Does the United States have custom fee's ?

[Mikey]

Something i've often wondered about ....
I've bought a lot of stuff from many different countries but i've NEVER had to pay a customs fee.

I have also sold and shipped items to many countries and was always told to please list the item as a gift and mark the value low so they, in their country, don't have to pay high fee's.

Probably the most expensive item i've ever got from another country (England) was worth about $175.00 ... This was a good many years ago.
But, I still payed no fees.

So my question is ....
Have I been just lucky ?
Or does United States mail service have no import custom fees ?

[saildog]

The answer is yes, but I think they only randomly select packages for inspection and if they think a collection is in order, they will add the fee and the Post Office will collect from you on delivery/pick-up.

I lived in Japan for three years and sent stuff back all of the time. They slapped a fee on a watch I bought for my sister. The ****er is, I bought it at the Navy Exchange, with US Money, and shipped it from a US Post Office on Base. Legally, it was a transaction on US soil. How they thought a Customs Fee was in order, I'll never know. 17 years later, I'm still hacked about it, but considering some of the other stuff I shipped no-fee, I still came out ahead.

[Gorn Captain]

They slap us silly with customs costs on this end, though.
They even charge a "delivery fee" ($12), for bringing it to your doorstep. On top of your shipping and customs fees, of course.
Hey, I already PAID shipping costs, and now a "delivery fee"?
What if the postman has to take a pee break on his way to me? Do I pay for that too? TP expenses? Soap charge?

[Mikey]

A delivery fee for mail ?

What does your tax dollars go toward ?

[vulcan2074]

They slap us silly with customs costs on this end, though.
They even charge a "delivery fee" ($12), for bringing it to your doorstep. On top of your shipping and customs fees, of course.
Hey, I already PAID shipping costs, and now a "delivery fee"?
What if the postman has to take a pee break on his way to me? Do I pay for that too? TP expenses? Soap charge?

Now that really sucks. I would hate to have to pay extra. I believe in a one time fee and thats it
Sammy

[cjefferys]

The US has a higher limit than many other countries. For the most part, any shipment under $200 can be entered into the US without duty having to be paid.

Over $200, as mentioned, enforcement is random. US Customs does not have the manpower to inspect every package entering the US, so it's hit or miss if your package will be inspected and have duty assessed. Same here in Canada, our limit is much lower than $200, but sometimes I get dinged, sometimes no. We had a baby last month, and many of my wife's friends and family in Japan have been sending us gifts. So far only we've only had to pay duty on one of them.

[Gorn Captain]

We had a baby last month, and many of my wife's friends and family in Japan have been sending us gifts. So far only we've only had to pay duty on one of them.

Did you have to pay delivery charges on the baby?

I have a feeling that here in Europe, there's a Customs Officer in the maternity ward, waiting until the baby comes out.
"That'll be $20. We accept PayPal."

[megoat]

My favorite is when Euro buyers bid my auctions up to like $400 and then want me to claim $20 when I ship. I mean, I'll fib down a $50 item to $10 or something, but a $400 item is being insured and declared at full value cuz if doesn't show up or is damaged suddenly Euroman wants a FULL refund--not the $20 "declared" value....you can't have it both ways.....

[Mikey]

My favorite is when Euro buyers bid my auctions up to like $400 and then want me to claim $20 when I ship. I mean, I'll fib down a $50 item to $10 or something, but a $400 item is being insured and declared at full value cuz if doesn't show up or is damaged suddenly Euroman wants a FULL refund--not the $20 "declared" value....you can't have it both ways.....

Yep,
That's one of the reasons I stopped selling and shipping international.

A guy in the UK bought a Thunderbirds item from me a while ago on ebay.
He paid about $125.00
He wanted me to declare it as a gift and value it at $1.00
I told him nope

Same thing happened with a few other international buyers of mine.

I'm going to insure it for $125.00 and declare it's worth $1.00 ?
I don't think so

[cjefferys]

Did you have to pay delivery charges on the baby?

Luckily we're in Canada, so we don't have to pay delivery charges (i.e. the doctor or hospital).

[Meule]

My favorite is when Euro buyers bid my auctions up to like $400 and then want me to claim $20 when I ship. I mean, I'll fib down a $50 item to $10 or something, but a $400 item is being insured and declared at full value cuz if doesn't show up or is damaged suddenly Euroman wants a FULL refund--not the $20 "declared" value....you can't have it both ways.....

I've asked this same thing from US sellers before. OK, not with a $400 item, but the fees here are ridiculous, as Rik said, so we have to ask this from sellers

[Gorn Captain]

I've asked this same thing from US sellers before. OK, not with a $400 item, but the fees here are ridiculous, as Rik said, so we have to ask this from sellers

It always depends on who you're dealing with. Do I know the guy?
As Mike said, in certain cases I'd have no problem with declaring a $50 item as only a "$20 gift".
$20 seems to be the limit here. Unless you get lucky and customs skip checking your package (rare in my case), once you hit $20-25, you're paying at least $12 extra. Often $25.
Let's say I order a Hot Toys figure from the US.
Cost: $120?
Shipping: $40-50? (big box)
Customs: $40?

Whenever we buy something from outside the European Union, we therefore often pay double!
I know, that's our own choice if we really want it, of course.
But then I'd probably go to my Chinese contacts, where shipping is often cheaper, and they put it on their webpage that they have no trouble declaring the value low.

But it's a free world.
Neither seller nor buyer are obliged to enter an agreement they feel uncomfortable with.

But as a collector of US items, it's so frustrating to not be able to get the stuff you love. Because a seller might not ship to Europe. Because you won't be able to afford the customs charges, etc.

But I'm not complaining. So far, all things I CAN buy from the US still outnumber whatever is in my wallet!!!!!

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

I have only had customs nab my stuff once here, knock on wood, they decided that my MOC Superman was new and slapped a huge customs fee on it and held it for ransom until I paid it.

[cjefferys]

I personally can't complain too much about duties and customs fees. If they didn't exist, I would be out of a job (customs broker).

[megozilla13]

I have a question for people outside the US. If full value is declared, lets say $500, but it is marked as a gift, do they still charge you customs?


mikej