Hi all, starting this thread due to some ambiguity in the process I discovered.
 
I have removed this detail owing to the summary later being the final one. I was going through the process when I posted this ;)

I summary;
 
I chose UPS Express Saver. I literally have no idea what to expect, I have spent all weekend researching this and half of today.
 
The only conclusion I can come to is that there are so many options, the custom agents will do what they want anyway, I thought I might have more chance with an independent courier not attached to the postal systems (they charge on delivery usually Deutsche post / RoyalMail and in effect DHL) which is odd considering the advice I was given.
 
Maybe what I do can help someone else, either not do what I did or follow what I did depending on the result.
 
The other forum entries are looking bleak :(
 
In the cases of FedEx / UPS and DHL, they all advised me to contact EVGA to check why they wouldn't produce the label for the return and have customers pay it, I phoned and asked the same, but they seemed to not be in a position to change the system.
 
Good luck everyone.
 
I don't know why their own shipping partner isn't contacted as they provide a service to EVGA, they will have an account with them. I would suggest EVGA contact them to ask for support in light of this as a service provider, tell them the situation, ask them what they can offer to help their customers. I have had to do these sorts of things with various E-commerce companies I have helped run or started for others. But maybe they already did all this?
 
Sad times, I hope EVGA can read the above and look how they can manage this problem to their logistics expert for whom they provide business to enable their business ...  
 
They don't have to struggle with this problem, neither do we.

Good Luck!
 
We all appreciate the massive work you are putting into this.

Great progress, the only hurdle now then is if you get stung with taxes when the card enters the UK.

Not sure when actual point of sale was, presume when they took money, in the case of brexit, I probably would have been ok with paying earlier ... but I just don’t think that would ever have been possible. The cards are so few and far between.

Disclaimer: this describes the process I used, as an example. There may be omissions or mistakes. Any actions resulting from copying this process are your responsibility. This is not the way or only way to do your step up. I advise you to seek advice from EVGA, customs officials and delivery companies where possible, follow their instructions first and foremost.

This example shouldn’t be used as reference against a future outcome and all responsibilities lie between you the customer and EVGA.

1. Choosing the courier
- I didn’t want to have the parcel to hand off to DeutschePost. I used the example of RoyalMail in the UK. If a mistake happens and or there are duties or tax to pay, payment is required to release delivery, I suspect this is the same for Germany. (This is based on intuition or best guess)
- I chose UPS, Express Saver

2. EVGA have requested that DDP is chosen and will help (Delivery Duties Paid)
- https://eu.evga.com/warranty/shipping/ (see special brexit notice)

3. I purchased delivery document packets around the start of C19 for returns to various other e-commerce facilities. I also followed purchased packaging instructions to the advice provided by EVGA (see the email and references provided in the step up procedure) Inside the outer packaging I placed the original box and card with all original protection. ( I kept it all ) this might seem obvious but it ensures it is a clear return at least. I believe this is also mandated in the return process.

4. Process on UPS
- selected express saver
- ship to company EVGA
- ship to name RMA Dept.
- address as advised by EVGA
- added phone number in 0049 format
- other address information, I put RMA and the number, this messed up the labels and the commercial invoice so I advise against this point. Label only printed RMA # which means it only has 5 characters for the label!! Eg leave this blank, there are plenty of other places the RMA will be shown.
— PARCEL
- weighed the package entered kg weight
- declared value was value of invoice amount (when I purchased it)
- add reference “RMA #[YOUR_RMA_NUMBER]
— INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OPTIONS
- description of goods “EVGA Graphics Card - returning”
- reason for shipment “I am returning items”
- signature required
- do not reroute to collection point

Documents, click “get started” (this is the commercial invoice part)
—COMERCIAL INVOICE
- filled in again the same full value, origin is goods manufactured in (so for me China)
- put serial number eg “08G-CXX-XXX-13”
- line description this time was “EVGA Graphics card - returning to Manufacturer”
- units each
- next is important, go back and edit comercial invoice you can then see more options.

- added declaration:

“Item being returned, unaltered for authorised exchange with Manufacturer, originally purchased xx/xx/xxxx

RMA #[YOUR_RMA_NUMBER]”

- changed intercoms to DDP at this point too, these options were not there on first entry.

— next bit is all the packing.

Printed 6 copies of the commercial invoice, double checked it for mistakes. Signed/ dated them.

Added to the side of the box EVGA label for the step up.

Added three commercial invoices inside
Added three commercial invoices to documents enclosed pouch. Printed label for UPS and stuck that in another docs enclosed so all three labels were visible. Only half the commercial invoice was visible down to the item line in the docs enclosed for commercial invoice.

Good luck, this is what I think is correct, as above it’s your responsibility to declare your goods, I take no responsibility for failures, costs or damages incurred.

Step up dispatched, I suspect it will arrive Monday.

If you look at T&Cs your only committed after point of sale IIRC. So makes sense to be concerned by the unknown aspects. Due to shortages, it will take some time anyway, so when it gets round to it you might know a bit more what to expect. Some options are probably more attractive than others depending what card you have now. A GT710 has little resale value. So I would do both, keep looking, enter step up queue and be willing to write off the cost of the GT710 should find a 30xx online, if you aren’t able the step up arrives faster you can make an informed choice. I am in uk as are a few others who are close to or in my case about to receive a card. You will be better informed than we were ;)

That’s even better then, it sounds like you purchased it with another way to get the cards. I would just pop the step up in now while you can, if you exceed the days to register for warranty or exceed the day’s for step up, you can’t do anything. It costs you nothing to be in a queue. Weigh it up later and still try to get what you want or change it to a 3080 or 3090 or some sort of Ti. If those become available and you can step up. Then also continue to look if you want it. Indeed a 3080 will last a while. Next gen might be 2yrs from now anyway, major spec bump is usually 1yr. But it’s different times we are in, more serious competition from Radeon, supply constraint and a slight boom in video gaming.

Either way good luck 🤞

johnny2shoes
Good point on the Ti, if they do get announced, I could cancel the 3080 step up and join the queue for the ti.

Dont forget the 90 days still continues to count, even while still in the queue. So if the ti is available AFTER your original 90 days and you cancel you wont be eligible to join the ti queue.

Changing cards or “joining a new available queue” is perfectly allowed, but it’s only a valid option if your still within your 90 days.
If your close to your 90 day limit I’d suggest it’s a very risky thing to do.

All sorted?

That's unfortunate, I'd have thought the 3090 shroud wouldn't fit the 3080. I know scan sell the aio kit, it should solve the issue.

Worth raising though, not sure they will let you keep it given the value but might get lucky

Any update on the customs aspect? Did you have to pay any duty?

I contacted support, with link to video. Will see what they say, the shroud does seem to fit, I thought I was lucky but, the SLI is missing so it’s not a 3090...

If the aio fixes the issue it is fine by me... my other pc is full WC anyway and this has aio on cpu.

Plenty of room for GPu aio as well

Ok got through, they were helpful enough to start the process ... fingers crossed

I have read your initial posts so appreciate some questions have been answered. It was more laziness on my part asking for a TL:DR summary.

Really just after price / and if you had to pay import /export duties as well as the step up fee.