The speed of admin
The packaging all done… just shipping to go
If you are wondering where your Fold+Rºll (possibly ordered from Singletrack a couple of months ago) is... read on…
Firstly, don’t worry, it’s made and it’s on its way. It’s just the speed of ‘on its way’ that is frustrating and I’m really sorry that this is way way slower than I thought it could possibly be. But we live and learn…
For me, there’s not much that’s more frustrating than waiting for other people to do admin and not being able to do it yourself. I’ve spent two weeks in the ‘waiting’ phase and quite frankly, and I’m going spare. The Fold+Rºlls are finished. They’re in boxes with the manufacturer just outside Paris. They’re packed and ready to be sent. But, in order to send them, there is a considerable amount of paperwork.
Brexit means that the days of just shipping a box (or, in this case, 7) across the Channel with an address and a simple invoice are over. These days you need:
A commodity code
The correct tariff code
A signed statement of origin (which, in this case, should mean there’s no tariff)
An EORI number
The original commercial invoice and three copies (which includes most of the above).
Specialist software connected to HMRC and/or a customs agent.
We were going to drive the Fold+Rºlls to the UK in a low emission electric car. But the final requirement made this just too difficult and expensive for a small just-getting-going business.
The alternative is to provide all the details to a commercial shipper which has all the software and processes to connect to HMRC.
Even opting for this alternative hasn’t been completely straightforward. None of the online major delivery companies would accept a UK company asking for collection from France and delivery to the UK (which we have to do to ensure that the VAT allocated to the shipment is correct and which the manufacturer isn’t really set up to do).
There’s been a lot of filling in forms, quite long forms, followed by error messages and occasionally in plain English ‘computer says no’. After a number of these, I filled in a different form asking for a call back. Days passed. I finally got a call from a nice gentlemen from UPS and everything started to look more hopeful. However, setting up an account has not been instant. It’s been over a week and I’ve not received logins.
In the meantime the manufacturer (which hasn’t shipped to the UK since Brexit) has very carefully produced the required invoice, stamped and signed. Only 2 weeks after finishing making the items.
I’m hanging on for tomorrow and hoping that the glacial speed will pick up. Shipping is quick, once it happens.
I am sorry for the long wait, and thank you for your patience.
