We are lucky to have a UK address here, which makes on line shopping much easier - not many companies deliver to Brunei. And not just easier for us but friends too. Sending parcels is cheaper, if not quicker. But it does mean that we only get post once a week. Hence Tuesday is often the best day of the week!
But two things I find amazingly perplexing - how some people refuse to ship to our address (British Forces Post Box), or charge a ludicrous amount for it, or how they refuse to reimburse the VAT. And don't get me even started with the Post a office who seem mostly incompetent when it comes to parcels for us.... The post box for us is an actual office in London where all forces post is sorted to those who are deployed. In London. Not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan, not in the outer Hebrides. In London. So how can it be so difficult for courrier companies to deliver to BFPO?! I once got a quote for £41 when it's normally free delivery in the UK. So what if I used this office's rightful postage address with a "normal" UK postcode..... Hmmm - my point exactly. Or why does companies such as Gap with an established online shop refuse to ship to our address? How different can it be from shipping it to the person living next door to the Army camp?
As the shipment goes to outside UK we are automatically exempt from VAT - or should be. There are few great companies, like Crew clothing, who take the tax off as you enter the BFPO in the address field. Other companies will return it when requested - and it's often 20% so well worth it. Then there are people who trade on Amazon and don't understand VAT at all. We've received such pearls of correspondance as We don't charge VAT - oh well, thanks for the VAT invoice you've just sent me with tax included, you cretin. Or mocking Here's your 46p - thanks, I'll add that to my over £1,000 I've saved this year.
Or some companies who just get back to us with a fair pricing policy. To them it seems somehow fair to pocket our 20% but I guess technically it isn't a tax fraud as "they aren't charging us tax, they just have fair and same prices for everyone". One of these companies is disappointingly Joules who market themselves as military friendly supporting Help the heros. I'm not saying we are the heros but this certainly doesn't feel like supporting the military. Well, at least they ship, so I guess it's something.
And did I mention the Post Office.... They have had the ages old rule of up to 2 kg free parcels to operational tours. We are not operational, we don't qualify for free shipping. But we DO qualify for parcels not exceeding 30kg. And how many times have they turned friends or sellers doing us a favour away because of the so called over-sized 2,1 kg parcel. Pure incompetence. And rage inducing - Phil missed out on his birthday present because of some over zealous clerk!
So, if it is so difficult, what do I need to buy then? Need is a funny word, as shops like Next and M&S ship to BFPO, or White Company. But I'm not talking about party dresses or scented candles. I need to buy baby wipes as all the local once have got rash inducing chemicals in them. Or toothpaste as I'm not convinced that the local Pepsodent (other brands available) has any fluoride in it. Facial cream as I don't need added whitening in mine. Boat parts, obviously. Youghurt powder to make our own as having sold yoghurt makers they decided to stop stocking the powder. Or any full fat youghurt. Toys as ideally new ones last longer than a day (but if you need any fake Disney goods, the market is overflowing here!), or books because I don't like to pay over double the price of the imported selection here. I'm lucky as I can just about fit in local clothes and shoes but many fiends rely on internet shopping for anything to wear. And yes, it doesn't need to be White Company, but linen - local polyester doesn't really do I for me! There is a long list of things that we do need to buy monthly. So in the end we're not just being precious but trying to buy amenities that you can pick up in your nearest shop without a thought.
But - rant over. Keep sending us mail and parcels, it always makes our Tuesday!
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