Comments on: Hold on your online carts, Aramex packages will go through customs!

By: Bashar

Bashar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Feras Hilal: Thanks for taking the time to clear things up, and sorry about the unfortunate spam filter. I guess it’s because of the long comment with phone numbers. My bad.

Thanks for the bill breakdown, and yes, I expect you guys to suffer the most from this. If people can’t buy online, it takes away the fun from the them, and the business from you.

I have to salute you however for being honest and open about the change. Thanks, and let’s hope we can do business together soon.

By: Feras Hilal

Feras Hilal — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:35:40 +0000

Hi Bashar,

Thanks for voicing your concern, we’re terribly sorry to hear that this is happening, but believe me, we’re feeling the pinch as well, and we sympathize with our customers. We informed you immediately once we were informed about this!

But sadly, we have little say in this, and like you, we are citizens as well, and we are obliged to conform to all laws. However, we are working at our utmost speed and power to soften the blow, and to reduce the impact of this on our customers. I think that more and more people need to be vocal regarding this, perhaps we can bring about change (we are both on the same side), remember that you, the customer can be very effective in this.

Here’s the breakdown for the Kuwait Customs charges:

5% CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight).
10KD Kuwait Airways Fee.
2KD Bank Commission.
1KD Handling Charges.
5KD Clearance Charges (if choose Aramex to clear it for you, otherwise, only 2KD for self-clearance for the declaration form).

However, things are still not quite clear regarding the regulations and procedures, so there still is some hope. We will keep you informed with any updates as soon as we receive them.

Thanks,

Feras Hilal
Marketing Team Member – Online Conversationalist
Aramex International, Global Support Office

Tel: +962 6 5515111 ext. 1329
Fax: +962 6 5527461
aramex.com

By: Bashar

Bashar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:09:35 +0000

SOlo: Sorry I missed your comment there. What do they use for delivery? They must end up with some carrier at the end, and all carriers will be stopped at customs now

By: Bashar

Bashar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:03:44 +0000

stuck at work: phones are never helpful in Kuwait for such things. You’ll be lucky if they answer you while you’re hovering over their head.

This is so unfortunate. Best thing is to let go of the $6 item, get someone coming from outside to bring it, or buy it locally. Cheaper either way. Pissing off, but cheaper :(

By: Bashar

Bashar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:34 +0000

MBH: Yeah… now there is no reason to buy online most of the time.

Government hours. Will since they discriminate in way women leave before men by 15 mins, men tend to leave early as well, and then women take another 15 min so that they’re still 15 mins ahead… This is how it goes sometimes.

But at all rates, I go there at 8:30 or 9 to finish by 12:30. going there after 1 doesn’t help a lot!

We’re gonna have to figure another way now.

By: stuck at work

stuck at work — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:59:09 +0000

its not fair i have two packages that are coming on the way one is worth 230 dollars and the other is worth 6!!!! i am not gonna pay 20 kd for a very lite product that i bought for only 6 dollars….. ive tried to call the customes and they dont pick i also tried to call 7imayat il mostahlik also no answer what am i supposed to do i really need the 6 dollar product cuz without it i cant use the 90 dollar product that i previously purchased…………………………….hufffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff i am so annoyed

By: MBH

MBH — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:47:49 +0000

I buy online because it’s cheaper by at least 15 KD.

I went to the customs once and God knows I wish to never see their faces or names ever again.

Full of retards who refuse to listen to logic. Just follow orders blindly, and wrongly, since some items are excluded from the lame rules. This applies to customs AND ministry of information (more like ministry of confusion!)

Last time I went to that dreaded ministry, I arrived at 1:22 PM, and EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE was gone!!!! Only the cleaners were there!! The government official time is till 2 PM!
I asked the cleaners when did they leave, and they said all employees leave at 1 PM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I SWEAR, NOT A SINGLE EMPLOYEE. NONE. ZERO. NADA. ZIP. ZILCH. NOTHING.

I think they want to take all those movies, games, gadgets we order for themselves…

By: S0lo

S0lo — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:58:03 +0000

I’m using http://www.earthclassmail.com some times when the weight is high. Although there is a per month fee. But with this new announcement, I might consider it more.

By: Bashar

Bashar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:29:47 +0000

Ali: perfectly said.

By: Ali

Ali — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:18:52 +0000

The thing about most Kuwaiti authority establishments is that they come up with an impractical decisions when something goes wrong (e.g. They find an illegal substance in a package upon random search).
They never bothered thinking of a way to keep a smooth flow of packages and parcels under the new ( & more strict) rules, and frankly they don’t seem to give a @&#* about how this affect people.
The real winners here are the big shot vendors/importers who jack-up their prices once they get their merchandise and expect us to pay a minimum 3x the price it is sold anywhere else. After all the very same whales who run the Kuwaiti market are the ones who have a lot of the customs officers on their payrolls to stall/damage/over-tax/lose or even outright confiscate PERSONAL items that match the brand they are selling.
Can you spell C-O-R-R-U-P-T-I-O-N?

By: Bashar

Bashar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:32:25 +0000

nemo: We all hope, only! I'm chatting with a friend who again recommends MyUS.com, but their prices are crazy high!

By: nemo

nemo — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:54 +0000

they have to change this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Bashar

Bashar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:21:54 +0000

MS: Damn :/. You can get them out, unless they’re very extreme. You just have to suffer!

I’m looking for alternative. Right now best thing is to make friends with people outside Kuwait :>. OR… go live there…

By: MS

MS — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:50:58 +0000

I went through customs twice, but thanks God that i did not commit a suicide. Anybody with a solution and a replacement for Aramex?

By: MS

MS — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:49:53 +0000

I already have two packages on hold today and i think that i will never collect them