I'm currently going through the same nightmare as this guy: post612436.html#p612436

DHL says I have to go them, pay 16 USD for documents. Then print some more documents. Then go to customs at PP airport and give them the documentation and pay import fees.

And when I asked them to return it to the sender. They said, sure that takes 21 days and that will be 300 USD in processing fees.

Doing a bit of google search, I can't find much about this. Is this a new thing? It seems to only apply for anything above 50 USD in value.

Yes I was also quoted $300 by DHL to return to sender - and that was for a $20 item that I "needed a medical import license for"; turns out I didn't need a license, was purely cosmetics (for Mrs Spigz of course), & the customs folks put it through with the rest of the delivery.

The customs process actually isn't too bad once you know the ropes;
1. get the docs from DHL (that $16 fee doesn't sit well..) - you can choose for DHL to still deliver to your home, or if you want to pick the item up yourself (this means you will need to go to the cargo terminal twice, same day pickup isn't an option)
2. Take it to the cargo terminal/customs office over the road
3. Stick you head in the first door on the left, and be told to wait very abruptly (no English signs, it is 100% khmer language type of place, but they speak good English)
4. wait (on a busy day this took me maybe 30-45 mins.
5. Sit with customs folks with documents; they will advise you there is a 20% 'personal import' tax you need to pay on top of the value of the item(s)
6. Take customs docs to the broker at the other end of the hall (on the right as you get in (Sela Theng is his name)
7. He will explain how you left it a bit late so now there are some storage fees to take care of; these are tiny compared to the 20%, so just be nice at this stage.
8. If you ticked DHL deliver; he will give it back to them & they deliver, if you chose to pickup yourself, he'll tell you when to come back.

Make sure you have digital copies of you passport and the invoices to hand so you can Telegram them to the broker dude; he won't accept other comms, only Telegram. You can pay by QR code scan, so any bank that is on Bakong and definitely ABA which most expats have anyway.

After a couple of run-ins with DHL (fees for a pair of shoes would have been in excess of $400), I have since bought a couple of items through Camboquick. No fuss, no muss and DHL can go and %@$# off.

As mentioned before - DHL here are owned and operated by DHL Group, and the employees are DHL employees. UPS and FedEx are actually local companies that act as agents.
Local companies/employees can happily do things that a DHL company/employee can't because of their compliance rules.

Sorry to say the process with UPS was identical. FedEx I haven't used lately, I only tended to use them for sending letters as they had the best price by far.

Spigzy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2024 11:37 am Make sure you have digital copies of you passport and the invoices to hand so you can Telegram them to the broker dude; he won't accept other comms, only Telegram. You can pay by QR code scan, so any bank that is on Bakong and definitely ABA which most expats have anyway.

Thank you for that info. Can I pay with cash though? Because I don't have ABA or anything like that. Just cash and debit card.

I saw he has a cash box on his desk, so I guess so, but can't confirm 100% sorry.

In the past it was that a brooker that contacted and told me, that there is a DHL shipping for me and asked me for 20% of the price declared on the papers. If agreed, a few days later the DHL guy rang my bell. I never tired to find out what happens if you decline. However, I just checked and he has deleted his Telegram account, so it looks that this guy is no option any longer, so I would definitely give the how-to from @Spigzy a try

The whole thing does highlight one of the too scarce benefits to be back in Europe.
Went to Sweden monday to buy a car, i'm just back with it by road throught 6 countries, no stop, no hassle, no tips, and a smooth admin process.

Well, except if you' re a Brit.
Must feel a bit like déja-vu...^^