Originally Posted by
smarkinson
- VAT reimbursement is a voluntary service provided by Canyon. No legal claim exists to this service.
- VAT reimbursement is only possible on orders to Germany, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Denmark or the Netherlands. For the Netherlands, you have to follow a special procedure – please contact our partner in the Netherlands in advance.
https://www.canyon.com/en-mu/customer-service/faq/ Sounds like OP should have got the bike delivered to Germany and unfortunately received some misleading advice from Canyon staff who probably weren't as informed as they should have been.
Yes, but more than one mail which told me that shipping to France should be OK? Then they have to get their act together.
Originally Posted by
znomit
The correct answer should have been "we think you can get a refund but check yourself".
The correct question should have been "where can I find out about tax refunds?".
Nope. You obviously have no clue how VAT refunds work in the EU. It is upto the retailer to decide to participate or not. Every item bought by a foreigner and taken out within a specified period of time is entitled to a VAT refund. Applicable to goods, and not services. Obviously.
Tell me, do you know anything about VAT refund, or did you just jump in to give an uninformed opinion?
Originally Posted by
CliffordK
What a mess.
Apparently the OP was aware of the notes on the web page, but had also talked to employees of the company (with an electronic paper trail). In particular with respect to a payment from India.
Talking to employees should trump the general notes on the web page, especially when there was further clarification such as the India/Germany credit card transaction.
In fact, one should be able to argue that this was a German/India transaction, and there was no business transaction in France, but rather simply an intermediate destination, much as if I shipped my bicycle that I own in the USA to France, rode it in France, then returned with it to the USA. Or, any interaction in France would be limited to the final setup & configuration of the bike.
@
deepakvrao, was the bike shipped to a CANYON authorized bike shop in France, or was it shipped to an unattached 3rd party such as a hotel? Did any money exchange occur in France? Payments?
Shipped to my rental cottage. Payment from India to Germany. Just like how I get VAT refunds from other German companies, including when I have had items shipped to France, Italy, Spain etc.
Originally Posted by
RChung
This is right. If the company won't back specific repeated assurances or promises made by their employees, any information you receive from any employee of the company cannot be trusted. *None of it.*
I'm in the market for a new bike. I've thought about buying one of their bikes. I was already on alert because Canyon's new trainer ads violate their own warranty. This new incident puts the company on my no-buy list.
In addition to working with your credit card company, I'd probably post to twitter. Companies nowadays monitor social media more than they would an obscure feedback forum. I'd probably emphasize that the company will not back up *any* promise made by *any* customer service employee.
Good. If I cost them even one sale, this thread is worth it.