I haven't flown out of Paris in 5 years, but I remember taking all my luggage with my purchases in them (we bought a LOT) to the VAT desk. They did not ask to see them, but I could easily have gotten them out of my luggage. After the paperwork was done there, I then checked in for my flight and checked my luggage. I've done the same in London many times over the years.
Official worldwide thread - Tips/Advice for customs, VAT, etc...
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Do you mind telling me what you used for proof of flight? I was under the impression that a boarding pass was required and assumed you had to check in luggage when picking up boarding passes
I can confirm what India said. I have flown out of both Paris and London several times in the last couple of years and you can easily go to the VAT desk before checking in. In fact, they encourage you to do things in that order. I have always done it that way even in my earlier trips, although I never had to actually show my purchases. The lineups can be really long, so make sure you have enough time !
No need to go to the VAT desk anymore at the CDG in Paris (you still can if you choose to). There is a scanner now right in front of the VAT area. You can just scan the barcode on your tax refund paperwork and drop it in the mailbox.
Good to know. Thanks for the info! Are the scanners located right next to the manned VAT kiosk? I never noticed the scanner because the VAT desk area was super packed with people and suitcases, it was a challenge just to avoid getting pushed away!
It's outside the manned VAT area by the yellow post office box. I was told by the SA at the H store to use the scanners. I also had read in the forum about it. But I was in such a haste that day, I didn't notice the scanners till after I had gone thru the manned VAT desk (a bigger and obvious target to spot, and because there was no line), and finally saw them when I was looking for the yellow post office box.
Since I didn't use them personally (was trying to find the thread I read before for you, but couldn't find it just now), you should double check with your SA when you are given your VAT paperwork.
Thank you so much! And thanks to everyone for their response. I'm a bit less nervous about obtaining my vat refund. Now I can relax and enjoy Paris ☺️
Thanks so much for the detailed description. I think I can find the scanner based on your description. Thanks again!! :thumbup:
Hello,
I recently sold a pretty expensive item to a UK buyer. It was not through Ebay but I thought I write what happened down to save someone else from this experience.
A buyer in the UK who works as a third party distributer gave me an offer for an item I own.
Because of the value of the item I had it insured and sent via tracking mail which cost about $120 dollars to post.
En route to the UK, the package incurred VAT, which was just under 300 pounds.
The buyer refused to pay VAT so the package is currently being held in customs in the UK.
The buyer then emailed me asking me to pay for VAT by reducing my asking price by 300 pounds. Even though it is their responsibility to pay. They said if I do not pay they will refuse to pay VAT and the item will be returned to me.
I said it is not my responsibility to pay your VAT however I will reduce my price by 150 pounds as I am actually worried the parcel will be lost on the return leg. I also said I do not understand how they did not know that the parcel would incur VAT and that I had the parcel insured for safety and that it is fraud for me to list a different value, I said I was unsure what they imagined the outcome to be.
The said:
You should have insured the parcel using a different company to the post system so that I could 'underestimate the amount' so that VAT will be minimised for them.
Then they said they said they cannot even afford to pay half of the current VAT incurred.
So I said, fine, if you need to return the item, I understand however, I ask you to reimburse me the postal fees of $120 as you have changed your mind and I held up my end of the bargain by sending it over.
However they have refused to pay for post on the logic that they said that they are not responsible to pay for a service that they did not render!! Even though they asked me to send it to them!
So they ask me to send the parcel over, hope that there is chance I will lie for them, take the risk the parcel will not incur VAT, and if it does, reject the item, all at my expense and risk!!
Now my parcel is sitting at UK customs and has been there for about 2 weeks. I am out of pocket $120 plus am very very stressed the parcel will not make it back to me soon if at all.
Lucky I put that insurance on it after all!!!!
So I'm pretty upset with this scenario to say the least!! I just hope the parcel arrives back safely in a couple of weeks.
Please no one else make this mistake!
I recently sold a pretty expensive item to a UK buyer. It was not through Ebay but I thought I write what happened down to save someone else from this experience.
A buyer in the UK who works as a third party distributer gave me an offer for an item I own.
Because of the value of the item I had it insured and sent via tracking mail which cost about $120 dollars to post.
