Author Topic: Post SST EMS/Poslaju Overseas Ordering Experience  (Read 4378 times)

Offline zack.gap

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Post SST EMS/Poslaju Overseas Ordering Experience
« on: December 03, 2018, 07:53:58 PM »
Hi all,

First time poster but long time lurker here. Would like to thank everyone here for all their contribution and I thought I'd give a little bit back to the community by sharing my experience with my first overseas watch purchase. My arrangement is heavily influenced from a previous thread on the OP's post-GST ordering experience found here: http://www.malaysiawatchforum.com/index.php?topic=15414

Anyway to get to the point, I ordered my Seiko Presage from Chino Watch Co. on the afternoon of 22nd of November (Thursday) via ebay. I used my Paypal account (linked to my Amex card) and was charged at a rate of 4.306 MYR to 1 USD (which was the currency I bought the watch in).

As you can see below, Chino posted the watch via EMS on the same day of purchase and it departed Japan the next morning for KL. It arrived at KLIA on Saturday, November 24th


Upon arrival on Saturday, I was hopeful that I could pick it up from Pos Malaysia's customs department at KLIA but alas no notifications were sent.

It was around this stage that I realised that I could also track the parcel via Pos Malaysia's website : https://www.pos.com.my/postal-services/quick-access/?track-trace

I did and what I found was that I had to contact Pos Malaysia's Kastam Department via email or call.


I called but no one picked up. So I sent an email detailing how I much I paid with my invoice attached and then waited. I finally got a reply email on Monday, November 26th @ 3 pm. All the email said was my invoice was noted and they would send a copy  to the Customs department.

It was around this stage that it got reallyyyy frustrating. I waited till Wednesday for any response but none was incoming. Tried giving their number a call again (or 100 times!!!) but it was useless. Finally, on the morning of Thursday, 29th of November, I was called and told that my package would be sent to the nearest post office (Brickfields PO). I asked whether it'd be possible to get my package by Friday or Saturday but alas they couldn't make any promises for Friday and were closed on the 1st Saturday of the month. They also told me the amount I'd be taxed was 5% of the invoice value I'd given + RM48 ('handling' and form filling fees) and whether I'd like to have it delivered to my office for 'only' RM50. I replied no the latter.

Finally package arrived at Brickfields PO on the 3rd of December, Monday (11 days from when Chino sent my package, 9 days since it arrived @ KLIA). Thankfully I got a text from the staff in the morning to collect my package.

Upon arriving, staff there were nice and were pretty professional about me opening my package at the counter to check the state of my watch. Left away feeling pretty neutral about the experience.

Lessons I learned?

1) If you're thinking of having your watch delivered to your place, DON'T use EMS. Try looking for DHL or Fedex instead. Fedex doesn't charge any handling fee insofar as I know and DHL, whilst charging RM58 for handling, at the very LEAST includes the cost of sending the package your way. BOTH will pay for the tax first and claim it from you upon delivery.

2) If by the unfortunate (or calculated) circumstance you're forced to use EMS, please try to go Kastam KLIA (with invoice printed) and pay it there. Otherwise you'll be forced to go through this whole waiting game with Pos Malaysia Customs Department who I suspect are either seriously understaffed or too busy looking at my watch. Whatever the case I hope someone helps them install a phone line  :laugh:
« Last Edit: December 03, 2018, 08:01:57 PM by zack.gap »

Offline singunsin

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Re: Post SST EMS/Poslaju Overseas Ordering Experience
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2018, 10:07:30 AM »
Yes, lately bought 2 watches i am collecting myself at kastam. T.T
Tax and Tax again....