Any idea about packages containing health / medical supplements??
I ordered through Aramex and my package is put on hold, when i called they mentioned that it’s now prohibited by law in Kuwait to accept supplements!! Any idea???

I understand that this thread it old. What is the current Kuwaiti customs clearance fees with Shop and Ship? I’ve just arrived. Thank you.

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