EU Preorders

[FastmanNTW]

Greetings! Has anyone who preordered from the EU heard anything yet. I've got number EU-68 and still no news. (Why doesn't return give me a new line in this poxy message editor). Thanks, FastmanNTW

[Scytale]

I think Pelle got a message that his card was on it's way. As far as I know he's the only one around. The EU-2x series have not been shipped yet, AFAIK. And I should know.

[Pelle]

Yeah, right. The message was from Wednesday, and on Tuesday I had been told that the arrival of the message would indicate that the cards were ready to ship in Dublin. Via DHL, who praise themnselves for delivering within 24 hours - worldwide; and, as far as I remember from working there during summer-break three years ago, they actually do keep this promise. Which is why they aren't exactly cheap ($42 for a transfer from Ireland to Germany ...).

Now, ok. This is Tuesday afternoon, and the boards still have not arrived. So I just called up my bank - and Matrox haven't even booked the shipping & handling and taxes.

Now, to add even more fun, I can't reach 1-877-MBUYNOW anymore. Neither by my normal phone (which displays the word "ausgelöst", which means something like "triggered" and therefore nothing helpful when dialing the number) nor by my cellphone.

I've been plenty forgiving in all this mess: not only are the boards now more than three weeks late, not only did Matrox charge the two boards twice which made my bank cancel the creditcard since they found my way of handling money "adventurous", not only did I spend hours writing emails or phoning around the globe, but now the fact that neither the promised $25-dollar-rebate nor the boards show up REALLY piss me off. Not to mention the fact that additional $70 per board make them far more expensive than I would have ever dreamed of.

I'm leaving town in the next days; if the stuff does not show up until the end of the week, they just can ****ing keep it.

Somewhat anoyed,
Pelle

[Scytale]

Someone is being adventurous with our money allright... I decided to give them this month to get their ever so pleasant act together.

[Brama]

Here in Italy there is a proverb that says:

Never say cat if you don't have it in the bag. (in italian there is a rhyme between cat and bag).

Till now, Matrox's bag is only full of empty promises and of our money.

It's 7 weeks that they have my money, this is not a preorder, it's a rip-off.

I am REALLY pissed off.

[Scytale]

In the Netherlands we say 'to buy a cat in the bag', meaning as much as 'buying a lemon'.

Darned cats.

[Pelle]

I'm not really anoyed that they missed their deadline - shit happens, and I got the rebate.

I don't care about the wrong booking - the money got back, and since the Euro had dropped, or the Dollar risen, I earend about 20 Euro.

But what I would expect from an international multimillon dollar company is a certain level of professionalism, like:
- a working phone number for international customers, that can't reach tollfree-numbers from their country, or don't have letters on their phones
- a response to an email within 24 hours
- yes, even on the weekend

When I email dvdexpress.com with a question on Saturday, I have the answer on Sunday. Whenever I email Matrox, I only get an answer between Monday and Wednesday, since this seems to be the only time emails from international / european / german / whatever customers get answered.

If I wanted mediocre service from nine to five on weekdays, I could go to my local supermarket. Well, if Matrox is trend-setting, we all will move from the Global Village to the global banana-republic.

Skytale, the "cat-in-the-bag"-saying exists in german as well. But I knew the cat - who would have thought that the bag is the problem?

But do you all know what the fun part is?
The $249 in the US allready included US-VAT.
Now, we have to pay 21% Irish VAT, since the boards are sent out from Ireland.

Now, guess what happens when they get to the Netherlands, Italy, France? Right! The customs will check in your country's VAT as well, which will be another 16% in Germany and AFAIK on a similar level in all other countries of the EMU.

Don't you love it when a plan comes together?

[FastmanNTW]

Wrong! Some US states have a sales tax which is only applicable to residents of that state. In the EU now, if you purchase something in a member state you pay the VAT to the member state. So in this case, we pay 21% Irish VAT (as opposed to 17.5% in the UK -b'llox!). You don't pay any further VAT when the goods are imported into the destination member state. What I don't know, is how I can go about claiming this VAT back, since I'm purchasing through my own VAT registered company? (I still can't get newlines on this bloody message editor!)

[Scytale]

Erm... Pelle, the triple VAT would be quite insane indeed. Did Matrox tell you this?

I really don't care how Matrox are going to deliver their board to my doorstep, but I'm not willing to pay for their entire Euro tour.

[Pelle]

I think (or hope) Fastman is right; I guess I was a bit into a worst-case-szenario, sorry. But I would have been right if Ireland wasn't a member of the EU ... so if the oh-so-euro-sceptical Brits would have left the EU, Fastman would have to pay

Additionally, I think there is a way to get the US-VAT back, but I don't know how. Perhaps I'll call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the American Embassy tomorrow and ask them - there should be someone in there who could tell me what to do.

[FastmanNTW]

Actually, I was referring to the extortionate 21% VAT that IrishGov charges!

[Pelle]

Yeah, I know, but I've heard from several people (who are supposed to know for being frequent us/eu - traveleres) that I could get the US-VAT back in any case.

The bill included with the boards that were just dropped of by DHL only states $249, there is no word over taxes charged. Which is an uncommon practice for at last Germany and supposedly not to helpfull when trying to get the taxes back, which I wanted to as well. I can imagine talking to the fiscal guy like that:

"Which taxes do you want back?"
"Well, the 21% perecent Irish VAT."
"There are no taxes stated on the bill."
"I know, but look at this creditcard-statement, they charged them later, so I payed them."
"But they are not on this bill."
etc.

Don't know how it works in your country, though, but I wish you the best.

Ciao, Pelle

[FastmanNTW]

I just got an email from the Online store in response to my query about my order (which I only sent yesterday, so they are listening!).

"Hello Dave,

Your order EU-68 is a part of our next batch which is being sent to Ireland
this week for distribution. Ireland will receive the products the first
week of August. At that time, a Matrox agent will be sending notices to
customers regarding shipping charges and any applicable VAT.

Thanks for shopping with Matrox Online!
" - SNIP

I don't mind waiting, it's just nice to be kept informed (even if it's to say that there are further delays!).

FastmanNTW