Remember my bright idea to order my favorite chocolates from Italy as a “prize” for the Name That Cat contest? Or you may well have forgotten by now, because heaven knows, that’s already ancient history. Well I finally popped Mildred’s little treat into the mail yesterday after the most mickey mouse mail order I have EVER experienced.
May I introduce you to....
The Pocket Coffee Chocolate, from Ferrero Rocher. My in-laws always throw a couple packages into gifts they send our way because they know that when it comes to blissful indulgence, in my books these can’t be beat. Well… rather than ask them to pop me some packages in the mail I thought I would be a good little Miss. Independent and take care of business on my own. In the middle of getting my order ready for shipment from Italy I all of a sudden found a link that showed, lo and behold, these chocolates are available in the USA from an importer called Euromart. And looky here, they had really great prices and surely the shipping from the USA would be cheaper than shipping from Italy. Surely!
So I cancelled my first order, hopped on over to Euromart and started placing an order there. I saw that my shipping was going to be twenty some dollars and figured that I would be better off making a larger order to substantiate the shipping cost. So I ordered 8 packages instead of 1. My shipping came to $30.00 which divided by unit was reasonable.
The first hitch was that I gave my address, which is a box number. I receive an email a few days later saying they can not ship to box numbers, and need a street address. Well… I live on a red dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Directions to my house would be “take the retreat turn off from the highway, pass the country cemetery, turn right, turn right again at the monument for _____field school, turn right on the yard with the big red barn and the windmill. I don’t think UPS would find that street address to their liking.
I quickly email them back with the street address for our general store in town, they kindly take delivery for farms and call us to come pick things up. Well over a week later I get another email from Euro Market that they are still waiting to hear back from me about a shipping address. Thankfully they received my second email and informed me apologetically that my first email had gone to their junk folder. Argh. The next day I get a confirmation email that my order has been shipped.
Two days ago I receive a phone call from my husband at work asking me what package would be at the store that would require payment of $45.00? I drew a complete blank. I was thinking Sears parcels go on the credit card… I don’t order anything c.o.d. The only thing I was expecting were my precious chocolates. But I had already paid $30.00 shipping for those, and I couldn’t possibly have to pay $45.00 Canadian taxes and duty on a $70.00 purchase could I??? Oh could I.
Turns out that UPS has discovered a way to get rich off duty broker fees those slimy weasels. If your purchase is $20.00 or less you don’t pay. $20-$40 you pay an $18.00 broker fee, $40-100 a $30 fee, and it just keeps escalating like that. I Googled it and discovered on a $500.00 purchase one guy was required to pay a $200.00 UPS brokerage fee. Can you spell i.n.s.a.n.e?
The only funny and endearing part to this whole tale is P-Guys reaction. Because I was so mortified by the exorbitant final cost of my little mail order purchase, he was just so sweet and tender about it. "It’s only money.” He says to me. “Life’s too short.” I kept asking him, “you’re kidding me, right? tell me you’re pulling my leg here” and because he was laughing (because I was so upset) I really did think he was trying to pull one over on me. The sweetheart. But the ironic part is that if I wouldn’t have been so flustered and upset about it he would have gone through the roof, LOL!
So my eight little packages of chocolate are dearly worth their weight in gold and if you get a little gift from me, I hope they’re worth it in enjoyment! Now excuse me while I go and savor one of these.
What’s that they say about the end justifying the means….?
Yes, now *that's* amore. Worth every penny.
10 comments:
*drool*
those little babies are CERTAINLY worth their weight in broker fees *wink*
Oh, I feel terrible about this. I just had fun naming the cat!!! I'll have to find a souveneir from Georgia to share with you and your family to try and make up for the fiasco.
Oh Mildred, no... it's meant to be funny! I wanted to make the order to have birthday presents for my girlfriends too and little special treats to share with people, so your little package was just a one part of a big order. I had to laugh though, because what I should have done is just ordered it with my visa and shipped it directly to your house, you would have got it quicker!! Enjoy!!
Oh my word!
That makes me want to eat one of those sweet little treats. sorry it was such a pain for you to get. enjoy.
Oh my... you will be savoring every bite of those! They definitely look delicious!
And to brag on my man... he just called and told me the kids have been invited to a sleepover tonight!! They are going to stay with my best friend and her husband so we can have some alone time and go on a date! I am so excited... I have to go pack their bags... woo hoo! (I am so excited I just have to tell someone!)
Blessings!
Well.
They'll just taste all the more special now!!!
Sounds yummy... my two favorite flavors combined into one delicious treat.
Blessings, friend!
Well... I'll have to think up another contest so y'all can have a chance to taste these babies.
Talk about expensive chocolate! That last pic does look heavenly!
wow, those look really good...
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