En route to the UK, the package incurred VAT, which was just under 300 pounds.
The buyer refused to pay VAT so the package is currently being held in customs in the UK.
The buyer then emailed me asking me to pay for VAT by reducing my asking price by 300 pounds. Even though it is their responsibility to pay. They said if I do not pay they will refuse to pay VAT and the item will be returned to me.
I said it is not my responsibility to pay your VAT however I will reduce my price by 150 pounds as I am actually worried the parcel will be lost on the return leg. I also said I do not understand how they did not know that the parcel would incur VAT and that I had the parcel insured for safety and that it is fraud for me to list a different value, I said I was unsure what they imagined the outcome to be.
The said:
You should have insured the parcel using a different company to the post system so that I could 'underestimate the amount' so that VAT will be minimised for them.
Then they said they said they cannot even afford to pay half of the current VAT incurred.
So I said, fine, if you need to return the item, I understand however, I ask you to reimburse me the postal fees of $120 as you have changed your mind and I held up my end of the bargain by sending it over.
However they have refused to pay for post on the logic that they said that they are not responsible to pay for a service that they did not render!! Even though they asked me to send it to them!
So they ask me to send the parcel over, hope that there is chance I will lie for them, take the risk the parcel will not incur VAT, and if it does, reject the item, all at my expense and risk!!
Now my parcel is sitting at UK customs and has been there for about 2 weeks. I am out of pocket $120 plus am very very stressed the parcel will not make it back to me soon if at all.
Lucky I put that insurance on it after all!!!!
So I'm pretty upset with this scenario to say the least!! I just hope the parcel arrives back safely in a couple of weeks.
Please no one else make this mistake!
Hello,
I recently sold a pretty expensive item to a UK buyer. It was not through eBay but I thought I write what happened down to save someone else from this experience.
A buyer in the UK who works as a third party distributer gave me an offer for an item I own.
Because of the value of the item I had it insured and sent via tracking mail which cost about $120 dollars to post.
En route to the UK, the package incurred VAT, which was just under 300 pounds.
The buyer refused to pay VAT so the package is currently being held in customs in the UK.
The buyer then emailed me asking me to pay for VAT by reducing my asking price by 300 pounds. Even though it is their responsibility to pay. They said if I do not pay they will refuse to pay VAT and the item will be returned to me.
I said it is not my responsibility to pay your VAT however I will reduce my price by 150 pounds as I am actually worried the parcel will be lost on the return leg. I also said I do not understand how they did not know that the parcel would incur VAT and that I had the parcel insured for safety and that it is fraud for me to list a different value, I said I was unsure what they imagined the outcome to be.
The said:
You should have insured the parcel using a different company to the post system so that I could 'underestimate the amount' so that VAT will be minimised for them.
Then they said they said they cannot even afford to pay half of the current VAT incurred.
So I said, fine, if you need to return the item, I understand however, I ask you to reimburse me the postal fees of $120 as you have changed your mind and I held up my end of the bargain by sending it over.
However they have refused to pay for post on the logic that they said that they are not responsible to pay for a service that they did not render!! Even though they asked me to send it to them!
So they ask me to send the parcel over, hope that there is chance I will lie for them, take the risk the parcel will not incur VAT, and if it does, reject the item, all at my expense and risk!!
Now my parcel is sitting at UK customs and has been there for about 2 weeks. I am out of pocket $120 plus am very very stressed the parcel will not make it back to me soon if at all.
Lucky I put that insurance on it after all!!!!
So I'm pretty upset with this scenario to say the least!! I just hope the parcel arrives back safely in a couple of weeks.
Please no one else make this mistake!
I recently sold a pretty expensive item to a UK buyer. It was not through eBay but I thought I write what happened down to save someone else from this experience.
A buyer in the UK who works as a third party distributer gave me an offer for an item I own.
Because of the value of the item I had it insured and sent via tracking mail which cost about $120 dollars to post.
En route to the UK, the package incurred VAT, which was just under 300 pounds.
The buyer refused to pay VAT so the package is currently being held in customs in the UK.
The buyer then emailed me asking me to pay for VAT by reducing my asking price by 300 pounds. Even though it is their responsibility to pay. They said if I do not pay they will refuse to pay VAT and the item will be returned to me.
