do we have to pay custom tax?

I think that if you have it sent by courier (DHL) then you will pay customs for sure, however it will also get there in like a couple of days. If you have it sent by Royal Mail, you could get by without paying customs but that is not a guarantee -- does that make any sense?

 

^^
With Royal mail, BE marks the package as a gift and a lower value so you don't pay any customs. At least I didn't have to but may depend on where you are from as well.

 

I have received BE via DHL and not paid any customs tax. I think it is a question of luck.

 

Customs charges 9% of the declared value. DHL adds $5 as their fee to collect it.

 

Yep I agree. I have been hit with a bill from DHL sometimes but not all the time. Now that they are doing Royal Mail I don't think we will get the charge.

 

Same here.

 

I had the same question when I was buying my LM. Someone here @ tPF told me they paid around $70-80 USD in custom fees (I believe it was Royal Mail - not sure though). I received my bag last week and haven't gotten a customs bill yet... And hopefully I won't!!!

 

I received a $58 bill from DHL.

 

To be safe, figure an additional 8% of the value on the invoice. It's roughly $2 USD per British Pound; so, if the invoice shows a value of 400 British Pounds, figure around $800 USD, and 8% = $64.

The HTS # is 4202.11.0000 and its respective Tariff Rate is 8%. DHL charges an additional $5 Duty Advance Fee (per shipment) for paying this to the US Customs Office in advance, then collects whatever the importer (buyer) owes by mailing a Customs Duty Invoice; they deliver first and collect Customs Duty later. DHL delivers FAST and has a far superior tracking system than the USPO. The USPO will NOT deliver if any customs duty is due...they will collect first before releasing the package.

Some ladies have been known to toss this invoice out without payment. To me, this is taking a risk with unknown consequences and simply not worth it.

My DHL package arrived uninsured and not marked as a gift. I have not yet received any packages via Royal Mail, so I can't speak to this, although I suspect they too arrive uninsured.

Getting hit by the USPO with a Customs Duty Bill is hit or miss. To be safe, don't count on getting off scott-free.

And, DHL marked the incorrect HTS # on my invoice with its respective Tariff Rate of 20% and mailed me a Customs Duty Invoice requesting $164.

 

Oh kings, what amount did u ask them to fill in for you in royal mail? i am ordering a bag and since u are in AB i figure this will for for me when i ship it to ON!

 

I've received two shipments from BE via DHL and was charged a 20% fee of the declared value each time. Another shipment from BE was shipped via Royal Mail and I still have not received a customs invoice for that one. I think I prefer Royal Mail.

 

glamourgirlpink ~ according to Jackie, this is INCORRECT!!! I urge you to contact DHL to protest this charge, as DHL is using the improper HTS # with its respective 20% Tariff Rate. If you already paid it, they owe you a refund!!!


Call DHL Billing Inquiries @ 1.800.722.0081. They will ask for the following:

• Invoice No.
• Customer No.
• DHL Reference No.
• HTS #

They will give you a reference number which will be good for the following four business days of your telephone call. In this time, they want you to write a letter to protest the incorrect charge including the wrong HTS # and its respective Tariff Rate and incorrect Duty Amount. You will include the INCORRECT info, as well as the CORRECT info.

They will instruct you to fax this letter to 281.885.7499 Monday - Friday between the hours of 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Central Time.

They will request you also fax photos, if at all possible, as it will supposedly speed things up.

The will inform you that they will respond to you within 10-14 business days. If you do not hear from them in this time, they will instruct you to call them back at their toll-free #.

Once you call them, get the ball rolling, and receive your reference number, if you do not fax them this letter within the following four business days, the reference number will "expire", and you will need to call them again to receive a new reference number.

Incorrect HTS # that DHL used in the Customs Duty Invoice I received from them: 4202.29.9000 / 20% Tariff Rate

Correct HTS # (per Jackie): 4202.11.0000 / 8% Tariff Rate

Good luck with this!!!

 

The problem is that I no longer have the invoices! I did email them but they responded by saying that there was nothing they can do if I don't have my airbill number. I wasn't even asking for a refund, just for copies of the invoices for Ashley since they needed it to resolve the issue with DHL.