International Shipping and Customs plea. - Marking as a gift

[Martin B]

Hi there,

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

I would just like to outline the problems that us UK (and presumably other international) traders face when trading. I appreciate that the majority of people will always mark the package as a gift on the customs label. However, I was recently stung approximately $25 for a trade from across the pond. This was no fault at all to the trader as they were not clear on the restrictions of international trading.

When trading I appreciate it if the package is marked as a gift on the customs label as this is what I perceive the trade to be. It is not merchandise because I am not buying anything I am exchanging 'gifts'. If the package is not marked as a gift and the total value of the package is marked as over $18 then the receiver is liable for a customs charge of approximately $14 and then approximately 30% taxation on the value of the package over the $18. I was also told but I am not quite sure that if the value of the package is over $40 and is marked as a gift then the receiver is still liable for charges.

Like anybody else, I would rather not pay the extra fee for the trade to take place. I would just like to ask people to check with international traders in order to avoid extra costs at the other end. But in my case I would always prefer it to be marked as a gift.

If anybody would like to add anything below such as customs restrictions in the US then please feel free.

I would also like to thank the majority of people for already aknowledging this!

Have a pintastic day!

Martin

 

[Spiffie]

I mark my international trades as a gift, but I didn't know about the "over $40" rule! I may have inadvertantly caused someone some fees! :yikes: I will check into that! Thanks for the tip!

 

[Tabbikat2219]

Wow I didnt even know to mark anything I take mine to the post office and they have never said to mark it but I am glad you pointed that out from now I will mark as gift/ Thanks for the info Martin

 

[daxsmith]

thanks for posting this martin,i dont think a lot of people realise about the charges with customs.ive heard some real horror stories about the charges some people have been stung for

 

[lunarbasket]

Thanks for this! I haven't traded with anyone overseas yet so i'm glad that I now know ahead of time

 

[hopemax]

Yep, long before I traded pins, DH and I used to trade CCG cards (like Magic) international so it was ingrained in us, then, "mark as gift."

 

[tiggermickey]

Hi Martin
Thanks for posting this as well,I always mark mine a gift and NEVER say the pkg is worth 25.00 or more
I was told by "SHARI"the mall postal worker to never do that..customs will open either in the USA or over the pond if they see it marked over 25.00
and always pkg it good,alot of stuff gets knocked around in either post offices..and WE send precious items overseas


Judy

 

[moo_moo_uk]

i just normaly put no more than £10 to avoid this problem even if im sending 7 pins etc

 

[Martin B]

Thanks for all the postive feedback and continued understanding!

 

[moo_moo_uk]

always pkg it good,alot of stuff gets knocked around in either post offices..and WE send precious items overseas

Judy, your pins are always wrapped well ha ha ha

i forgot to mention i got a customs charge on a very special parcel i recieved from a very nice person on DPF, it was a £28 customs charge which works out at arround $45 which is a big extra cost but i would have paid much more for the pins if needed i just needed them ha ha. on the package it stated any thing over $40 will incaure a charge, the more its worth the more they charge!!

 

[Donna]

Judy, your pins are always wrapped well ha ha ha

i forgot to mention i got a customs charge on a very special parcel i recieved from a very nice person on DPF, it was a £28 customs charge which works out at arround $45 which is a big:sad: extra cost but i would have paid much more for the pins if needed i just needed them ha ha. on the package it stated any thing over $40 will incaure a charge, the more its worth the more they charge!!

Ouch:cry::cry::cry:

 

[carolynhill]

Because I almost never mail anything internationally, I messed up badly when Sue81 bought pins from me. The pins she bought were worth $160, and we wanted to send them insured, so I declared that value on the customs form. I marked them as a gift, but I ended up paying $32.40 in postage and insurance (I shipped them in a medium-sized box), and she ended up paying some horrible amount -- $40 or $60, I forget which -- for customs and tax.

That experience made me not want to mail anything overseas.

