I want to buy this chanel bag from fellow tPFe in Canada. The bag will be around $2600 and I want it to be insured for shipment. Does anybody know what the customs fee will be for that amount? Or whould I have her put the value down so I don't have to pay much customs fee. But I'm hesitant about doing that in case the bag gets lost or something. If anybody has any experience or advice on international transaction on eBay, please help me. Thanks!!
if you want it insured for the value of the bag that is what you have to claim. and will be paying duty on. duty all depends on the custom people and is the same as the tax you pay in your state.
In my experience, items coming from Canada do not get held in customs as often as items coming from overseas. If it does get held though, it could be a few hundred dollars in customs. Though I buy from Canada and have never worried about it, and have never had something held...
I've never heard of someone from the US being charged customs on shipments from us. I always mark the full value of whatever I'm sending to the US. In this case, I wouldn't recommend undervaluing, if something happens, you would only be covered for the amount you have insured for. Best bet would be to look up your customs procedures so you know what to expect should you get charged. Charges for us in Canada can vary a great deal depending on the shipping carrier. Not sure if it's the same for you guys. Long story short, IMO it wouldn't be worth saving a few bucks on duty to risk something happening (being lost, damaged) and then being out a lot of money.
Some sellers will state in their listings something like "I will not understate the value of an item for customs, so please do not ask." I've also purchased items and paid for them, only to receive a shipping notification from the seller saying something like "your XYZ has been shipped with the value marked as $25 (or some other low figure) and will also be clearly marked as "gift" to save you any customs duties." It's taken me by surprise on the few occasions it has happened, because I didn't ask them to do it and I could have been very upset to think my item was being shipped without appropriate cover ... and of course once they've done that, there is nothing I can do but sit back and wait and hope it arrives safely. And while I appreciate they are knocking themselves out trying to please their buyers, this is the silly part, there has never been any point in any of them doing it because they've done it for items that would have shipped to Australia duty free anyway. I have had one higher priced item sent undervalued, and I have to say, I worried so much about it going missing in the mail that I would never let that happen with a high priced item again ... it's just too risky and too much worry.
