Health Cabin recent transactions, very bad experience!

[silentg]

Recently took advantage of the discount being offered by @Healthcabin .
I ordered 2 mods in each order which were new releases. As these orders totalled more than $29.0 each free shipping was gained.
Now let me make this clear, in the past when I have ordered a few times from Health Cabin the free shipping consisted of Netherlands post, which was fine with me.
This time however Health Cabin saw fit (bad move for all) to send the items via Express shipping.
Not bad I hear you say, well, that would be the case but the orders came by ParcelForce which we ALL know can be a bit of a minefield when it comes to VAT/duty/handling fees, which include the cost or estimated cost of shipping

So, the the first order arrived in the UK within 5 days. Unfortunately having tracked the order from source it was held up at UK customs and promptly given fees. Again, not so bad right as with most ALL Chinese suppliers they put ultra low value to dodge this.
Not in this order they didn't. The value they put on the order was $40 so immediately drew VAT and then £11.25 ParcelForce handling charge. Total due before I could get my hands on said order was £23.98.
Before I get all the "well you got charged, so what, you have to expect this on occasion",.
I have no problem with fees if I am given the choice of shipping method where I can accurately judge if I will get charges or not and make the decision if I want to go ahead with the orders anyway.

Unhappy at this I contacted Health Cabin who basically said, they had applied a value of $20, this was later (when I actually got the order) wrong and clearly stated the value of $40. Error 1.

Health Cabin were not interested in rectifying this error and said that UK customs targeted this order randomly so they would not refund the fees incurred for THEIR mistake. I did not choose the shipping and would NEVER choose any where ParcelForce are concerned. So, hmmmm

The a day later I tracked the second order from Health Cabin, the same shipping method was used on this too. Held up at UK customs and promptly charges were incurred. The difference is, this order the charges were higher. £33.71 including ParcelForce handling fee. Upon contacting ParcelForce I was told that the value was in fact set at $20 but the estimation cost of shipping was set at wait for it....... £97!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!!!
Health Cabin had set the weight at a staggering 8.604kg. Bare in mind the contents were 2 mods and a bit of packaging.
It was because of the discrepancy in weight versus ACTUAL weight that the charges were so high.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
UK customs take into account the value of the package along with the weight and estimated postage paid.
So even if YOU get free shipping that does not mean the shipping charge will not be lumped in with your charges.

I contacted Health Cabin again to provide proof of their ERROR with the weight. I was first told there was nothing they would do about it. They had put the value on the second order correctly and any charges I would have to foot myself.

I was getting absolutely nowhere so my only option was to take it to PayPal and claim partial refunds for both order totalling the fees paid.
Having then been offered £6 plus 100 health cabin store points ($1) and i refused, to "we pay half, you pay half", then them realising I had a PayPal dispute open for each order. They said they would refund me if I closed the PayPal disputes.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DO THIS
ONCE YOU CLOSE A PAYPAL CASE YOU CANNOT OPEN IT AGAIN.
After pointing out that all they needed to do to close these cases they gave in and refunded the fees via the PayPal dispute process.
This was far from straight forward and took a hell of a lot of to and fro'ing with emails over about a week. Each time being greeted with the same, it's not our fault.

TL: DR;
after many emails back and forth and Health Cabin basically refusing point blank to refund the fees/charges I had to pay for their mistakes. Trying to con me into closing PayPal disputes they refunded my fees.
If I was not persistent with my arguments I would have not gotten the refund I was due to Health Cabin's major errors.

So for all you folks out there, pay for goods from vendors using PayPal. At least you have a claim procedure in place for any issues and NEVER close a PayPal case until you are FULLY happy.

@Healthcabin , sort your shizz out and stop trying to con people through YOUR mistakes!!!!!

"This is a personal review of a vendor/retailer that I have conducted a business transaction with. The following information reflects a true representation of the transaction between myself and the company identified. The opinions expressed, represent my own and not those of this website, planetofthevapes.co.uk. By posting this review I agree to abide by the terms and conditions set out by the Planet of the Vapes website."

 

[MrTeaTime]

Thanks for taking the time and typing all of that out dude, much appreciated....

And come on @Healthcabin you have a great reputation here at potv, and have a lot of business here....

 

[crustyfolker]

Have to agree with whats said above. What annoys me most with our Freinds in the far east is the "please close the patpal case for a refund"
This is a blatant attempt at getting away with things and it is not acceptable. It is not just Healthcabin who attempt this by the way.
I hold Health cabin in High regard myself, especially James Liao. So if i may @Healthcabin can i give a little advice here. Do Not use Parcel force DHL express, UPS they always do their utmost to get customers extra fees on top of our orders. Thanks

 

[MrTeaTime]

Have to agree with whats said above. What annoys me most with our Freinds in the far east is the "please close the patpal case for a refund"
This is a blatant attempt at getting away with things and it is not acceptable. It is not just Healthcabin who attempt this by the way.
I hold Health cabin in High regard myself, especially James Liao. So if i may @Healthcabin can i give a little advice here. Do Not use Parcel force DHL express, UPS they always do their utmost to get customers extra fees on top of our orders. Thanks

This is a strange one fosho.....



What we are having to pay is what we're 'due' to pay anyway?

