CDNow used to be so hot: $7.20 shipping for 3 DVD's, advance shipment and never custom charges... The first two are already gone and now I've been unpleasantly surprised by Dutch customs: a shipment of 2 DVD's, printed value around $40 has been caught by customs and charged with taxes! On a CDNOW order! Anyone else got caught recently?

EXM(DVDFORUM.nl?), recently customs are waking up and noticing that a package with a german postmark still arrives from outside of the EEC!
Also I believe that they are checking international packages a liitle more these days.
I have already discussed the problem with CDNOW on this forum I believe:
discounts are not mentioned on the invoice, so customs use the full amount for their importtaxes.
You can always file a formal complaint, fax it to them with copies of the invoice, your original shipping notice(e-mail) and your creditcard statement which shows what you really paid.
Sometimes it takes a few weeks, but you will get back the difference between the incorrect and the correct amount.
If you want to be safe use DVDBOXOFFICE or PLAY24/7, you pay a little more but no importtaxes.
As I still see customs as a lottery, I continue to use CDNOW until customs are hitting me too much!

Hey Robbert,

DVDForum.nl indeed!

I never got caught with CDNOW packages but I guess it's always a matter of luck: my Godfather Box from Amazon ($75) did get caught but another shipment of 3 DVD's a week later with a combined value of $73 passed... Oh well, I'm just disappointed that CDNOW also joins the lottery!

I recently ordered three DVDs from CDNOW. The first disc came through fine, but the second shipment with the other two discs got stuck at customs, as expected. (I knew it would happen, which is why I wanted to apply a gift certificate to my CDNow order before it shipped, but then found out I couldn't do that. )

So to convince customs that there is a 15% discount that can't be seen on the invoice in the package, I've printed the invoice I received by mail, the page from my CDNow account that shows the details of the whole order, and my latest CC statement that shows the correct amount in both USD and Finnish Marks. That should do the trick. (Luckily, I don't have to fax anything to anybody; a trip to the local customs office will suffice. )

Nevertheless, I don't think I'll be using CDNow in the near future. I just cancelled another order of three DVDs when I found out that they would actually ship them all at once this time!

Tyler_Durden: Although CDNOW states that they will ship all 3 titles at once, they usually will ship the first released title(s) at once, and then send the remaining title(s), in my experience.
It might be that your 3 titles were released on the same day, then you are in trouble.
Always remember to avoid ordering more than 2 titles released at the same day.
Last Friday I picked up 3 packages at the postoffice for which I had to pay customs( 2 of them took 6 weeks to deliver!).
Saturday I picked up another 2 each containing 2 titles that slipped through customs!
As I said before, it is just a lottery.....

I think CDNOW's policy of 'early shipment' is officially over now... Anyway, the reason why i takes 6 weeks (usually 10 days or so) is customs: I had EXACTLY the same thing. I wonder if it has anything to do with the holiday season coming: last year ALL packages above $30 where caught by customs around november/december if I remember correctly...

EXM: CDNOW still ships most of my pre-order titles on the friday or saturday before the original releasedate.
Last monday I got a pleasant surprise:
out of an order of 4 titles they shipped All for You - Janet Jackson cd/dvd and Montage-Nightlife Tour - Pet Shop Boys dvd, on nov.16 by FedEx Int.Priority at no extra cost!
They were delivered at my door nov.19.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for any customs intervention this XMAS!

I actually think there's a difference between old pre-orders (for $7.20) and new ones (with the higher shipment costs): none of my new orders has an advance shipment!

Another 2 DVD-shipment caught be customs, WTF! If that happens once more I'll cancel all my pre-orders and find a new supplier. Anyone any suggestions?

Use DVDBOXOFFICE, I've stopped using CDNOW, even with the 15% off, the shipping is to expensive.

DVDBOXOFFICE shipping is free.

I find DVDBOXOFFICE cheaper than CDNOW, on average at CDNOW I was paying around £14.50, at DVDBOXOFFICE I pay around £13.00, this is even cheaper than using PLAY247.

You can order each DVD indivdually and they are sent that way as well.

So customs should not charge, so far both of the DVD's I've received have shown a French Franc amount on the customs form, so they shouldn't be stopped at all.

I've checked some titles and to give you an example:
CDNOW
American Pie 2 18,89
Rat Race 20,99
Shipping 7,97
Coupon 15% -5,98
Total 41,87

DVD BOX Office
American Pie 2 23,30
Rat Race 23,30
Total 46,50

Difference is $4,63 so I can't see DVDBoxoffice being any cheaper (if we don't take customs into account of course...). I've tried numerous titles and I can't find a single title where DVDBoxoffice is cheaper...

The thing is I check between 3 sites to compare prices.

CDNOW
PLAY247
DVDBOXOFFICE

CDNOW offers 15 % off but the shipping charge is so overpriced and even single DVD's get stopped via customs as they do not put the price paid on the package but the Retail recommended Price. I have today picked up one DVD and have paid a charge of £4.52. Very slow delivery times 2-3 weeks.

PLAY247 offers free shipping but alot of their DVD's are overpriced as well.

DVDBOXOFFICE offers free shipping. Single DVD shipment therefore avoiding any customs charges and I think the prices are good. I also do not order in US dollars as the dollar is still fairly strong against the pound, I order in CAD $. Also they are very quick normally about 5-7 days.

Out of my last 15 DVD orders, 13 have been from DVDBOXOFFICE, 2 have been from PLAY247 and none from CDNOW.

Custom charges should most definately be included in the final equation.

I am very careful about what I pay for DVD's and always get the best for my money, I can assure you that if CDNOW are cheaper in the future, I will order from them.

Tomb Raider recieved by itself this morning from CDNOW £4.52 charge, on the box, CDNOW put the retail recommended price not the price I have paid therefore customs have slapped a nice charge on the package. I shall appeal as I have proof, the shipment notice from CDNOW that I only paid $20.99.

First it was AMAZON.COM and now CDNOW.

I am now cancelling all CDNOW orders and using only PLAY247 and DVDBOXOFFICE.

I rest my case about including the customs charge as part of the purchase price, this DVD has now cost more than it would have cost buying it in the UK.