Purchases from Aliexpress

[guidodg]

6 minutes ago, Block said:

I ordered a Garmin 520 screen and back cover. Also got an invoice to pay VAT and customs about 5 days after placing order from Meili. Did the payments and items was delivered to my door by Courier Guys within 4 days from payment

was the VAT and duty a ridiculous amount compared to the order value?

[Block]

31 minutes ago, guidodg said:

was the VAT and duty a ridiculous amount compared to the order value?

No based on my calc it was 5% duties plus 15% VAT

[guidodg]

ok but the Courier Guy fee was added on top of that? 

on my order which came to R850 the Meili charge is R405

[SSCC]

6 minutes ago, guidodg said:

ok but the Courier Guy fee was added on top of that? 

on my order which came to R850 the Meili charge is R405

Sounds about right. From my knowledge cycling computers attract 15%. Then there is a 10% uplift fee and then there is vat. Plus the customs clearance charge. This is all separate from the actual shipping costs Alliexpress charged on the order. 

[guidodg]

ok, thanks for all the replies...

Shipping on Aliexpress was free...so let's see what courier pitches up here:)

[Kom]

14 hours ago, guidodg said:

ok, thanks for all the replies...

Shipping on Aliexpress was free...so let's see what courier pitches up here:)

R400 does seem very high, was the item labelled correctly? 
 

ive also had the sense that free shipping on Aliexpress can at times mean that the local carrier just adds their fee.

[guidodg]

as long as I get it I don't mind...through SAPO would mean waiting forever...if it even gets here

[SSCC]

17 minutes ago, guidodg said:

as long as I get it I don't mind...through SAPO would mean waiting forever...if it even gets here

My recent experience with 3 different Aliexpress packages with free shipping via post office was about 30 days. They all arrived but it did take a month. 

[guidodg]

anyways I now have to pay the Meili logistics their fee or my parcel will be sent back eventually..

[Stevovo]

18 hours ago, guidodg said:

was the VAT and duty a ridiculous amount compared to the order value?

Meili do charge rediculous high customs fees on packages. And they wont declare how they calculate it. I try to avoid them when buying on Aliexpress but now I see Aliexpress just choose them randomly(Speedaf as the courier). Are they obligated to give an invoice with the breakdown or can they just charge and demand a payment from a link sent to me?

[guidodg]

who does Meili use to deliver to your home address?

[Stevovo]

1 hour ago, guidodg said:

who does Meili use to deliver to your home address?

Courier guy

[JohanDiv]

I probably order 10 times per year on Aliexpress, and it always goes to my nearest SAPO where I pick it up and pay customs. Shipping time varies between 2 weeks and 6 weeks usually.

 

I placed an order on 29 Aug, and SpeedAF just delivered my package to my door. Pleasantly surprised! When did they make this change?

Edited September 12, 2025 by JohanDiv

[Stevovo]

Some of my orders  from AE still go through SAPO but most are through Speedaf. Not sure if they are planning to cut them out. The sellers say that AE chooses. I hate that the Speedaf charges such high customs and taxes though. They are faster at least. What % was your customs cost from Meili?

[guidodg]

mine from Meili was R400 on a GPS worth R890… but was delivered by courier within 2 weeks

[Eugene]

On 8/31/2025 at 6:06 PM, SSCC said:

Sounds about right. From my knowledge cycling computers attract 15%. Then there is a 10% uplift fee and then there is vat. Plus the customs clearance charge. This is all separate from the actual shipping costs Alliexpress charged on the order. 

The 10% upliftment is not a charge. Its not something you pay. They just hike up the cost of the item to calc VAT. 

Ignoring duties, if an item costs R100, the VAT is calculated on R110 (R110 x 15% = R16. 50). You will therefore pay R116.50 (R100 + R16.50).