Friday, January 2, 2009

The Saga of the Winter Coat

Despite Mr Hwang's assurances that retrieving my heavy coat, which I ordered from LL Bean over a month ago now, would be no problem and wouldn't require money, while it has languished (warming no one) in customs at Incheon Airport since Dec 27, turns out it's a hassle.

Partly, this is my fault, as I filled out the form honestly (the one that came in the mail from the Korean postal service). We faxed the form this morning, and Hwang heard back this afternoon--duty fees were 80,000 W and necessitated a trip to Incheon. I had a shit-fit on the phone. With Hwang. Not his fault, but he's the one who got it. Sorry pal, price of being the messenger, when I'm just getting out of the shower after going to the gym for about the first time in two weeks.

80,000 W is a lot of money ($60-70), adding over a third to the price I paid for the jacket plus a pair of jeans. I'm not a penny-pinching miser (shut up!) but that is an absurd tariff!

Well, apparently, Hwang turned it around on the folks at the post office, and it now turns out they are delivering it to my apartment door. For (only?) 54,500 W. On Monday afternoon. He wouldn't tell me, but my guess is he told them I misunderstood the form and it was a gift/worth a lot less/etc. Good on you, Hwang.

2 comments:

Kelsey said...

Foreign clothing is one of the most expensive things you can have imported into Korea, just FYI.

Tuttle said...

Yeah, I know that now! I'd still rather have a coat from LL Bean than Ask Enquired! Whatever that means ...