On May 23, I placed an online order of "Eliud Kipchoge's Official World Tour Tee" ($48 USD) from DSM-Firmenich Running Team. Two days later, I received an email indicating that my order would need additional time to be fulfilled (about another week, according to the message). When I placed my order, I was well aware of the shipping costs ($24 USD) and the possibility that “there may be additional tax costs outside the European Union, such as import duties." However, this amount was neither calculated nor estimated upon checkout, an important detail that would have allowed the customer to gain a sense of the total amount of the transaction prior to the purchase. It was not until I received an email from UPS on June 8 (when I was out of town, no less) with a tracking number and a delivery date that I learned my purchase came with a $41.72 USD import fee I was required to pay prior to delivery. I immediately contacted DSM-Firmenich Running Team requesting a cancellation of my order and a refund. I was told that the information regarding import fees was "stated underneath every product page underneath the buy button" and that I would receive an automatic refund once UPS returned the product. To date, I have yet to receive a refund and the total amount to be refunded has not been confirmed as per my last email.
I was very excited for this product, which was meant as a birthday present for a family member, and disappointed by the way DSM-Firmenich Running Team failed to relay key information to its customers. I deeply regret making this purchase, all the more so since I suspect the shipping cost will not be refunded. Buyers from outside the EU, beware!
