Can anyone tell me their experience with customs/duty/import fees when purchasing handbags from an ebay seller in Japan and them sending to the USA?

I have bought from Let-Trade before and he is in Hong Kong and never paid any.

i've never purchased handbags from japan but i have purchased candy from a seller in japan over the bay and never paid anything extra for it

I don't think Americans have to pay duty/customs taxes on any items unless it's a super high amount.. you should be fine!

I bought my green Epi Noe from a seller in Japan in January and didn't pay any customs fees on it. Granted, it was about $210, not a super huge price, and was marked as used because it was, but still.

I have bought several high price bags fron Japanese sellers and never paid import duty or taxes and they all had the full selling price listed on the outer label as required by law.

Thank you for your responses. Much appreciated!

I Have bought from Asia (not Japan, though) and if they ship EMS (Postal service) and declare 'used handbag' I have never had a problem. It is not insured (I think), but is very reliable, from what I hear. I haven't bough a huge amount $$$ high-end item, though.

Fedex,is very picky and I have always had to pay customs fees.

One time I ordered a damn canvas strap for an Hermes bag, and the price was stated very low $, and when I received the Mail, the flat cardboard envelope had been opened so they looked at it, AND THEY NEVER RESEALED THE ENVELOPE! It's pure luck it got to me w/o the strap falling out! Pissed me off. Probably because the name of the reseller was "Luxury -something or other, they were suspicious.

I didn't have to pay any customs on that one.

Jerks!

Thanks Chessmont. My item is coming via EMS so I am pretty sure I will avoid any charges.

I'm interested in this question also, which is why I am reviving this thread (instead of starting a new one) - when a seller says that they will not pay for customs duties, and that the buyer must pay for these himself/herself, then what does that mean? I'm wary of buying Louis Vuitton on eBay from Japanese sellers, because I'm afraid I'll have to end up paying loads extra just to get it into the US.

I know that most everyone in this thread has stated that they didn't have to pay anything - but when a seller says this "I do not pay a buyer's import duty!!
I do not know The import duty of buyer’s country.
Please ask the customhouse of your country." (copied from an eBay sale), then does that change anything?

Originally Posted by Dancing Nancies

I'm interested in this question also, which is why I am reviving this thread (instead of starting a new one) - when a seller says that they will not pay for customs duties, and that the buyer must pay for these himself/herself, then what does that mean? I'm wary of buying Louis Vuitton on eBay from Japanese sellers, because I'm afraid I'll have to end up paying loads extra just to get it into the US. I know that most everyone in this thread has stated that they didn't have to pay anything - but when a seller says this "I do not pay a buyer's import duty!! I do not know The import duty of buyer’s country. Please ask the customhouse of your country." (copied from an eBay sale), then does that change anything?

I'm not as well-versed as some of the ladies here are, but I think that means that if there are customs/import duties the seller will NOT pay them, they are the responsibility of the buyer to pay from his or her own pocket.

I bought many bags from eBay sellers from Japan, mainly Louis Vuittons and some Hermes.
I never paid any duty on Louis Vuitton, but I paid duty on 2 Hermes Kelly bags. I paid $250 each bag.

i will let you know what happens when they arrive- one was $460, another was $385 and the third was $545. i plead temporary insanity....

oh and they were three different sellers too.

Originally Posted by meandmylouis

I bought many bags from eBay sellers from Japan, mainly Louis Vuittons and some Hermes. I never paid any duty on Louis Vuitton, but I paid duty on 2 Hermes Kelly bags. I paid $250 each bag.

I meant I paid $250 each for DUTY CUSTOM FEE, and those 2 Hermes bags cost around $3,000 each.

In my experience, it is the luck of the draw.
I have never paid any fees, and I have purchased from Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and Taiwan.
If your item attracts attention for some reason, then it would be opened to be checked and you could end up paying something.
I spoke to a seller once about this, and she said that after a while, she was flagged at Customs for receiving lots of packages from Japan. She was reselling Vuitton. So from then on, every package she received was duty taxed. But I would think you'd have to get many packages for that to happen to you.