U.S. Customs are much easier to deal with. A few years ago, when I was in Berlin, I purchased a very nice custom made gold ring for my wife. When I got to customs in Houston, I gave a thought to sneaking it through, then I figured, "Well, if I try to sneak it in, I am very likely to get caught. So I'll bite the bullet."

It turned out that the limits had been raised on what you could bring in tax free. I paid about $25.00 to bring in the ring.

But now that I know what is going on with the various things I send overseas, I always put my name, not the publishing company, on shipments, and I mark them in such a way that they will cause the least trouble.

Amazingly, the worst trouble I have had has been with Canadian customs. We sent some DVD's to Canada last summer. They went UPS red label, and were marked URGENT!

The customs brokers sat on them for two weeks. The class was over by the time they were delivered.

I have never had a problem with books or DVDs. A lot of people mark the package as containing 'Educational material', which is a pretty honest description of the contents - and it doesn't attract attention.

I get a lot of things shipped to me in the UK from the US. I have found that the value of the goods excites the Customs people more than anything else - an import duty is due on goods over £100 in value.

Whether or not the package gets inspected more closely by Customs is a bit hit-or-miss. Even when the parcel is flagged-up by Customs, something strange happens: Customs charge the import duty to the Royal Mail (not the customer) and it is up to the Royal Mail to reclaim the import fee from the customer. That's why you have to pay for the parcel at the Post Office.

Because some stuff slips through the customs net, it's still often cheaper to buy from the US and have it shipped to the UK. Baseline prices are generally cheaper in the US, there's often more choice among the many US retailers, and with the favourable exchange rate it's worth risking the extra few charges.

Richard

I ship a lot overseas, and always list the items as a gift. I do write "magic tricks", but will surely reconsider that after reading some of the posts here. I was also requested by a buyer to set the value at $20.00. This becomes a risk for both parties on an expensive item, but saves the recipient a ton. I have only had one package ever fail to reach its destination, and that was going to Italy. It was books.

I wonder if a $400.00 magician's street table could pass for a $20.00 TV tray sent as a gift?? Ha! The outside of the package said insured for $1000.00??? It might as well have said "Diamond studded, solid gold BOMB".

~michael

Kondini, I have worked over 20 years in the international logistics field with an expertise in customs and compliance. I know with 99% certainty what your problem was and why it cost you so much. If you email me I have a couple questions and that will make me 100% sure. A couple things. A lot of what you all are talking about is fraud, more power to ya, can't say I blame you. If you mark a shipment as 'gift' or more accurate "unsolicited gift" you need to make it look like it is from an individual not a company. If need be even if showing a company you can say it was sent by your pal who works there. Value shows legally as the 'transaction value' but you can use the replacement value. For example a DVD may retail for $50.00 but if that isn't the replacement value to the shipper, another thing you can use is a market value. Say DVDs cost $18 at Walmart, that is a fair market value to use. The problem with the vendor is when the customer tries to use the lower value. For most of you the value of the shipments are minimal so I suggest just going with the real value.

The 17.5% isn't the VAT it is the Ad Valorum which is simular but added on to punish you from buying from the US...bad! Bad Kondini! Thank your pals at the EU for that one. Conjuring items duty rate is 2.7%, a wood table is 0%, watch your classifications. Base it on what it is, then chief value...a set of cups can be decorative items, kitchen cups, articles of brass, find the lowest legal classification. Lastly, and this is where Kondini got it I believe, if you use an express carrier like DHL or Fedex or UPS air services the customs clearance is included in the cost. If you use a surface method (for Canada from the US) or a forwarder type company the service is Airport to Airport typically meaning that a customs broker will have to clear your shipment and that cost anywhere from $80 to well over a hundred bucks. This is what I think happened here.

If anyone has any questions feel free to let me know.
Steve V

The worst part about dealing with FedEx is the contradictory information that you get from them. I was sending some documents to Canada by UPS ground. The person on the phone told me that according to their rules, I was not required to put a dollar value on documents. The person working the counter at my local FedEx insisted on a dollar value. So when I set the value at "a dollar," she was satisfied.

The part that torqued me was that you couldn't use the normal FedEx ground forms that you pick up at FedEx. You have to print those out on your computer. They don't tell you that on the web site. Or at least they didn't then.

Now, if you want to see real efficiency, go to one of the converted Kinko's locations. The fellow who used to print some of my short run bookz is now learning how to send packages. He's a good printer. He's a lousy FedEx clerk.

After all things considered my head is spinning with facts and figs, at present I am in mid season with only a day to rest each week.
OK so I got caught,,,,it`s paid, done deal, the table is great and someone down the line has a few bob they are not entitled to.
I guess maybe a couple of refugees will have a hand out from it indirectly or maybe a rapist will be fed at my expense in jail,,,,such is life. The experience has forwarned me and hopefully others who are considering purchase from over the pond!!!
Just another of lifes little lessons.

Bill, as for value everything has a replacement value, be it the cost of paper and time to print it. If you ship a correspondence you do not need a value and someone is not familiar with what they are talking about, common with Fedex. For Canada to avoid problems include on an invoice the address and PHONE NUMBER, of course, but they also want a good description understandable by customs, a country of origin (where assembled or printed), and the value. Remember if you use ground customs is not included in the cost of the shipment as it is for express, that can bite you on the behind. As I said, I'll be happy to answer any questions or put someone in the right direction concerning these issues.
Steve V

As Frank knows I've many items from him, a couple of times I've had to pay duty etc.
I've ordered a huge aamount from states and sometimes I get lucky sometimes I have to pay, often items are marked the same so not sure why soemtimes it's a charge and other times it's not.
What annoys me is the post office charging an additional $20-40 as a "handling fee" - THAT'S THEIR JOB TO HANDLE MAIL!!!! Also now they don't deliver items with a charge you have to go to their depot (thankfully for me only 2 mins away) pay up and then get package..
Ahh well, such is life,

Kindest Regards

DAK

:rotf:

I just received my set of Steve Elve's (Elvay's now?) cups from Dave Lord in Australia.

They were labeled as "flower pots". Hilarious.

Incidentally, you could indeed fit flowers into these huge cups, as well as many shrubs and certain bonsai trees as well...