A WARNING TO BRIT’S AND EUROPEAN’S ORDERING FROM SMOKING PIPES

[woodsroad]

No Eire is a part of the EU still but I’ve never even seen that site. Everything at SP was fine until recently so I never had to look elsewhere but I’ll check it out. That must have been what @Chasing Embers was talking about.

So what specifically changed in Smokingpipes labeling? Do you know?

No matter, the root of the problem isn’t Smokingpipes. It’s your country and the people you’ve elected to office to represent you. Your thread title would be more aptly named “My Country Sucks and It Just Got Worse”.

 

[Birddog66]

So what specifically changed in Smokingpipes labeling? Do you know?

No matter, the root of the problem isn’t Smokingpipes. It’s your country and the people you’ve elected to office to represent you. Your thread title would be more aptly named “My Country Sucks and It Just Got Worse”.

You’re a rude sob aren’t you! Actually SP used to cover the contents with the postage label so it couldn’t be read so stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I do not believe that it is in the best interest of a company to attempt to deceive another country's customs agents. SP has to receive and ship back and forth to there quite often. SP has always seemed to be respectful of laws and regulations, which is one of the reasons they are the top pipe and tobacco retailers. It is very unfair to be angry at a company for not deceiving your country's customs.

Like Woods says, vote for positive change.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Never tried SP Ireland?

Smokingpipes.eu | Tobacco Pipes - Tobacco Pipe Accessories

Smokingpipes.eu is your one stop shop for all your pipe smoking needs. From new and used tobacco pipes to tobacco pipe accessories, we have everything you need.

www.smokingpipes.eu

Or Ireland no longer considered a part of Europe?

They are in Dublin, that is EU.
Unfortunately they sell no tobacco.

 

[Birddog66]

I do not believe that it is in the best interest of a company to attempt to deceive another country's customs agents. SP has to receive and ship back and forth to there quite often. SP has always seemed to be respectful of laws and regulations, which is one of the reasons they are the top pipe and tobacco retailers. It is very unfair to be angry at a company for not deceiving your country's customs.

Like Woods says, vote for positive change.

If you read my posts you’ll see I’ve said exactly that. I’m not criticising SP just warning fellow Brits that they’ll get stung if they order from them now.

 

[woodsroad]

You’re a rude sob aren’t you! Actually SP used to cover the contents with the postage label so it couldn’t be read so stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

Truth hurts, but pretending the problem is someone else’s fault is even more problematic.

 

[swilford]

I’m sorry to have to post this warning but things have changed at SP for those ordering from outside the USA. Smoking Pipes now makes no effort to cover the contents of the packaging and it’s very unlikely your tobacco will make it through Customs.

There is nothing that has changed in what Smokingpipes does with these packages. How we label and package for customs purposes is determined by applicable law (in this case, those of the United States and the United Kingdom) and contract (our contract with the carriers: requirements they have of us to carry goods). The customs information is also passed electronically to the carrier (again per the rules). None of those rules have changed recently.

We were never labeling in a way to obfuscate the customs declaration (nor would we, it being contrary to the law and stuff). It's possible that other labels were added along the way (perhaps by USPS? HMRC at the border? Incorrectly at either, once or twice?) that made it look to the OP like something had changed. But--per the above--Smokingpipes hasn't changed anything and all of that information is also passed electronically.

And if you ask Smokingpipes Customer Service to obfuscate or falsify customs documents they're going to tell you no.

I'm genuinely sympathetic to your plight, but this is, truly, entirely beyond our control.

Sykes Wilford

 

[Birddog66]

Truth hurts, but pretending the problem is someone else’s fault is even more problematic.

Wow you’re just digging yourself deeper aren’t you. I don’t see what my country’s politics has to do with you because it’s got nothing to do with this problem. I just sent forty antique pipes to a friend in the US and your Customs returned them with no reason given so what point are you trying to make? Do you even know or are you just a small minded person that hasn’t learned to play with grown ups yet?

 

[LeafErikson]

The point to all of this is to wean people off of tobacco. They see no shame in it whatsoever. They're reducing an
addiction that costs billions of $$$ a year to their general economy.

Well then why do they stop at tobacco? Sugar and alcohol consumption surely costs the state more healthcare dollars than tobacco consumption.

 

[VDL_Piper]

You have other options and yes they are less glossy than Smokingpipes but they are efficient in navigating around these sorts of hurdles. Legal..........who cares as long as the tobacco keeps coming!!!

 

[Birddog66]

There is nothing that has changed in what Smokingpipes does with these packages. How we label and package for customs purposes is determined by applicable law (in this case, those of the United States and the United Kingdom) and contract (our contract with the carriers: requirements they have of us to carry goods). The customs information is also passed electronically to the carrier (again per the rules). None of those rules have changed recently.

