Why? Why did I stop ordering from them?
Why, when they have such a great price policy? Why, when their shipping rates are rather low and affordable?

Why indeed?

Well, their shipping options are: DHL airmail or DHL Worldmail.
The Worldmail option, is the one I usually go for. Comparable to SAL, according to Amazon, your stuff gets deliverd to a location on your continent or country and then gets handles by normal postal services. Then it enters the lotery to see if you have to pay taxes or not.

Recently, DHL has taken it upon themselves, to deliver these packages themselves instead of using our great TNT services here in Holland. The first package took 4 weeks, was delivered after a bumbling call about a TAX number, which I as a normal person do not have, of course. Then the package was delivered and I heard nothing about it.

Feeling like a nice dude, I contacted DHL. They got back to be and after a few days, I received a bill to pay for importing (5 euro, a reasonable fee) and 19% tax on my 4800 yen items. Reasonable too.
And, 19% tax on my €89.40 shipping fee.

I go @_@ and try contacting DHL again. They do not reply or respond to e-mail.
Meanwhile, another worldmail package ships from Amazon and arrives overnight instead of in 4 weeks.
I tell Amazon about this. While they give me a standard mail about tax rules etc. I receive another letter from DHL claiming €94.40 shipping fee (I actually paid 1800 yen (100 yen = €0.68 ).

I write Amazon Japan again, explaining that indeed I agree to paying taxes and know about their rules, but that this is outrageous.

They investigated this and came with the following reply yesterday:

The tax occurred for order 2 which I was investigating
about was correct.  Customs policies vary widely from country to
country; you may want to contact your local customs office for
further information if the extra amount occurred to your orders
are still not understandable.

However, we have concluded that the tax for order 1
should not be paid by you this time.  Therefore our appropriate
department has managed not charging you the extra.

We sometimes ship out orders via International Express with our
regards and it does not cost you any extra shipping fee.  However
please note that it is unfortunately not predictable when
happens.  However please note that there is a chance that you
would have to pay for the custom fee for items shipped via
International economy shipping as well although it has not
happened to you in the past, because you are importing products.

Your understanding would be much appreciated and thanks again for
shopping at Amazon.co.jp.

Ehmmm right… So I get to pay extra because:
* They chose to ship me overnight as a “courtesy”
* They can’t say when and if they will do so again (quite likely, there was another shipment delivered in 2 days time a few days ago).
* Because THEY send me stuff in a way I have not requested, I can pay up to 100% more of the value of the things I order because for some reason, Amazon chooses to send me mail by courier while I pay for land mail…

So, I have now cancelled all my orders (40.000 yen worth) and await further replies from them.
Hopefully, one day I can make use of Amazon again. For now… well.. I just had to cancel everything, thanks to DHL with it’s ridiculous fees.

Oh, FYI,

I have send Amazon a reply to their mail though…

Dear Sir,

I understand you need time to check these issues, I thought the reply
was speedy, like I am used from Amazon customer services.

Regarding the tax for order 2, how should I proceed with DHL?
I received their bill, which I have not yet paid. Should I discard this
bill or inform DHL? DHL does not respond to, or awknowledge my e-mail
transmissions to them.

Regarding order 1, I am rather disappointed with your result
about this shipment. Just because you upgrade my shipping options, as a
courtesy over which I have no control, I get to pay 2350 yen extra over
the normal import and shipping taxes.

I do not feel like paying 2300~5000 yen extra per order because, as an
extra service, you send me items in a fashion I have not requested (And
I do mean extra above the normal 19% sales, shipping and import tax).

This has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the way taxes are set
up in my country. It has everything to do with the fact that DHL
calculates taxes over a fee of 12.000+ yen shipping instead of 1.800
that I actually paid.

I do not consider this “service” you offer a courtesy, I consider it
unjust, harmfull and inconsiderate.

As you are not able to asure me this will not happen again, and recent
delivery by DHL seems to continue to be overnight express mail instead
of the requested 4 week mail, I have no other option left then to cancel
most of my remaining orders that are not first press versions and order
elsewhere.

I am still hoping on a different reply from Amazon.
I order about 200.000 – 400.000 yen worth from amazon Japan each year.
I guess quite some people order from Amazon Japan and I think this will cost them quite some customers.

I did try my verry best to contact and deal with DHL. However, they refuse to reply.
Unfortunately.