# EastWest shocking service



## MrZarlton (Sep 1, 2018)

so I purchased Hollywood Strings a while back on sale and when I got to checkout, 20% vat was added on, which I would expect living in the UK.

I received the item via FedEx and then days later a bill. FedEx are also trying to charge 20% vat because sounds online didn’t declare that they had taken vat.

I contacted fedex and they’ve been useless, just repeatedly saying I need to pay, not wanting to understand.

I contacted sounds online to get them to rectify the matter with fedex since it has nothing to do with me, they are the ones that ballsed it up in the first place. Well they didn’t want to help and said pretty much it’s nothing to do with them. They even tried to make out it was for the value of the hard drive sent which is bs because I can only be charged vat on what I’ve actually paid for, which I did.

Has anyone else experienced this with Eastwest/sounds online in the past and if so how did you finally resolve it as I absolutely refuse to pay vat twice, but I now have debt collection letters coming through?


----------



## Jaap (Sep 1, 2018)

Don't you have the official invoice that shows that you paid the VAT?


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 1, 2018)

Jaap said:


> Don't you have the official invoice that shows that you paid the VAT?


I do and I have sent that to both soundsonline and FedEx, yet here I am still with a letter from a collection agency.


----------



## Jaap (Sep 1, 2018)

MrZarlton said:


> I do and I have sent that to both soundsonline and FedEx, yet here I am still with a letter from a collection agency.



Damn, sorry to hear that


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 1, 2018)

Anyone else had a similar experience with EastWest?


----------



## TGV (Sep 2, 2018)

They basically don't care, they don't fix bugs and they ban you from their forums with sadistic pleasure. But they're cheap and sound good.


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 2, 2018)

TGV said:


> They basically don't care, they don't fix bugs and they ban you from their forums with sadistic pleasure. But they're cheap and sound good.


In a nutshell! Yup! I am notifying HMRC over here though that they’ve collected vat for my purchase, cause I have a slight suspicion that they aren’t going to!


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 5, 2018)

They’re just ignoring all my correspondence now! I can’t believe how shockingly bad the service is over at EastWest! Safe to say it’s my last ever purchase as I tend not to do business with crooks!


----------



## Josh Richman (Sep 5, 2018)

I had great customer service experiences with EW. Just thought I would weight in.


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 5, 2018)

Josh Richman said:


> I had great customer service experiences with EW. Just thought I would weight in.


Must have been something they had a clue about, cause here they are clearly clueless and just resorting to ingnoring me now. All I’m requesting is that they either contact FedEx and pass on the VAT payment and correct the documentation, or refund the VAT part of the payment to me and I will pay FedEx. Seems they just want to keep it and do nothing!


----------



## mouse (Sep 5, 2018)

They once charged me VAT 6 months after I made a purchase from them. My card was just randomly charged without notifying me. All they said was basically "we should have charged you VAT, so now we did. Sorry"


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 5, 2018)

mouse said:


> They once charged me VAT 6 months after I made a purchase from them. My card was just randomly charged without notifying me. All they said was basically "we should have charged you VAT, so now we did. Sorry"



Another perfect example of their incompetence and lack of care for their customers!

Considering contact the IRS over there to notify them, I don’t know, but would imagine they’ll have some involvement with companies collecting VAT on behalf of HRMC.

Looking for any options to bounce them into action.


----------



## Morning Coffee (Sep 5, 2018)

I remember reading somewhere on their website that when they ship overseas, the buyer might be liable for any import duties for the hard drives etc, could this be the extra expense?. Otherwise, it does seem like double dipping.

Not that it will really help, but have you tried messaging them on their Facebook page, at least you will have proof that they have seen your message. Sorry to hear this though.


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 5, 2018)

Morning Coffee said:


> I remember reading somewhere on their website that when they ship overseas, the buyer might be liable for any import duties for the hard drives etc, could this be the extra expense?. Otherwise, it does seem like double dipping.
> 
> Not that it will really help, but have you tried messaging them on their Facebook page, at least you will have proof that they have seem your message. Sorry to hear this though.


You’re right, it does say that, but not that we should be responsible for the vat twice. I don’t mind whether I pay it at source or upon delivery, but not both. All along I’ve said to them and fedex that I’m happy to pay what is owed, just not twice. Thanks for the suggestion of the Facebook page, I’ll try them there too.


----------



## mouse (Sep 5, 2018)

I also bought stuff online and paid all shipping and fees, then get a Fedex bill in the post to be paid again for "import duties". Fedex are absolute pricks


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 5, 2018)

mouse said:


> I also bought stuff online and paid all shipping and fees, then get a Fedex bill in the post to be paid again for "import duties". Fedex are absolute pricks


FedEx actually aren’t the problem in this case, they wouldn’t have charged me vat if Eastwest had declared in the airway bill that they had already collected it, which they didn’t! So technically fedex are doing what they should be doing. EastWest are the corrupt ones.


----------



## MrZarlton (Sep 7, 2018)

Just as an update for anyone going through the same, I put in a PayPal claim for the vat amount and within a day, EastWest agreed to do the right thing and refund me so I can pay FedEx.


----------



## blougui (Sep 7, 2018)

Glad to hear that !
Seems like PP is the Hugly Collector On shouldn't Mess With


----------