We were never labeling in a way to obfuscate the customs declaration (nor would we, it being contrary to the law and stuff). It's possible that other labels were added along the way (perhaps by USPS? HMRC at the border? Incorrectly at either, once or twice?) that made it look to the OP like something had changed. But--per the above--Smokingpipes hasn't changed anything and all of that information is also passed electronically.

And if you ask Smokingpipes Customer Service to obfuscate or falsify customs documents they're going to tell you no.

I'm genuinely sympathetic to your plight, but this is, truly, entirely beyond our control.

Sykes Wilford

Ok let me try and be as clear as possible. I have not said that SP tried to obfuscate Customs and I have never asked them to. What I am saying is that after three years of package’s making it to me safely all of a sudden I have five consecutive orders stopped, I also have another two friends that have had packages stopped in the last couple of months after having no issues for years.
What I’m saying is that something has changed, either at your end or mine and to order anything now is to garner a high risk of UK Customs and Excise stopping the package and levelling a very large duty for the tobacco or pipe order. I am not criticising anyone, I am not apportioning blame to SP I’m just letting others know what to expect.

SP has been my go to tobacconist for three years and I couldn’t have been happier with their stock and their service. It breaks my heart that this is happening but whether this is due to new technology or something else I don’t know but it is happening and I believe it’s right for me to inform others of the fact.

I hope this clears up my stance on this matter as it’s not a case of sour grapes but merely passing on relevant information.

 

[woodsroad]

Wow you’re just digging yourself deeper aren’t you. I don’t see what my country’s politics has to do with you because it’s got nothing to do with this problem. I just sent forty antique pipes to a friend in the US and your Customs returned them with no reason given so what point are you trying to make? Do you even know or are you just a small minded person that hasn’t learned to play with grown ups yet?

Ah! The Ad Hominems appear! Very good, sir.

If you really believe that your country’s policies have nothing to do with their customs laws and enforcement, then nobody can help you.

 

[coys]

Ok let me try and be as clear as possible. I have not said that SP tried to obfuscate Customs and I have never asked them to. What I am saying is that after three years of package’s making it to me safely all of a sudden I have five consecutive orders stopped, I also have another two friends that have had packages stopped in the last couple of months after having no issues for years.
What I’m saying is that something has changed, either at your end or mine and to order anything now is to garner a high risk of UK Customs and Excise stopping the package and levelling a very large duty for the tobacco or pipe order. I am not criticising anyone, I am not apportioning blame to SP I’m just letting others know what to expect.

SP has been my go to tobacconist for three years and I couldn’t have been happier with their stock and their service. It breaks my heart that this is happening but whether this is due to new technology or something else I don’t know but it is happening and I believe it’s right for me to inform others of the fact.

I hope this clears up my stance on this matter as it’s not a case of sour grapes but merely passing on relevant information.

I understood you, @Birddog66 - I think you've done a nice thing by trying to warn others. Sorry it got a little testy in here.

 

[VDL_Piper]

It will be the disclosure on the consignment note. They did it here In Australia and forced all retailers/suppliers to flag the consignment note with a code that signifies tobacco its that simple. Customs are lazy and if they can stop a large portion of tobacco imports by a simple legislation change then they have achieved their goal.

 

[Birddog66]

I understood you, @Birddog66 - I think you've done a nice thing by trying to warn others. Sorry it got a little testy in here.

Thank you mate I appreciate that.

 

[Birddog66]

Ah! The Ad Hominems appear! Very good, sir.

If you really believe that your country’s policies have nothing to do with their customs laws and enforcement, then nobody can

Pompous aren’t we.

 

[sardonicus87]

To be fair, the way you worded your original post sounded like you were condemning or blaming SP for the problem. That's how I read it when I first saw it, and even claiming explicitly the problem was in how SP puts their labels on and claiming they changed how they did labelling. If that's not blaming SP, I don't know what is.

It's literally in the first two sentences:

[...] things have changed at SP for those ordering from outside the USA. Smoking Pipes now makes no effort to cover the contents of the packaging [...]

How is that not laying the blame on SP?

 

[Birddog66]

To be fair, the way you worded your original post sounded like you were condemning or blaming SP for the problem. That's how I read it when I first saw it, and even claiming explicitly the problem was in how SP puts their labels on and claiming they changed how they did labelling. If that's not blaming SP, I don't know what is.

It's literally in the first two sentences:


How is that not laying the blame on SP?

It’s merely a statement of fact, the labelling has changed but if you read my other posts I don’t apportion blame to SP as they must follow whatever laws are imposed upon them.

 

[ssjones]

I think we can say this one is done.