EMS parcel shipped from China to Germany will encounter GDSK always. How will you deal with it generally? Will you do as per their requirement?

As usual, I am busy with my work. Suddenly, colleague told me that the EMS parcel I have been waiting for several months has arrived. That surprised me. The package should be got by our German customer about 2 months ago if everything goes well. But, unfortunately, it encounters problem from GDSK company. At last, he decided to return the parcel back and then re-send to another address.

Generally speaking, no matter which country you locate, when your local post office informs you that your parcel has been returned, it may not be sent back immediately. You still can try to contact with them to get your parcel. For example, this package can be returned two months later after the local post office informed. Lately, we handled a similar parcel, which was delivered failed because of address problem. The client informed us parcel has been returned. But after 2-3 weeks, he emailed again that the problem was solved, and he got parcel successfully.

Well, let’s return to the subject and talk about the relevant problems of German parcel.

GDSK

GDSK is the “partner” of EMS express in Germany. They handle international parcels from China to Germany, and are responsible for customs clearance and delivery. But on internet, especially on Ebay, most customers called them “Abzocker”, and indeed it is.

According to data, your EMS parcel will always be detained by GDSK once arriving at the customs. Then you will receive an email, informing you that contents and value of your package is not clear, it is unable to pass customs. You will be asked to fill in a form, and attach details of contents, price and bill. The form need to be signed.

Attention: once signing, it means that you agree to entrust them to do customs clearance. After you receive the parcel, the company will send an additional bill for you to pay. But in fact, the fee is nothing to do with customs.

How to deal with this circumstance?

As a Taobao agent for many years, we have collected much experience from our German customers. Here we will sort out following tips for your reference:

1. Please call them immediately, and tell them that is your personal package with total amounts below 45 EURO. Let them arrange delivery soon. At the mean time, you can tell them that you have consulted the customs, and such personal parcel does not require customs clearance. If any problem here, customs will contact with receiver directly. (Notes: only designated items or commodity which exceed certain value need to be declared, but not all items. Customs do random inspection and decide which parcel they will detain for customs fee.)

2. Please never fill out the form from GDSK and sign your name. If you fill in the form, it means that you entrust the company to do declaration. The company will ask you for extra charge after you receive the package.

3. Don’t give up on phone calling to push them. No matter what they say, you must express your attitude firmly.

4. If you do the above three points, the company still refuses to delivery package, or your still receive their email and bill. Please communicate with them by phone stoutly. And warn them you will send a lawyer letter if they go on like this. ( If you are a college student, the university has free attorney consultation. You can seek relevant help.)

5. Finally, it is recommending that you choose to deliver your package to Germany by DHL if you want to avoid such troubles. But there is also another restriction that  you need to provide EORI number via DHL.

EORI 

EORI means Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is for companies in EU countries which have economic activities, especially who have import and export business. As long as the enterprise register in its own country customs, it can get the number and use the number throughout the EU. In simple, EORI number is only obtained by enterprise in Germany.

So, we advise you to get familiar with relevant problems and arrange your purchasing scheme in advance if you are from Germany.