[Question] Online orders and the status of SAPO

[el_duderino]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone cares to share their experiences with ordering and delivering of international orders that have to go through the SAPO. Specifically orders placed from about Feb 2015 to now. From the UK (CRC or Wiggle) both seem to use Parcel Force which seem to end up at the SAPO.

 

Are orders going through at all? Trying to get a feel for if its worth putting an order in.

 

 

[dillon]

had my parts stolen, CRC resent them and they were promptly stolen again,  CRC sent replacements via DHL and the arrived.  Ordered in Jan finaly got the parts in april.

 

Rather use DHL

[Wazza_pe]

I've done 5 orders this year already, and all arrived safely...took about 14 days

[Uni]

Double edge sword - if you get your stuff - prepare for customs, if you don't get your stuff... Well

Are you a gambling man?

[johannrissik]

DHL.

[dillon]

Double edge sword - if you get your stuff - prepare for customs, if you don't get your stuff... Well

Are you a gambling man?

bike parts are 0%, clothing 40% duties  then 15% VAT.  where is the gamble?

[Long Wheel Base]

Ordered from CRC yesterday morning but took the DHL option(last scan was 02h57 this morning leaving east midlands) . Ordered other stuff from china using the EMS option on 23 april, arrived in sa on 30 april and the tracking is sort of helpful as it tells me how useless the SAPO is as it goes from pillar to post but doesn't really move far!(last scan was missed delivery at my local PO yesterday??? Whatever that means). Looks as though ill get the stuff this week from both shops.

[dillon]

I found that if there is a tracking number, the stuff arrives, it is the un-tracked shipping options that are really dodgy.

 

over the last 2 years i have placed 15 orders with CRC, only the last order that had no tracking number did not arrive (CRC sent a replacement)

 

30 orders from aliexpress.com all arrived, last few have taken 2 months to get here

[el_duderino]

Cool, thank you for the response. So it does not seem completely hopeless. I am trying to get some rims in, but CRC does not stock them and I cannot get locally.

 

Wiggle has, but they offer limited shipping options. And it seems that even the "Tracked delivery to South Africa by courier" goes through SAPO according to their support person via chat.

[Frosty]

I've ordered 3 times from Bike24.com as they were cheaper than CRC for the items I needed.

 

All three shipments arrived in less than 2 weeks (order to collected).

 

They ship with DHL to Jhb, then EMS takes over and it's a SAPO delivery.

 

Maybe I was lucky, but three times in Jan, Feb and Mar seems good enough for me.

[DTM]

Has anyone used All 4 Cycling? Prices seem reasonable.

 

And can anyone point me in the direction of the procedure and tariffs for import duties and VAT payable etc?

 

Thanks

[Long Wheel Base]

Has anyone used All 4 Cycling? Prices seem reasonable.

 

And can anyone point me in the direction of the procedure and tariffs for import duties and VAT payable etc?

 

Thanks

As far as procedure goes, when you pick up at the post office they will work out what your customs/vat is and you pay them when you pick up. If you take courier like dhl then when it arrives here they will contact you with the amount you owe before sending it off to you. 

Tarrifs all depend what you buying. Its different rates for different items.

Some of these online stores will put a lower price on the invoice that they stick to your box so that you pay less tax on it here(you will of course still have your correct invoice from when you paid for it online).

 

What you looking at buying? some of the guys here will be able to tell you almost exactly what you will end up paying.

[Long Wheel Base]

Has anyone used All 4 Cycling? Prices seem reasonable.

 

And can anyone point me in the direction of the procedure and tariffs for import duties and VAT payable etc?

 

Thanks

As far as procedure goes, when you pick up at the post office they will work out what your customs/vat is and you pay them when you pick up. If you take courier like dhl then when it arrives here they will contact you with the amount you owe before sending it off to you. 

Tarrifs all depend what you buying. Its different rates for different items.

Some of these online stores will put a lower price on the invoice that they stick to your box so that you pay less tax on it here(you will of course still have your correct invoice from when you paid for it online).

 

What you looking at buying? some of the guys here will be able to tell you almost exactly what you will end up paying.

[The expat cyclist]

I ordered a lefty hub from e-bay. Shipped from Taiwan. Should have been here 8 May. Still waiting. Tracking number shows it was shipped but no info there after.

Tried sending ems an e-mail. No response.

Phone numbers provided for sapo just rings forever - no answer.

Not sure what to do next...

[davem]

Have you ever had a courier charge extra clearing charges?

 

Ordered stuff (non cycling) from the US. USD20 to courier (tiny item), got here and they charged another R180 clearing fee over and above the VAT etc.

 

Was not particularly happy. Courier cost is door to door IMO.

[davem]

My other package is coming normal post from the US and it is now 7 weeks. Tracking does not show that it has reached SAPO yet, so likely sitting is a pile waiting to be booked in.