I had to wait all weekend for a response from parcel2go because despite claiming to be a global courier they only operate a customer service function from 9am-5pm (UK time) Mon-Fri. Added to this is the fact they don't have a customer service department that you can call. Instead they have an online live chat team who will cut you off once you start to ask too many questions. These people are complete cowboys. In the ESL world they would be akin to a flashy private language school like EF or Wall Street. They are fantastic at marketing, promising you the world and taking your money but when it comes time to deliver on those promises they can't do it, what's more you'd better not make a complaint because at best they couldn't give a t#ss and at worst they are going to abuse you for daring to do so - AVOID!

Dear Space Monkey

I cannot stress enough that I really do understand your frustration and I can assure you that I am by no means passing the buck, as you say.

You ordered a service with Parcel2go.com using UPS to arrange delivery but it was not ours or UPS’s decision to stop this parcel from being delivered to you.

Delivery to international addresses are subject to customs and we nor UPS have any control over what is stopped and what they charge. In an ideal world we would love to be able to pre advise customers of issues that may arise and where we can, we do. Unfortunately, the rules and regulations change so much it is difficult for us to know what will be subject to customs at any given time.

Please refer to our terms and conditions of carriage, we cannot be held responsible for any charges incurred by Customs and Excise.

7.3 We shall not be responsible for any local customs charges, import taxes or duties or any similar charge(s) incurred through our carriage and/or delivery of any Consignment and you must satisfy yourself as to whether any of these charges will become due, and if so in what amounts, before completing an order with us. If any such charges become due as a result of our carriage and/or delivery of a Consignment on your behalf and are charged to us by any competent authority you agree to reimburse us fully in respect of the same within 7 days of our demand.

I can see that you have requested this order to be returned to sender, in the circumstances we will send the required documentation through to UPS.

I am really sorry that I have not been able to help release this parcel but once UPS have confirmed the parcel is being returned I will let you know.

Kindest regards

Customer Service Manager

Dear Customer Service Manager

It may not have been P2G or UPS that stopped the parcel in customs but in my opinion neither company has done anything of use to help it reach its final destination either

Both me and my family have been willing to cooperate in regards getting the parcel released. We have asked for invoices and/or payment links to be provided so we can pay the tax. However, neither yourself nor UPS has been able to provide us with any of these. Instead you quote me part of your terms and conditions of the contract that suggests we are at fault for not paying or not wanting to pay the applicable sum. After nearly a month of complaints do you and UPS still not understand what the issue is or are you deliberately wasting my time?

We have also requested that you send us a list of any documentation that is required for the release of the package. You suggested that Chinese customs require a CCC to import toys. From your own definition and the research I have done we do not need one. Have you or UPS been back to Chinese customs to challenge them in regards this? You also state in your last email that rules and regulations change a lot. Does that mean the rules and regulations have changed? If so what are the changes and does that mean that you have fed us erroneous information in the past? If you don't know why the parcel is being held or if there has been a change to regulations do you not feel any responsibility to find out on the part of the customer? I would have thought as a 'global courier' (your company's words not mine) keeping abreast of such things would be a priority.

In regards not being able to pre-advise customers on potential problems, the fact still remains that UPS did contact us while the parcel was in transit (prior to it's arrival in Shanghai customs) stating that the package would have problems (refer to my original email to Fil Mercer, CEO that you picked up in his absence). Someone, somewhere did know and better organization by yourselves and UPS could have prevented the issue in the first place. Is it cynical to state that the only benefactors from this issue are P2G and UPS who will now be able to claim another, highly inflated fee for the package to be sent back to the UK?
In regards the re-delivery fee to the UK perhaps you could explain the large increase in price we are now required to pay to have the package sent back to the UK? I spoke with UPS in shanghai who told me the cost of delivery at their end was in the region of £60-70, yet P2G are demanding nearly 4 times as much. Why?
Furthermore, why after the parcel was claimed by Chinese customs did P2G email the sender (my parents) to claim we only had 7 days to have the the parcel shipped back to the UK or it would be permanently confiscated at the Chinese border? This deadline was clearly false (it's already been there far longer than 7 days!). I contacted Shanghai myself and they told me our package would be held for 3months. Instead of trying to help us, P2Gs attitude has been to try and resolve the problem in a way that makes as much short term profit for themselves. That claim of 7 days 'or else' was a clear attempt to get more money from us!

Regards

Space Monkey