First World Problems

Following a promotion a few months ago at work, I thought I'd like something original for my new office wall (my predecessor quite rightly took all his prints with him when he left). 

So after some thought, I thought I'd buy a print of a piece by Martin Herbert.  I was at college with Martin many years ago, and at home we have one of his original pieces ('Small Dragon on the Rye'), so this seemed a natural choice.

Anyway, I decided I'd like a copy of "Design for a Flying Machine to Escape the Bank Manager" - the original of which Martin put on sale for a price which was exactly the size of his overdraft at the time...

Martin and his artist wife are based in the middle of Wales, so I originally thought it might be nice to go up and see them, and pick up the print that way, rather than use an online service.  Also, that way he could keep the handling, shipping fees etc for himself.  Cut out the middle man, kinda thing.

However, Martin told me that I really had to buy the print from Saatchi, where he currently has it placed  - but he would upload a higher-resolution image, to allow a better range of sizes.  So I went online and placed my order. 

The shipping costs added 39% to the price, which was marginally underwhelming.   What was even more underwhelming was that the shipping number they emailed to me (a UPS parcel tracking number) provided a link that told me my package had been delivered over a year ago! 

Eventually, after a complaint and email exchange this was sorted out (it seems it was all to do with UPS re-using their tracking numbers, which does appear on the face of it to be abominally stupid).

And I discovered the print was being shipped from California.  Well, that does mean it will take a little longer, I thought, but at least it is some kind of reason for the high shipping costs.  Although, why a print from a Welsh artist delivered via theWeb site of a company owned by a Brit has to be shipped from the US is beyond me.

And then a couple of days ago I received a letter from ParcelForce - who now seem to be responsible for delivery.  Those shipping costs hadn't included UK import duty.  So my new print was being held at customs until the import duties were paid.  

I must stress again, this image originated in Wales.

Anyway, it isn't so much the amount of the duty (it doesn't amount to all that much although it does cause the total delivery costs to increase to over half the cost of the print itself) - but why was there no mention of this, that I could see, on the Saatchi site?  More to the point, why wasn't it just invoiced for when I bought the print?

So with a heavy heart I went online again, to pay the duty, only to find the ParcelForce site was abominably slow.  But at least, after three attempts, it seemed to work.

They say it will arrive Tuesday.

Oh, and when I last spoke to Martin, he still hadn't had any indication from Saatchi that one of his prints had been sold.... nor any deposit in his bank.  So, strictly seen as a 'machine to escape the bank manager', this online stuff isn't working.

You know, perhaps it would have been better to nip up to Wales, have a pint with the artist, and pick up the print after all...