I said it is not my responsibility to pay your VAT however I will reduce my price by 150 pounds as I am actually worried the parcel will be lost on the return leg. I also said I do not understand how they did not know that the parcel would incur VAT and that I had the parcel insured for safety and that it is fraud for me to list a different value, I said I was unsure what they imagined the outcome to be.
The said:
You should have insured the parcel using a different company to the post system so that I could 'underestimate the amount' so that VAT will be minimised for them.
Then they said they said they cannot even afford to pay half of the current VAT incurred.
So I said, fine, if you need to return the item, I understand however, I ask you to reimburse me the postal fees of $120 as you have changed your mind and I held up my end of the bargain by sending it over.
However they have refused to pay for post on the logic that they said that they are not responsible to pay for a service that they did not render!! Even though they asked me to send it to them!
So they ask me to send the parcel over, hope that there is chance I will lie for them, take the risk the parcel will not incur VAT, and if it does, reject the item, all at my expense and risk!!
Now my parcel is sitting at UK customs and has been there for about 2 weeks. I am out of pocket $120 plus am very very stressed the parcel will not make it back to me soon if at all.
Lucky I put that insurance on it after all!!!!
So I'm pretty upset with this scenario to say the least!! I just hope the parcel arrives back safely in a couple of weeks.
Please no one else make this mistake!
OP, you did the right thing! What a terrible and stressful situation your buyer is currently putting you through. 
I've also had issues shipping to the UK. Even though I know there are many genuine buyers that understand the customs taxes/duties owed on imports, the majority of buyers have tried to get me to under-declare the value of my items on the postage forms.
The worst offender was someone who haggled down the price of my Chanel bag from $3500 to $2900 and she wanted me to declare it on the postal form for £10.
I told her that it was far too risky and I was not willing to be out the bag and money if something were to happen in transit. She said to trust that she would assume all responsibility, but we all know that eBay and Paypal side with buyers on most cases.
She kept hounding me for two days and I finally caved in and said that the only way this deal could remotely happen is if she bank wire transferred me the money. She said that she couldn't do that as she had never dealt with me before...
Talk about double standards!!
In the end, she really did offer to transfer the money, but the whole conversation made me so nervous about dealing with her that I decided to refuse the offer and added her to my BBL. I did not feel comfortable with the idea of lying on any official forms and still do not wish to enter into any transactions with buyers that request it of me!
I've also had issues shipping to the UK. Even though I know there are many genuine buyers that understand the customs taxes/duties owed on imports, the majority of buyers have tried to get me to under-declare the value of my items on the postage forms.
The worst offender was someone who haggled down the price of my Chanel bag from $3500 to $2900 and she wanted me to declare it on the postal form for £10.
I told her that it was far too risky and I was not willing to be out the bag and money if something were to happen in transit. She said to trust that she would assume all responsibility, but we all know that eBay and Paypal side with buyers on most cases.
She kept hounding me for two days and I finally caved in and said that the only way this deal could remotely happen is if she bank wire transferred me the money. She said that she couldn't do that as she had never dealt with me before...
Talk about double standards!!
In the end, she really did offer to transfer the money, but the whole conversation made me so nervous about dealing with her that I decided to refuse the offer and added her to my BBL. I did not feel comfortable with the idea of lying on any official forms and still do not wish to enter into any transactions with buyers that request it of me!
How very unethical of the buyer.
Import charges (be they VAT or duty) are levied by the importer's government and, therefore, are the responsibility of the buyer. There's not much gets past customs here if it is over the declared value. No matter what postage service/company you used, you have no responsibility to assist the buyer to avoid taxes. You would be lying on official customs documentation.
I'm not sure what the best advice is in this situation but I would suggest phoning PP and see what they say regarding non-delivery due to payment of charges.
Import charges (be they VAT or duty) are levied by the importer's government and, therefore, are the responsibility of the buyer. There's not much gets past customs here if it is over the declared value. No matter what postage service/company you used, you have no responsibility to assist the buyer to avoid taxes. You would be lying on official customs documentation.
I'm not sure what the best advice is in this situation but I would suggest phoning PP and see what they say regarding non-delivery due to payment of charges.