HELP! Blasted beurocracy...

Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 06:53 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 00:41 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/25/2000 07:08 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/25/2000 07:43 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Left FedEx Ramp STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 15:34
Int. Package Manifest Created STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 17:33
Left FedEx Origin Location STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 18:13
Picked up STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 15:54

Okay, i just got off the phone with Fed-Ex, and here's the story...

According to Lisa Jones of Intl' shipping...Customs did a random pull (which seems odd since so many others on the BBS must have been 'randomly pulled') on my package and couldn't find the FCC clearance. So i described what it was.
"it's a car stereo of sorts."
"Oh.....(long pause)... cause it says here something about a processor..."
"Yeah, it's a digital music player...it is actually a computer with a processor and hard drive that plays digital music files."
"Okay, well lemme fax you a customs form. All we need is your importer ID, then i will fax customs the info."

That basically means your social security number or tax ID if you are a business. So, she faxed me the form, i faxed it back, and according to her if customs clears it tonight, i will have it tomorrow morning.

So, here's what i don't understand...why the hell did they need my soc. sec. number? What does that provide them that makes it magically clear customs? I'm assuming that she was going to fax customs the FCC information along with the form i filled out, but what if i hadn't have called? Shouldn't Fed-Ex have called me? I don't know, the whole thing is just strange, but whateva..I'm getting it soon regardless.

WORD TO THE WISE... call Fed-Ex intl' and tell them what's going on the second your shipment comes up in a "regulatory clearance delay". The process is easy to get around if you just get on them about it. Hopefully at least... i'll inform if anything changes.




||| loren.cox
||| reg:13810
||| 12GB blue

Ok. this is getting out of hand...

4 Days in regulatory clearance, and I faxed them the tax id form on Thursday of last week.

Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/28/2000 00:54 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/27/2000 11:20 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 06:53 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 00:41 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/25/2000 07:08 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/25/2000 07:43 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Left FedEx Ramp STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 15:34
Int. Package Manifest Created STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 17:33
Left FedEx Origin Location STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 18:13
Picked up STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 15:54

Oh man, that's depressing to hear. Have you checked back with Fed-Ex or customs to see what the holdup is?

||| loren.cox
||| reg:13810
||| 12GB blue

Cripes... I got a call from FedEX about my Empeg. It's still in Memphis (home of Elvis and the ancient greeks.) The Nice Lady faxed me a Importer ID Input Record and a scary FCC form. More accurately a "Statement regarding the importation of Radio Frequency Devices capable of causing harmful interference." The only part of which I understand is where it says I'm going to rot in jail if the information is incorrect...

Wheee... Anyone know what I should call this thing?

Yeah, I tried calling fedex international (again) too. Got someone there to fill out the FCC form for me, but not luck so far. Still sitting in Memphis. The fedex dude said they did not need my SSN since the package value was under $2k. I gave them a description of the empeg and he was going to forward the paperwork to customs.. I suspect it is going to continue to sit in Memphis until someone from empeg gets a hold of them :-(

-Mike

Interesting. The fedex/customs dude filled out the FCC form for me (with some info I provided) and said it did not even need a signature! Of course the package is still sitting in Memphis so lots of good that did.

-Mike

Well, I ordered the middle of last week... Got a "we got your order" notice on Friday... Then I guess there was a holiday yesterday... No shipping confirmation or charge on my card yet. I'm hoping they didn't run out of 18GB blue models, it seems to be a popular flavor.

Waaahhhhooooooo,

Guess it did the trick afterall. Looks like my empeg is going to make it to my office before I do this morning!

-Mike

Arrived at FedEx Destination Location SAN FRANCISCO CA 08/29/2000 06:43
Left FedEx Ramp SAN FRANCISCO CA 08/29/2000 06:41
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/28/2000 02:06 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/27/2000 11:14 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 06:06 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Left FedEx Ramp STANSTED GB 08/25/2000 15:37
Left FedEx Origin Location STANSTED GB 08/25/2000 18:30
Int. Package Manifest Created STANSTED GB 08/25/2000 17:40
Picked up STANSTED GB 08/25/2000 15:20

WOHOOO! Same here Mike. I hope my girlfiend is cool with me not acknowledging her existance for a while...mwuahahaha! Tonight's devoted to the Empeg baby!


||| loren.cox
||| reg:13810
||| 12GB blue

You are waiting for tonight? I am playing now. Didn't really need to get any work done today anyway!

-Mike

Sigh. Insanity persists.

1 week and counting.

Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/30/2000 06:26 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/30/2000 00:56 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/29/2000 06:05 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/29/2000 01:05 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/28/2000 00:54 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/27/2000 11:20 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 06:53 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/26/2000 00:41 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/25/2000 07:08 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Pkg. Status Exception MEMPHIS TN 08/25/2000 07:43 Regulatory Clearance Delay
Left FedEx Ramp STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 15:34
Int. Package Manifest Created STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 17:33
Left FedEx Origin Location STANSTED GB 08/24/2000 18:13

That is unbelievable. Thanks for posting this - it allows me to set 'worst case scenario' expectations when (if?) my number comes up.

Hang in there,

Derek

#15613

You are working with Rob or Hugo or somebody on getting this cleared up, right?

___________
Tony Fabris

Hrm. I must be lucky. I live in Round Rock, TX, and had no delay whatsoever. In fact, I was a little worried since I was going on vacation and Friday was the last day that I would have been here. But, it shipped on Thursday nite and I received it Friday morning. I think its neat that it can be overnited from so far away so quickly. I'm glad I live west of England .

