westwardbound.com Reviews 1,345

Reply from westwardbound.com

Updated Dec 19, 2025

Unfortunately, we haven't received any direct communication from this reviewer regarding the supposed order or issue. They have failed to return to us with specific order details through the request information facility offered by Trustpilot.

Reply from westwardbound.com

Updated Nov 14, 2025

This review concerns a custom-made order sent from the UK to the USA.

Our website clearly lists USA import duties and purchaser obligations before purchase. These are on the homepage, the individual product pages, the postal charges page at checkout, and within our T&Cs.

In addition, the dispatch and delivery pages go to great lengths to explain import duties and the recipient countries. Import duties and taxes are payable by the recipient, as required by the individual country.

We provide full details on a page dedicated to EU and International Orders - Import Taxes.

The homepage includes a direct link to a dedicated page on USA Duties and Tariffs, which has been a hot topic in 2025.

Unfortunately, these were all missed by the purchaser, as was the post-purchase clarification on US tariffs in the automated order confirmation email, which included details on order cancellation at this stage.

This unfortunate matter has been brought about by the 2025 Tariff issue in the USA, specifically the removal of de minimus on the 29th of August 2025. The purchaser's previous orders were below the threshold for US import duties. Previously $800.00, now $0.00. Please see the link on our homepage for more details.

Having missed these points, the purchaser wanted us to meet the import Tariff; this is not a legal requirement for us. It is the importer's (the customer's) responsibility.

The purchaser then supplied copies of our website pages, which confirmed our points and undermined their position. We politely pointed this out to them. They paid the $50 and decided to leave this review.

We are sorry to lose them as a customer.


Edit, based on response.

The expression 'sleep on it' is in play; this was polite advice to the customer to consider the points made in our reply to their initial communication with us. They wished to cancel if we did not pay their tariff. One: We are not responsible for this import duty. Two: the custom-made items were already made and dispatched.

In legal terms, custom-made items are non-returnable and non-refundable. We do not take a strict approach to this, but we do charge a return fee on such items to help cover production costs incurred. Our step back and reconsideration advice was based on this fact. It is unfortunate if this got lost in translation.

It was a less expensive option to acknowledge that they had missed the information on import duties and tariffs, which was clearly provided on the pages, including the checkout page, provided to the customer, and highlighted in our initial response to this review, rather than simply within the T&Cs as repeated in the edit. Unfortunately, they missed them all.

We have made the points politely and clearly. There is little point in continuing on this loop.

We wish the ex-customer well. It is an unfortunate occurrence.

We note a third edit. All is clearly shown on our website. It is unfortunate that the customer did not see or read any of the details provided. The screenshot received was the one which we have already pointed out showed they were incorrect. The comment that they (us) save the $50 is odd, it is not our $50 to save. We are not responsible for the import tariff! All goods are sold net. It has been this way since 1992.

Reply from westwardbound.com

Updated Oct 15, 2025

An automatically produced invoice was supplied to the customer incorporating the details as supplied on the order placed via our website.
An email request was received wishing to amend the address and add a NIP number to the order. In Poland (delivery address), a Tax Identification / VAT number is called “Numer Identyfikacji Podatkowej” or short “NIP”.
DHL collecting any import VAT. As such, it is the DHL invoice that would need to be utilised for import VAT purposes. As a certified registered business, the customer will be able to claim the Polish import VAT back. This has been explained in writing to the customer.
We understand, the NIP number is additionally used as a tax identifier in Poland. Reviewing the customers’ flurry of emails this morning, we retrospectively made the minor adjustment to the ‘customer’s name’ to ‘her company name’ and reissued the invoice to suit her requirement. I have checked, this occurred within three and a half hours of her early morning emails. The replacement invoice was sent within nine minutes of our office opening for the day.
It is not as stated that we refused to issue an invoice.