We expect our "friends" in the Far East to commit a fraud by understating the true value of the items that we've bought, thus, we are defrauding HM government

We've had it so good for so long with gear from China not attracting the correct duty that "should" be paid that when we get a monk on when we do get hit for any charges

Let's face it, China do this to get our custom, and as vapers there seems to be a god given right that we shouldn't pay what's due.

I've just got hold of a bezel insert for a Marathon JSAR watch. It's taken me nearly 3 weeks of searching for one with super luminova on, it cost $180, and I actually insisted that the vendor declared the value so that I could claim on the insurance if it got lost or damaged in transit from Japan.

The fees I paid totalled a little over £70, which is high, but it is what is due....

My own view is that we should either get over ourselves and stop moaning about fees that are due, and crying about it, OR support the UK vendors and buy from the UK

It's simple really

 

[Tubbyengineer]

This is a strange one fosho.....



What we are having to pay is what we're 'due' to pay anyway?

We expect our "friends" in the Far East to commit a fraud by understating the true value of the items that we've bought, thus, we are defrauding HM government

We've had it so good for so long with gear from China not attracting the correct duty that "should" be paid that when we get a monk on when we do get hit for any charges

Let's face it, China do this to get our custom, and as vapers there seems to be a god given right that we shouldn't pay what's due.

I've just got hold of a bezel insert for a Marathon JSAR watch. It's taken me nearly 3 weeks of searching for one with super luminova on, it cost $180, and I actually insisted that the vendor declared the value so that I could claim on the insurance if it got lost or damaged in transit from Japan.

The fees I paid totalled a little over £70, which is high, but it is what is due....

My own view is that we should either get over ourselves and stop moaning about fees that are due, and crying about it, OR support the UK vendors and buy from the UK

It's simple really

Indeed - but in the OP's case it's less about the fee's than it is having a Posting method that would incur fees forced upon him without notice. We all try do dodge fees to a certain extent by ordering from China - After all the price is the main reason we buy from FT, Gearbest, Heaven Gifts, Health Cabin et al. If you then incur fees - sometimes that can be almost as much as the item ordered then that advantage is negated - so we choose the slow boat method of shipping that will cost as little as possible, However I doubt that any of us if ordering something truly expensive would pick anything but the express options - especially if we want to be sure of it arriving.

 

[MrTeaTime]

Indeed - but in the OP's case it's less about the fee's than it is having a Posting method that would incur fees forced upon him without notice. We all try do dodge fees to a certain extent by ordering from China - After all the price is the main reason we buy from FT, Gearbest, Heaven Gifts, Health Cabin et al. If you then incur fees - sometimes that can be almost as much as the item ordered then that advantage is negated - so we choose the slow boat method of shipping that will cost as little as possible, However I doubt that any of us if ordering something truly expensive would pick anything but the express options - especially if we want to be sure of it arriving.

I gets ya However, no matter what method you (we) choose, it should still attract that tax that is due, based on the price you pay.....

I'm sure vendors would love to be able to do this when they buy from China.....

And I'm sure that my view isn't popular amongst most on here, but luckily, zero fucks are given

In the words of the great Vinnie Jones....

"You owe what you owe"

 

[crustyfolker]

I gets ya However, no matter what method you (we) choose, it should still attract that tax that is due, based on the price you pay.....

I'm sure vendors would love to be able to do this when they buy from China.....

And I'm sure that my view isn't popular amongst most on here, but luckily, zero fucks are given

In the words of the great Vinnie Jones....

"You owe what you owe"

No problem with the fees in essence but choice of shipping and wrong weight of goods is a massive concern. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have deep pockets to afford unexpected costs, expected fees yes i have no quam with that. However If there's a get outta jail card why not use it. I guess you have used fasttech etc yourself ?

 

[MrTeaTime]

No problem with the fees in essence but choice of shipping and wrong weight of goods is a massive concern. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have deep pockets to afford unexpected costs, expected fees yes i have no quam with that. However If there's a get outta jail card why not use it. I guess you have used fasttech etc yourself ?

I use fasttech all the time, as well as 3fvape and the other usual suspects

And it's not about having deeper pockets either....after maybe 17 years of buying watch spares and parts from Japan as well as actual watches (seiko have a tendency of releasing Japan only models of there dive watches) I always factor in any charges that I may incur.....

Within the watch "community" a general rule of thumb is....

China = they will declare a nominal amount or use 'gift'

Japan = they declare always, but will allow you to choose your shipping

USA = declare everything and you WILL incur charges

 

[crustyfolker]

I use fasttech all the time, as well as 3fvape and the other usual suspects

And it's not about having deeper pockets either....after maybe 17 years of buying watch spares and parts from Japan as well as actual watches (seiko have a tendency of releasing Japan only models of there dive watches) I always factor in any charges that I may incur.....

Within the watch "community" a general rule of thumb is....

China = they will declare a nominal amount or use 'gift'

Japan = they declare always, but will allow you to choose your shipping

USA = declare everything and you WILL incur charges

Totally agree with your rule of thumb point, Never purchased from Japan though so find your input there useful incase i do.
i avoid buying from U.s where possible myself . The deep pockets bit from me was on the side of knowing some folks are on tight budgets and don't always think about there maybe a Vat, customs charge which could leave them worse off than buying from UK.