Ya, Rob knows, and they faxed more paperwork today, evidently. I'm in Dallas, so hopefully they can get it to me the same day it clears.

I was counting the hours, now I've almost forgot its coming.

My queue number is 10900 and I wired them money a week ago now. I can't get anyone to answer my e-mails. I am getting worried. I have no confirmation of reciept and no tracking number.

Things are running a bit slower than normal as both Rob and Daniel are on holiday; you should be able to get a response from rob@empeg.com (whose email is currently being answered by David). Bank transfers sometimes take ages (we've had ones that took 3 weeks from the USA).

Hugo

How can a bank transfer be slower than snail mail. Besides my bank checked today 9-1 and they confirmed the transfer to the Barclay UK bank on 8-23. So what's the hold up. Than is ten days.

How can a bank transfer be slower than snail mail.

Heh. The question you should be asking is: How do banks even manage to function at all with the cobbled-together, bailing-wire-and-tape systems they use to transact their business. You should see how much training the employees have to go through every time they do a system changeover.

Knowing the way banks work, your wired money probably just got routed to the wrong account. Probably to somebody named "Tuttle".

(Bonus point to identify that last reference.)

___________
Tony Fabris

Brazil - One of Terry's best works...

- Jon

Well I guess Tuttle better ship me an Empeg then.

We double checked everything at the bank. They have the money.

Some US banking systems are totally amazing - because there are so many small banks, the system appears to be totally manual...

If the money has arrived, check with rob@empeg.com - he will know what is going on. Generally, when we receive transfers we get a fax from our bank, but this has been known not to arrive and we only find out about it later...

Hugo

It has nothing to do with snailmail - if you sent a US personal cheque it would take about 3 weeks to clear AFTER we deposited it into our account.

As I said, some US transfers have taken as long as 3 weeks, although most come through within a few days. The problem isn't at our end - whatever other numerous problems the UK banking system may have, the general level of electronic funds automation is very good. The problem is, the US banking system is so fragmented (thanks to 60 year old legislation) that the hundreds of small banks have, generally, not bought in to international connectivity schemes. There's barely any inter-state connectivity for that matter!

Therefore a US transfer generally involves telexing details for processing by humans, which is slowed up by the time difference and, sometimes, by simple human error or inefficiency.

Just because the funds have left your account, does NOT mean that they are cleared into ours. I often wonder which organisation is benefiting from the interest on all these delayed transactions.

In your particular case, I'll check on Monday whether we have received your funds. A transfer was received just before I left on Friday, so that could be yours. When your goods are dispatched, I'll include a copy of the transfer advice just to prove that we haven't sat on your money for two weeks!

Luckily almost all clients pay by credit card, which can be authorised within minutes.

Rob

Knowing the way banks work, your wired money probably just got routed to the wrong account. Probably to somebody named "Tuttle".

C'mon, banks are not that poorly equiped. I never saw a Fresnel lense in front of their, err, typewriters.

(In better mood already)

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

Brazil - One of Terry's best works...

The best, I would say (and the competition is tough).

BTW, for those with wire transfer problems: it generally helps if you pay in a major bank that has direct correspodent relationship with empeg's bank, demand a copy of S.W.I.F.T. slip and fax it to empeg if delay develops. (S.W.I.F.T. is glorified encrypted messaging system used for interbank money transfer.) Banks like to 'play' with other people's money for few days...

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

Just because the funds have left your account, does NOT mean that they are cleared into ours. I often wonder which organisation is benefiting from the interest on all these delayed transactions.

It's not restricted to US>UK transfers, either. A friend of mine got a little upset when a UK bank 'lost' 70,000 UKP for more than 10 days transferring it from his UK account to his French bank.

One of the many odd things about this event was that the UK bank had confirmed delivery to the correct French account number, but the French bank hadn't seen a trace of the funds.

It eventually turned out that they had, instead of sending it across the Channel, sent it to another account in the same bank!

Even then, he was suspicious of why it had taken a week to go from one account number to another, and 10 days or so for them to find it. What's the interest on 70 grand per week? Multiplied by however many such 'accidents' occur?

Or am I just being cynical again?

Patrick



Opinions expressed in this email may contain up to 42% water by weight, and are mine. All mine.

C'mon, banks are not that poorly equiped. I never saw a Fresnel lense in front of their, err, typewriters.

It makes me proud to see that the members of this BBS appreciate good filmmaking.

Although I think that Brazil is a cartoonish view of it, you'd be surprised how similar it is to the way bank and government systems really work.

___________
Tony Fabris

Brazil? Terry? Tuttle? Fresnel lenses? Typewriters?

OK, I admit it, I am clueless. What are you folks talking about? (In my defense, I must confess that I haven't set foot in a movie theatre or rented a videotape in the past 20 years or so. Just a grumpy old curmudgeon, I guess)

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Brazil? Terry? tuttle? Fresnel lenses? Typewriters?

Terry Gilliam's masterpiece Brazil. The hero is a small wheel in some kind of cross botween Kafka's Process, Orwell's 1984 and a satire on contemporary bureaucracy. Due to computer error he becomes prosecuted, and is helped by a guerilla plumber... Computer terminals look like ancient Remington typewriters with miniature, open b/w CRT with large Fresnell lenses in front. Be sure to rent it (if possible, European edition, American was considerably watered down).

Cheers!

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green