Customs probelms when ordering H bag from abroad?

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

2manybags

O.G.
Dec 29, 2006
1,046
46
I ordered a birkin from let-trade and I think this will be my first and last purchase from them. I received a message from Fed-Ex that my bag is being held in customs pending some further information they need from me. Does anyone know what they will need from me? This is so frustrating.
 
It could be the case that Fed Ex would like you to pay them the customs duty, it depends on what value Let Trade placed on the bag. It will get sorted and it is best that Fed Ex have it and that it is not lost or missing, now that would be much much worse.
It is great that you have a bag on its way to you.:tup:
 
Thanks Sammyjoe! I hope it's just about paying the customs duty...I know let-trade marked a low value on it, so I wonder if that's the problem. This whole process has been very nerve-wracking! lol This is my first H bag... I was nervous finding the right color, nervous spending all that money, now I'm nervous waiting to hopefully receive it! No more purchasing from overseas! :0
 
I hope this works out for you. I have had instances where the seller marked a very low value, but I was asked to provide the paperwork (e.g. receipts) to show what I actually paid for, and got taxed on the full amount of what I paid.
 
good luck 2manybags.
i recall seeing in some seller's listings that they refuse to mark a lower value for the benefit of the buyer, so the fact that your seller did that could be seen as an accommodation. still, i absolutely see how buying from overseas has that added gulp factor.
USPS shows my bag from Indonesia in customs in San Francisco since Friday and I'm twirling my thumbs as well -- no idea if there will be a charge, how much...
And to top it off, I recall that my bro-i-law had some antique carpets sent to him and the customs bill came LATER. So I feel it's important to keep any/all paperwork on international purchases on file.
look forward to your happy ending reveal though!
 
I my first (only) international order that was sent FedX went pretty well. I did have a call from them before it could be delivered because I needed to register or something like that since it was the first time I used them for an international shipment. I am sorry I don't remember the specifics, like if they mentioned a hold-up customs but it went smoothly. I believe I paid them the duty so they probably paid upfront and then collected from me.
 
Laila, I'm sending you good wishes for your bag's safe arrival. :)

Encore, thank you for your reply...I hope it's a simple case so my bag can get on its way. I've tried calling the Fed-Ex broker back a couple times, but I keep getting his voicemail!
 
Sometimes Fedex or DHL want more personal information. I buy clothes from Europe and I had to fill out a Homeland Security form that they faxed to me. They keep it on file for further reference. I do pay duty on clothes and the full value is declared. They'll get back to you. Sometimes I just keep calling until the person answers. They are helpful. When I didn't have the required paperwork, they contacted the vendor in Germany and actually made them change their policy to include the correct paperwork.
 
Melliesmom, I've left 2 messages so far, but when I call there is an option to press a certain number if the situation is an emergency so I can speak to another agent. Would it be crazy of me to do that so I can get to the bottom of this....it's an emergency to me. :graucho:

Sometimes Fedex or DHL want more personal information. I buy clothes from Europe and I had to fill out a Homeland Security form that they faxed to me. They keep it on file for further reference. I do pay duty on clothes and the full value is declared. They'll get back to you. Sometimes I just keep calling until the person answers. They are helpful. When I didn't have the required paperwork, they contacted the vendor in Germany and actually made them change their policy to include the correct paperwork.
 
Melliesmom, I've left 2 messages so far, but when I call there is an option to press a certain number if the situation is an emergency so I can speak to another agent. Would it be crazy of me to do that so I can get to the bottom of this....it's an emergency to me. :graucho:

Speak to another agent or request a supervisor, which is what I usually do when I reach an agent. They are more pleasant. It's an emergency to you plus they don't really care.:heart:
You can't imagine what I went through with customs when I imported Iris from Germany. The breeder sent her with no innoculation records or they were lost in transit. She was held for days in another state (animal facility). I know every problem can be dealt with just be calm.
 
Last edited:
So, I left 5 messages for the broker that called me and 2 messages for another broker, the one that I was connected to when I chose the option to speak to someone in case of urgency. They're business hours are until 4:30 so I left all those messages with the hope that I could speak to someone today and resolve this issue. I can't believe I can't get in touch with a live person! :tdown:

Melliesmom, as a dog lover myself, I can't imagine what Iris must have gone through. I know how hard it can be on dogs when they are apart from their owners. I'm glad she got to you safe and sound. Thank you for all your kind words. :)

Speak to another agent or request a supervisor, which is what I usually do when I reach an agent. They are more pleasant. It's an emergency to you plus they don't really care.:heart:
You can't imagine what I went through with customs when I imported Iris from Germany. The breeder sent her with no innoculation records. She was held for days in another state (animal facility). I know every problkem can be dealt with just be calm.
 
Top