Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
Oct 6, 2008
At the suggestion of ProZ members who have appreciated the forums supporting previous international conferences, we've now added this one to provide additional information and allow everyone to ask questions about the conference sessions, speakers, accommodation and so on - and to receive prompt answers.
To try and keep things easy to consult by others, please only start a new thread when you have checked that there isn't already an existing thread which covers the same subject, and please try naming the threads so as to make it clear what they're about.
I have created a few empty threads to get the ball rolling.
The conference topics, speakers and format are already generating considerable interest and enthusiasm. Hopefully this forum will help us ensure everyone attending has the greatest possible chance of benefiting from the conference weekend and its many opportunities to the full.
Best regards
Michael
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2010-06-15 20:10 GMT]
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Russell Jones United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2004) Italian to English
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Pricing queries
Oct 9, 2008
I should be grateful for some clarification on the pricing.
The "Buy Now" section in the left hand menu indicates that the £190 cost includes UK VAT at 17.5%.
However, going to the payment page, the total cost including VAT is shown as $446.50 which, at credit card exchange rates, amounts to about £262, a considerable difference.
Incidentally, the "Buy Now" button to include 6 months membership - extended until 12 October - is not operational in the menu, though the link elsewhere on the page is OK.
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It seems that VAT is added to the £190, which is supposed to be inclusive of VAT... not happy... I just paid... also given the fact that 380.00 USD = 219.635 GBP, not 190, at the moment...
[Edited at 2008-10-09 11:00]
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Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
VAT and other fees applied using the ProZ online payment system
Oct 9, 2008
If VAT was added, Giovanni, it would have totalled GBP 223.25 + the PayPal charges, currency conversion and all the rest. You're looking at the latter and that's why it s much more advantageous for UK residents to pay me direct by bank transfer , which - if they have phone or internet banking - won't cost them a penny.
This is what we can do. Please e-mail me if you would like me to get ProZ to refund your payment. Depending on exchange rate fluctuations, which are somewhat mad at the moment, you will get back either slightly more or slightly less than you paid. You can then pay me by bank transfer or cheque etc direct, which won't cost a thing (well, a postage stamp if you pay by cheque). I will then mark you as paid on the ProZ system and send an invoice as soon as I receive your payment.
I'm, assuming you haven't paid, Russell, having calculated the difference. If a bank transfer is free and convenient for you, again, please just pay me by direct, a-mailing me for the various bank details. IN your case it does look as if VAT has been added, but as you rightly state it is already included in the GBP 190 / GBP 200 for CIoL, ITI and ProZ members or non-members respectively and should not be paid twice!
I had been assured this VAT problem had been solved, which results from the fact that the ProZ system is set up for the payment of online services. The situation for these is the same as for translations. If they are made in one EU country and delivered for use in another EU country and the vendor ad purchaser are both VAT-registered parties, then there is no need to add VAT under the reciprocal agreement. In the case of a conference, however, things are different and the reciprocal agreement no longer applies because the work is made and delivered within the same EU country and so VAT at the rate applicable in the country of supply has to be applied and can only be claimed subsequently. The ProZ system was incorrectly adding VAT again to all EU residents without VAT registration numbers, but action was taken a week ago to correct this. Could you tell me when you checked and found the problem had resurfaced? I will check with ProZ as son as I can get hold of Leonardo who is currently in Europe.
Anyone in the UK who wants to avoid these fees but who prefers to pay by credit card can pay me by PayPal, but in this case I, too, have to apply the PayPal fees, which work out at around GBP 7-8. This is still around half of what a UK resident is likely to pay using the main online system.
If you are based outside the UK, PayPal is probably going to be cheaper than a bank transfer but about another GBP 2 more than for UK residents, depending on the currencies you have accounts for.
I hope that helps.
Any other questions, please just ask either here or by e-mailing me. We've worked very hard to keep the cost of this conference down and will do everything we can for everyone to stop the cost from creeping up in one way or another.
Cheers
Mike
[Edited at 2008-10-09 16:17]
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Obviously, I'm a bit annoyed about that. I will e-mail you to get a refund from Proz and I'll pay you by bank transfer.
Cheers,
G
[Edited at 2008-10-09 16:16]
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Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
Sorry about this Giovanni
Oct 9, 2008
I am on to ProZ about this now....
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Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
Update
Oct 9, 2008
Looks like most of team ProZ team are at events in Europe.
I just want to reassure you Giovanni that your payment will get refunded as soon as possible and that you will not suffer from the delay with respect to early-bird offers and the rest.
Considering the ongoing uncertainty about quite what charges and erroneous VAT the system is adding, I would recommend that in the interim everyone contacts me at my e-mail address to pay direct by either bank transfer, PayPal or cheque as most appropriate.
I will continue to post updates as soon as there are new developments
Best regards
Michael
[Edited at 2008-10-09 16:36]
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Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
Tech support are on the job
Oct 9, 2008
Good news!
Tech support are on the job. The whole system went mad, just today I think, and - as Giovanni found out - was not only causing problems with VAT but the exchange rate as well.
I'll post as soon as we are sure all the problems have been solved.
Best regards
Michael
[Edited at 2008-10-09 19:59]
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Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
ProZ payment system now back to normal
Oct 9, 2008
ProZ tech support have been back in touch and the good news is they have now managed to get the payment system back to normal so that it is not charging VAT twice and using the correct exchange rates.
It will of course, however, still be charging in dollars. So please check the total before your payment is processed and contact me immediately if there is anything you are not happy about.
Hopefully, however, these problems are now well and truly behind us so that all future messages will be exciting news about special product offers, prize draw donations and so on.
Best regards
Michael
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John Shippey United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Dutch to English + ...
email
Oct 9, 2008
i keep getting emails from michael@michealbenis.com with payment information for this conference. at the bottom of the email it says i am receiving the email because i have registered for this conference, but i have done no such thing.
please can you explain why i am receiving these emails?
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Michael Benis United Kingdom Local time: 01:44 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
You are in fact registered but I can de-register you immediately
Oct 10, 2008
Dear John,
if you look at the list of registrants you will find that you are indeed registered for the conference, which is why the system is automatically sending you my e-mails.
I am not sure how this could have come about.
I have not de-registered you so that you can verify this.
If you would like me to de-register you, please just send me an e-mail at the e-mail address you mention and I will de-register you immediately.
And of course I apologise for the inconvenience.
Best regards
Michael
[Edited at 2008-10-10 09:00]
[Edited at 2008-10-10 09:18]
[Edited at 2008-10-10 12:14]
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Sorry for the trouble - please use the support system to have corrections made
Oct 10, 2008
Hi all,
Sorry for the trouble, folks. I know that you also have been very put out by all of this, Michael.
The price was meant to be inclusive of VAT, and this was supposed to have been shown in the invoice. If your invoice does not show VAT, please notify site staff with a support ticket so that this can be corrected. If VAT was added on top of the amount that was supposed to have been charged, or even you are just not sure why the amount is what it was, please also submit a ticket.
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