Did you have to pay import tax and how much was it?

[Foxchild]

UK, 20% VAT on the declared value (USD25) = £3.81, plus £8.00 Royal Mail Handling fee = £11.81 total.

I really think the Asendia experiment was an awful experience and, at least for the UK, would prefer China post or DHL (or ANYONE else) in future. It was expensive, it was slow, and 3 weeks with no tracking updates is ridiculous.

I did contact Asendia directly - the first time they said it was not in their system. When I sent a screenshot showing it was, they blamed Royal Mail. This was during the 3 week blackout period - they were the last people to touch it but they clearly have a Teflon (nothing sticks here) attitude to business. If there is anything more I can do or say to help prevent anyone else having such a rubbish experience I am happy to help!

... but you ended up paying less than 12 quid in the end. Would you rather pay £30-40 and have it in a week?

[edit] the above could be read as tentative on my end, its not, I am honestly asking: would you rather pay more and have it quicker?

Yes, please! I would really like to pay more and have it in less than a month!
The whole Asendia shipping experiment was a terrible idea and I will never order at pine64 again if I am not completely sure that it's not being shipped by asendia.

Also, you really have to work on keeping your customers informed and up to date. I really don't think that the little post about some shipping issues because of corona virus was nearly enough.

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A low value and ticking the gift box means an instant investigation in Czechia. Please don't do this. I had to send store receipt plus bank statement confirming the price. I paid 828CZK plus 200CZK handling fee. So that's 1028CZK total, or 45USD.

This happened to me (in Sweden) too. I will be paying 58€ and customs has had it since the 27th, today it was cleared.

I rather have it marked with what it actually is and with the actual value since it will a rather smooth affair to get through customs if everything is in order.

Is this true? Asendia marked packages as "gift"?   Besides not being very intelligent, that is not quite legal. No wonder my package has been with customs for a week...