MyUS.com has the worst Customer Service (R6 000 in debt).

I really need help. I'm so tired and I don't know what to do anymore.

MyUS.com is not a transparent company and I have no interest in using them again because I have had to deal with them over 10 times. Unfortunately, I don't have the transcripts of all our conversations that we had.

I had purchased an item in the US since I saw that its was at almost 50% cheaper than buying it in South Africa. Unfortunately the seller did not ship over seas. I saw MyUS.com after browsing around on the net.

So the first thing that happened was after the item was shipped to MyUS they took my item in and I was quoted $66 initially as an estimate for the item. This was affordable even though I was the estimate I received before the item was received at MyUS of about $30. So immediately after, I am told that because of my account type I was not allowed to hold my shipment there until I can afford to pay the shipping costs. My request was a simple one, can I pay for storage fees so long until I can afford to pay the shipping fee of almost $60. They denied my request because even though they offer storage fees I have to pay a $7 premium account fee ontop of the storage fees.

I had to beg and plead because I couldn't afford that. I came up with an idea to open another account which offered a trail version of the Premium account and after reluctant accepting, the CS agent moved my items to the new room.

Then I needed to add a payment method because after a couple days, I was ready to ship my item. After I added my payment method, MyUS (without any permission or notice) deducts R114 dollars from my account. For a second I thought that, that was my shipping fee. I'm thinking to myself, GREAT! That's way cheaper than I thought even though I didn't think it would deduct immediately after I added my payment method. Something made me feel uneasy about the price though. It was waaaaay too cheap. So I contacted them trying to understand what I was charged for. It turns out, it only a verification process. Why must a verification process cost R114? Only God knows. It's supposed to be refunded within 48 hours. I am still awaiting on that refund till this day.

So for context I bought a Sony A6000 camera which came with a lithium battery, a lens adaptor and 2 additional lithium batteries for the camera.

After waiting 72 hours, I see a declined payment by my bank for almost R1 300. I'm thinking who is trying to ***** my money. I check and it seems that the bill is from MyUS. I contact them only to find out that they are now charging $99 to ship the item. WHAT?? The reason being that my item has a lithium battery in it. Why am I being charged almost $33 for 1 lithium battery when I have 2 other lithium batteries in my order that definitely was not charged the same amounts. They couldn't give me a valid reason except that it was part of consolidation. So basically I was charged $33 just for them to take out the battery from the camera.

At this point I've spoken to about 5 agents and again after pleading and begging they reduced my shipping fee by $30 because even they could agree that it made no sense (it was a reluctant reduction after I had to beg and plea). Fedex is the only carrier that can ship loose lithium batteries. Seeing as I used Fedex to ship my item they will be liable and collect the import/duties fees.

So now I am ready for the item to be shipped. I chose the 1-4 day shipping option. It was a Tuesday. So now I am ready to receive my item and be done with MyUS.com. This was the worst customer experience I've had as a first time user of the services. I wish the story ended there though. Fedex is my carrier and they promise that the item would be shipped by Monday June 18th. Now my photography class starts on the 18th. I wish they had specified that that only means that it would be shipped to South Africa by Monday and not to me. So there I am at the class, No Camera.

I wasn't told that duties/customs can take another 3 - 5 days.

So now I wait to contact Fedex again on Friday. Apparently customs has stopped my item for a spot check. Fedex agent wasn't sure but it could be because the item was cheaper than they expected at customs (The analogy I was given was that somebody can buy 100 pairs of jeans for R100 and that item will be checked because obviously 100 pairs of jeans can't cost R100). I understood that but apparently it could take Customs another 3 - 5 days to process this and - wait for it - pay tax/duties for the item which could be another R1 500.

At this point I couldn't even speak. This item that was meant to cost me R5 000 is now costing me almost R8 000 now. Retail price in South Africa is R7 200 including the adaptor and extra batteries. Contacted MyUs one more time time to inquire about the import tax. And they bluntly told me that because I cannot afford to pay the customs duty, I will not receive my item. In addition to that, Fedex only keeps the item for 7 days before they return to shipper. I am liable to pay for those return fees which the agent explicitly said "will cost more than than the shipping. I told the agent that the previous customer agent said the shipper waould be liable for customs tax. Customer service agent exact words, "That's incorrect. Just because you were not aware that you are liable to pay duties does not mean that MyUS should take responsibility this."

Customer service agent's name was "Abubakar."

So now. In 7 days my item will be shipped back to MyUS because I cannot afford the customs/duties tax. I will be billed for the return and I will not receive my item and I will not receive a refund on the item because it was not purchased at MyUS.com.

R6 000 down the drain.