I don’t suppose we should be surprised that the w 
s who voted for this appalling mess are now completely silent on SF 
2 parcels from China today. No charge!
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It’s totally random.I have lots of books delivered from UK, about half of them arrive, nothing to pay. Then I had 6, there was a duty to pay on every one…but for two of them I was notified in advance and paid 2 euros on-line, the other 4 I had to pay the postman 9 euros. I asked why I hadn’t been notified, he didn’t know. I have tried to find out who is supposed to notify me, but haven’t received a reply. The only answer I have had is that they are looking into it.
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First time it’s happened to me. A UK author had his publishing company send a complimentary sample of his new book so it was listed as a free sample, priced only at cost (under 4 euros), and the postman wanted 9 euros by cheque or cash to hand it over. Seems like a strange sum, because firstly books are subject to a cheaper tax as far as I know, and secondly it’s more than double than the item itself. I’m guessing there’s a fee for La Poste in there too, as others have reported similar sums around 9 euros… Caught me off-guard so I forgot to ask for a receipt for my cash payment.
Simple, don’t buy anything from the UK. You can get most stuff from Ireland.
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In my case I didn’t buy anything. it was a gift from the author as it featured my work.
To Gareth 2022… I bet you didn’t receive prior notice to pay a reduced sum on-line either, which is what Laposte says it will do on its web-site. I wrote to Laposte at their complaints address “Service Clients, 99999 La Poste” asking why I have been notified in only 10 % of deliveries. I wrote in November. I have not received a reply.
9 euros seems to be the standard charge , whatever the value of the goods.
Glad you mentioned that as I’ve just heard back from La Poste who said it is 1 euro of VAT and 8 euros of charge, but would be 2 euros if paid online. I’ve written back to explain that firstly I had no idea I was about to receive anything, and also that I’d had no prior warning from La Poste. Even if I’d refused the post, and then tried to pay online, I didn’t know what it was, who came from, and I didn’t have the tracking number.
They just got back to me. I was given an apology and told if the sender had included an email address, then LaPoste would have notified me.
Hi, I have had that reply as well…but then I included my email address with my address on all the books I ordered. Guess what… no change, I still had to pay on some parcels, a couple of books I did receive a notice on_line and paid,just two euros, but the majority of books were still subject to the 9 euros.
I’m a pretty persistent sort of person and I’ve been fighting this for about 6 months. But in the end, I have lost the will and get books sent to friends in UK who bring them over when they come.
I think it’s better not to waste too much energy on it. It is a crazy charge by La Poste, and gives them no incentive to notify the receiver. I doubt they’re going to reimburse anybody.
Forgot to update. I went to my local PO to reject the cards. I told my nice lady what had happened and she was appalled on my behalf. She made a quick call and fee was removed! So we got the little persons birthday card and our Xmas card! She said to always get people to tick gift and write cadeau and then shouldn’t get the fee.
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For cards “documents” is probably the most appropriate, and I put the value as zero if filling in the CN22 manually.
I’m not sure that “gift” absolves you of input duty&VAT and it still requires a description of the contents.
I order wool from UK but have no problems because the company I use because they have joined the scheme whereby tax is prepaid in UK.
Plus, if I order more than £50 worth, delivery is free.
Just thought people might be interested that LaPoste left a note in my letterbox saying they couldn’t deliver a parcel today because I was out and that there was 9 euros to pay.
This is the first time this has occurred for me, so I suppose I’m lucky. I take it that the 9euros is the handling charge rather than any customs duty? I suspect it’s a book as it’s about the only thing that arrives occasionally without warning!
This may not work for you, but it may be worth a try. I had one of these from the postman, used the information on the card on the La Poste website, and the amount asked for halved, which I then paid using my card online. I think they’re relying on people just getting the (in your case 9€) and then giving it to the postman and so paying the full ‘postman fee’ which is more, whereas as I say, by using the card that the postman left but paying online I paid the cheaper rate. He just delivered to me when I asked with no mention so I assume he was notified duty had been paid.
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I am expecting 2 Amazon UK-sold items imminently. Following SF posters’ advice I am literally perched tracking them on Amazon and logged into my La Poste account, into which I’ve “adopted” the parcels, tracking them. I’m waiting to pounce the moment any French VAT is calculated and pay it in my La Poste account online to avoid a massive charge from La Poste on delivery if it’s not prepaid (I knew my La Poste account would have a use sometime 
) .
If La Poste plays dirty and doesn’t show the charges online ahead of delivery so I can pay them and avoid being surcharged, then as informed by Amazon I will just reject both deliveries and the items will go back at no charge to me.
This is where Amazon’s habit of exploding orders into several deliveries is great for their logistics (this stuff is related to my work field and common thing done) but will be a nightmare as each of the parcels they created will get the flat rate La Poste handling charge of around 10 euros - each - if I don’t head that off by paying any VAT due online. Luckily there’s no duty.
So I’m poised…checking my La Poste account several times daily … and will know the outcome by the weekend
Have you tried putting the number in here Payez vos frais de douane en ligne - La Poste @KarenLot? You’d hope it would all be joined up and will let you know in your account, but I’ve found it a bit patchy when it comes to things like this so just in case it might be worth keeping tabs on that page too.
Thanks @kirsteastevenson
Interestingly the page is rejecting the shipping ID’s already accepted by La Poste website into my account.
Could it be that La Poste doesn’t want to recognise any correct parcel number until they’ve had a chance to try to deliver or leave an avis de passage so they can charge their own extra fee as well in all circunstances? If so those packages are going straight back. Though I would have liked to be the first SF user to report not getting ripped off by La Poste for extra charges.
Thanks again Kirstea
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It could well be exactly that! Or I guess perhaps it’s not active until it gets to its final depot or something. But if you don’t get a chance before it turns up, I would not answer so you get a Avis de passage and can then try what I did with the code, although I seem to recall you have issues with someone, perhaps the postie, not being overly helpful. Mine thankfully is a good chap and goes out of his way to help. Either way, I hope it works out!