 

[moo_moo_uk]

Because I almost never mail anything internationally, I messed up badly when Sue81 bought pins from me. The pins she bought were worth $160, and we wanted to send them insured, so I declared that value on the customs form. I marked them as a gift, but I ended up paying $32.40 in postage and insurance (I shipped them in a medium-sized box), and she ended up paying some horrible amount -- $40 or $60, I forget which -- for customs and tax.

That experience made me not want to mail anything overseas.

mine was sent insured, i must say i did ask for insured so it was no ones fault in my case next time though i wont be having them shipped recorded lol

 

[Stitch2814]

but just to add even if its marked as gift it CAN still get custom charges and I will use an example thats not pins but still the same principle -

partner collects Thundercats statues and they cost $200 each and the first and second statue were marked gift with the price on the custom form with no charges...the 3rd however was sent exactly the same way and incured a 38 euro custom charge..

So Id say its random who gets custom charges as Ive had alot of stuff sent marked as gift and over $100 with no charges etc so its a case of luck Id say. (for me anyway)

 

[anastasia]

Yeah, the limit is £18 (around $27) or if a gift, it's £40 (around $60). In the UK we pay 20% VAT on the whole amount (including delivery) if the value of the goods is greater than these limits. Customs itself depends on the type of item, but is generally around 3.5% although you would have to have marked the item as being with over £135 to be charged that (and that would be on top of VAT too.) The worst thing is not the 20% VAT, it's the courier or Royal Mail fee. My courier fee was around £10 recently, Royal Mail charge a flat fee of £8.

If you send something very expensive and it's insured, I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to mark the value down on the customs form.

I've been importing lots if things for years, so have a lot if experience if this! A good website to check how much you have to pay is http://www.dutycalculator.com/

 

[huertajv]

Hi there,

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

I would just like to outline the problems that us UK (and presumably other international) traders face when trading. I appreciate that the majority of people will always mark the package as a gift on the customs label. However, I was recently stung approximately $25 for a trade from across the pond. This was no fault at all to the trader as they were not clear on the restrictions of international trading.

When trading I appreciate it if the package is marked as a gift on the customs label as this is what I perceive the trade to be. It is not merchandise because I am not buying anything I am exchanging 'gifts'. If the package is not marked as a gift and the total value of the package is marked as over $18 then the receiver is liable for a customs charge of approximately $14 and then approximately 30% taxation on the value of the package over the $18. I was also told but I am not quite sure that if the value of the package is over $40 and is marked as a gift then the receiver is still liable for charges.

Like anybody else, I would rather not pay the extra fee for the trade to take place. I would just like to ask people to check with international traders in order to avoid extra costs at the other end. But in my case I would always prefer it to be marked as a gift.

If anybody would like to add anything below such as customs restrictions in the US then please feel free.

I would also like to thank the majority of people for already aknowledging this!

Have a pintastic day!

Martin

I sent some pins to someone on thsi forum from the U.S. to the U.K. and I sent it insured and it was worth about $100.00, but I did mark it as a gift, to hopefully defray any additional costs.

Low and behold the person let me know that not only was it not delivered when I had (They really had paid fro the shipping) paid for it to be delivered, but they were holding it because she had to pay an additional sum of money, over $20.00 to get the package. I was stunned, because it cost around $20.00 already to mail it over there. Sheesh!

Someone is making some money off of this.

Totally not fair!

That means that to post the package I sent, it was 40% of the purchase price of the pins. That is WRONG!!!!!

Who can we complain too????

Vicki

 

[Martin B]

Yeah, the limit is £18 (around $27) or if a gift, it's £40 (around $60). In the UK we pay 20% VAT on the whole amount (including delivery) if the value of the goods is greater than these limits. Customs itself depends on the type of item, but is generally around 3.5% although you would have to have marked the item as being with over £135 to be charged that (and that would be on top of VAT too.) The worst thing is not the 20% VAT, it's the courier or Royal Mail fee. My courier fee was around £10 recently, Royal Mail charge a flat fee of £8.

If you send something very expensive and it's insured, I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to mark the value down on the customs form.

I've been importing lots if things for years, so have a lot if experience if this! A good website to check how much you have to pay is http://www.dutycalculator.com/

Thanks for your very useful and informative post!