[fonzie_80]

Hi, from your experience is there a way to prevent paying a lot of money in custom fees from US to Europe (italy) and vice versa?
TIA

[gayathri]

Only if the item is declared for a really low value or marked as a gift.

[mulberrylove]

Originally Posted by gayathri

Only if the item is declared for a really low value or marked as a gift.

Yep this is the only way but.... you may not be insured via Paypal or the postal service by doing this so if your item did go missing you would be more out of pocket than paying the original custom fee.

[ginamarie]

ooh i had a real mess with this.
I lived in Vienna part time/US part time and I had a bag sent to me that the seller marked as $100/ gift/ Used bag - I paid no customs fees.
The second time I had a bag marked $500/ gift/ used bag, I was charged 100 EUROS for customs (with today's exchange rate roughly $135)
Another time I had a bag shiped at $180/used bag/ fit, and was charged 35 euros- also held at customs office for over a month. I have no idea how these customs office figure out how to charge for customs, but in the end, unless it's a really amazing bag I don't think it's worth it...

[mooks]

In the UK the postal service don't look at what you've mark the customs form value as, so long as you've paid your postage and sufficient insurance there's no reason for any issue

[ardneish]

Your kidding mooks!
I am terrified of customs up here in the Cotswolds , they get you every time
anything over 38 uk pounds around 76 dollars
if its not declared at that value and lower AND MARKED GIFT
there SUPER DOOPER scanning machines get it in a second up here

ow w just went cold thinking about customs

[mooks]

I'm talking about exporting not importing. Customs are a demon down here for import as well......it actually stops me buying from the US and I have it sent to a pal who lives in NJ and pick it up when I go over to see her

[Mediana]

Originally Posted by ginamarie

ooh i had a real mess with this.
I lived in Vienna part time/US part time and I had a bag sent to me that the seller marked as $100/ gift/ Used bag - I paid no customs fees.
The second time I had a bag marked $500/ gift/ used bag, I was charged 100 EUROS for customs (with today's exchange rate roughly $135)
Another time I had a bag shiped at $180/used bag/ fit, and was charged 35 euros- also held at customs office for over a month. I have no idea how these customs office figure out how to charge for customs, but in the end, unless it's a really amazing bag I don't think it's worth it...

I live in Sweden and our taxes are huge in my oppinion ..

So let say i buy an item from of eBay in US for 200 dollors and the shipping is 20 dollors. That makes it 220 dollors.
Then i have to pay a customfee of about 20 %. That´s 44 dollors. Then i have to pay tax. Which in sweden is 25%, that makes it another 55 dollor. At last the postoffice charges a fee for handling all this paperwork.. app another 15 dollors. So the total amount comes down to 114 dollors and the price for you´re item of eBay just went up with more than 50% if you don´t count the shippingfee..

It hurts

How ever, if i buy anything from within EU i don´t have to pay a thing.

[wannabelyn]

everytime i read abuot customs i'm so happy that in australia they increased the value to $1000 aud it used to be $250 and i always had to ask sellers b4 hand if they can under declare the item

when i send parcels to europe, canada or most places in asia i will undervalue the item when told. i always ship registered or ems.

[Westiegirl]

When I send stuff to my family in the UK I never declare the full value otherwise they have to pay a fortune in customs taxes. I sent my sister a watch for her birthday a few years ago and she had to pay 70 pounds!
I send my packages via Express mail and remove any price tags.

[Mediana]

Originally Posted by wannabelyn

everytime i read abuot customs i'm so happy that in australia they increased the value to $1000 aud it used to be $250 and i always had to ask sellers b4 hand if they can under declare the item

when i send parcels to europe, canada or most places in asia i will undervalue the item when told. i always ship registered or ems.

Lucky you that they increades the amount.. in sweden its only 65 USD .. you don´t get any bag for that kindof money :)

[ardneish]

yes the only way is to ask the seller to mark it as a gift and return of personal item
and take the risk re the insurance

I dont buy from ths usa because of customs

[riffraff]

Same here Ardneish

[lara0112]

I have a fair amount of experience with German customs when buying from the US. also we had a thread earlier discussing UK tax. basically, there are certain % on pay on specific goods for import, say here it is 2% on leather bags. on top of the new total you pay VAT which here is 19%, in UK it would be 17ish%. I think UK customs also charges a handling fee, or maybe parcelforce does.

in the last few years when I lived in UK i only once paid customs bec the seller did not mark gift and the low value. but now here they are coming down hard on eBay imports: as soon as the item is sent with tracking/insurance they charge customs, on the actual amount paid, and in some cases on postage. even if the seller marks gift and below $50. btw, even if it is below $50, if it isn't a gift they will still charge customs.

long story cut short: there is no way to prevent customs when getting something sent, in my experience it is all about luck, the shipping method and the customs form.