Need advice, package to Australia stuck in Customs

Mulberrygal

Mulberrygal

O.G.
Jul 30, 2012
3,815
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#1
Hi, i have posted an item from UK to Australia and now it's stuck in customs.

Can anyone tell me what happens if the purchaser doesn't pay the duty? The item is quite valuable and am concerned whAt will happen to it as I don't think they realised they would have to pay any import duty
 
#2
Mulberrygal said:
Hi, i have posted an item from UK to Australia and now it's stuck in customs.

Can anyone tell me what happens if the purchaser doesn't pay the duty? The item is quite valuable and am concerned whAt will happen to it as I don't think they realised they would have to pay any import duty
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I thought Australia had quite a high import limit before they were taxed?


Do you know it's definitely been taxed or is it just taking a while to get through the system? I know US customs can take up to 10 days to clear parcels (I know we're used to 24 clearance in the UK) but not sure how long Australia normally takes.


Anyway, assuming it has been charged and the buyer doesn't pay then it should be returned to you (assuming your return address is on the parcel) but may take quite some time for that to happen.
 
#3
vernis-lover said:
I thought Australia had quite a high import limit before they were taxed?


Do you know it's definitely been taxed or is it just taking a while to get through the system? I know US customs can take up to 10 days to clear parcels (I know we're used to 24 clearance in the UK) but not sure how long Australia normally takes.


Anyway, assuming it has been charged and the buyer doesn't pay then it should be returned to you (assuming your return address is on the parcel) but may take quite some time for that to happen.
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It says it's clearing customs but "Importer must agree to provide payment of duties and taxes and is required" also it's saying the Commercial invoice requires more information.

I posted via FedEx and provided all senders details etc plus paper work they requested.

I wasn't very keen on sending but buyer was so desperate to complete and happy to pay cost of secure postage and full insurance.

I am very concerned though as item worth £700 so maybe they will have quite a lot to pay they weren't expecting.
 
#4
Mulberrygal said:
It says it's clearing customs but "Importer must agree to provide payment of duties and taxes and is required" also it's saying the Commercial invoice requires more information.



I posted via FedEx and provided all senders details etc plus paper work they requested.



I wasn't very keen on sending but buyer was so desperate to complete and happy to pay cost of secure postage and full insurance.



I am very concerned though as item worth £700 so maybe they will have quite a lot to pay they weren't expecting.
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I believe FedEx has a brokerage fee so your buyer will be paying out the wazoo.
 
#6
Mulberrygal said:
It says it's clearing customs but "Importer must agree to provide payment of duties and taxes and is required" also it's saying the Commercial invoice requires more information.

I posted via FedEx and provided all senders details etc plus paper work they requested.

I wasn't very keen on sending but buyer was so desperate to complete and happy to pay cost of secure postage and full insurance.

I am very concerned though as item worth £700 so maybe they will have quite a lot to pay they weren't expecting.
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Looks like the buyer might be liable for import fees of the equivalent of around £150. Not nice but then again it's a buyer's responsibility to understand the requirements of importing!


They will likely be contacting the buyer for the additional information they require (sometimes it's proof of what they paid) and for payment of fees.


I think all you can do, at this stage, is sit tight and hope for the best.
 
#7
vernis-lover said:
Looks like the buyer might be liable for import fees of the equivalent of around £150. Not nice but then again it's a buyer's responsibility to understand the requirements of importing!


They will likely be contacting the buyer for the additional information they require (sometimes it's proof of what they paid) and for payment of fees.


I think all you can do, at this stage, is sit tight and hope for the best.
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Thank you Penny Lane, NAP and vernis-lover for your replies

It all sound similar to UK imports then. I got caught out myself years ago when I was clueless! I know the cost now including the extras the courier adds on for "handling fees" so it would have to be an incredible deal for me to consider:graucho:

Yep, I will just sit tight and hope for the best, otherwise a lesson learned here. I only ever list on EBay UK because it always seems a bit of a nightmare even sending to EU

. Maybe my buyer was aware of the extra costs that would be involved. She was in constant touch to start with and now gone very quite :panic:. Fingers crossed :whistle:
 
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#8
vernis-lover said:
Looks like the buyer might be liable for import fees of the equivalent of around £150. Not nice but then again it's a buyer's responsibility to understand the requirements of importing!


They will likely be contacting the buyer for the additional information they require (sometimes it's proof of what they paid) and for payment of fees.


I think all you can do, at this stage, is sit tight and hope for the best.
Click to expand...

Thank you Penny Lane, NAP and vernis-lover for your replies

It all sound similar to UK imports then. I got caught out myself years ago when I was clueless! I know the cost now including the extras the courier adds on for "handling fees" so it would have to be an incredible deal for me to consider:graucho:

Yep, I will just sit tight and hope for the best, otherwise a lesson learned here. I only ever list on EBay UK because it always seems a bit of a nightmare even sending to EU

. Maybe my buyer was aware of the extra costs that would be involved. She was in constant touch to start with and now gone very quite .:panic:Fingers crossed :whistle:
 
#10
PennyLane said:
Take a look on the Australia Post web site and see if the tracking info is showing there, sometimes when it lands here the oz post site has more up to date info.

http://auspost.com.au/track/
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It was sent FedEx and I have all the tracking info thanks.

It's tracked it every step of the way but unfortunately stating it's stuck in Customs as I think the buyer has to complete a form "commercial invoice" and pay quite a large a out of customers charges before they will release it :graucho:

It is the same here in the UK if we buy goods from outside the EU, just not worth all the duty you have to pay.
 
#12
PennyLane said:
I hope it turns out ok for you.
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vernis-lover said:
Looks like the buyer might be liable for import fees of the equivalent of around £150. Not nice but then again it's a buyer's responsibility to understand the requirements of importing!


They will likely be contacting the buyer for the additional information they require (sometimes it's proof of what they paid) and for payment of fees.


I think all you can do, at this stage, is sit tight and hope for the best.
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Yay, it's been cleared through customs :tup::tup: doesn't give anymore details, just says realised. I guess the buyer must have paid the fees but surprised she hasn't contacted me.

It's on the way again so fingers crossed all will be okay again.............I don't think I would send outside EU again. Way to stressful :graucho:
 
#13
Mulberrygal said:
Yay, it's been cleared through customs :tup::tup: doesn't give anymore details, just says realised. I guess the buyer must have paid the fees but surprised she hasn't contacted me.

It's on the way again so fingers crossed all will be okay again.............I don't think I would send outside EU again. Way to stressful :graucho:
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Good news. I guess if they knew there was a chance they would be charged customs fees then there would be no reason to contact you?


No reason not to sell outside the EU - just make sure your listings clearly state buyers are responsible for customs charges into their own country and you can also point it out if people contact you (although knowing about extra fees may put a lot of people off!)
 
#14
vernis-lover said:
Good news. I guess if they knew there was a chance they would be charged customs fees then there would be no reason to contact you?


No reason not to sell outside the EU - just make sure your listings clearly state buyers are responsible for customs charges into their own country and you can also point it out if people contact you (although knowing about extra fees may put a lot of people off!)
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Thanks Vernis-lover, all good advice, I will heed it well, a lesson learned for me. I don't usually list on EBay.com even so I think I will include the details about customs charges as overseas buyers always seem to be in contact.

I would definitely point out about the customs charges as I would rather be open and put them off before they buy than after.

I was expecting it but also found the postage costs horrendous. Buyers seem to think you piling it on when you say around £100 but I wasn't going to send it under insured and Parcel Force and several others only insure to £500 Once you go over that threshold it leaps by about £30-£40 to include the extra insurance.
 
#15
Mulberrygal said:
Thanks Vernis-lover, all good advice, I will heed it well, a lesson learned for me. I don't usually list on EBay.com even so I think I will include the details about customs charges as overseas buyers always seem to be in contact.

I would definitely point out about the customs charges as I would rather be open and put them off before they buy than after.

I was expecting it but also found the postage costs horrendous. Buyers seem to think you piling it on when you say around £100 but I wasn't going to send it under insured and Parcel Force and several others only insure to £500 Once you go over that threshold it leaps by about £30-£40 to include the extra insurance.
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You might be as well printing out shipping quotes from couriers, scanning in and emailing to those who enquire - just to show you're not trying to "pull a fast one" as a lot of overseas buyers seem to think because our postal charges are absolutely extortionate compared to other countries.


The Post Office now only insures up to £250 GBP for international mail so that's no help (used to be £500 GBP). Parcelforce insure up to £2500 I think (I used them for something really expensive a few years ago and they were cheaper than FedEx and DHL).


If you want to use the Global Priority/Express service then buyers need to understand you can't buy these types of service through our Post Office like you can in the US/Asia etc. For those services, it has to go by "courier".


Anyway, pleased your parcel appears to be en route to its new owner.
 
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