So what happens when something gets held, and never picked up?
Does it get returned?
Thrown in the trash?
Smuggled away by the local record mafia?
I think it gets returned. A friend of mine had a package returned from somewhere in Europe not long ago. It had apparently sat in customs for a while and was never picked up.
I've always tried my best to fill out customs forms to the buyer's advantage, but a few people have told me that they'd prefer I not declare a low value, as it only makes the customs officials more suspicious. Last week a buyer (in Austria, I think) asked me specifically to declare the item for around $16 USD, when he had only paid $12 for it. He said anything under $15-16 made them suspicious and they'd hold the package.
I have to say, overall I think the USPS is pretty nice.
So what happens when something gets held, and never picked up?
Does it get returned?
Thrown in the trash?
Smuggled away by the local record mafia?
I think it gets returned. A friend of mine had a package returned from somewhere in Europe not long ago. It had apparently sat in customs for a while and was never picked up.
I've always tried my best to fill out customs forms to the buyer's advantage, but a few people have told me that they'd prefer I not declare a low value, as it only makes the customs officials more suspicious. Last week a buyer (in Austria, I think) asked me specifically to declare the item for around $16 USD, when he had only paid $12 for it. He said anything under $15-16 made them suspicious and they'd hold the package.
I have to say, overall I think the USPS is pretty nice.
that's true, sometimes the customs authority just send a note to show them an invoice for the total amount - I always ask to declare a single record for $4.99. If there are more records in the parcel then $2.99 or $ 1.99. And I always ask to declare the as "used vinyl records" or "discontinued stock records", and the best will be to include an "invoice" in the parcel where all records are marked with the declared low prices.
If a have to pay import duites and taxes - a low declared amount will save some $/euros otherwise it does not make sns to pay $15 for shipping plus import taxes for a single record.
And from my long time experience it shows that private adresses are usually getting less attention than businesses.
I just doesn't seem fair to me to charge me 20 quid duty on top of a 20 dollar T-Shirt from the States. Then I read somewhere that used clothing doesn't qualify for duty. So I ask they write "Vintage clothing" on the parcels now. Has worked for the last 5 Tees I've bought.
Give it a go... Obviously has to be the right shape! Hard to pass off a 45 in cardboard as Vintage Clothing unless you say it's a hoola hoop for Kate Moss...
Boring Post ahead, don't read if easily distracted.
Heres the UK import laws and the breakdown of charges if you get stung.
Basically any ITEM under ??18 which is currently about $35.5 US and we don't get charged import duty or VAT. Any cost over that and we get stung for a percentage of the WHOLE amount including shipping costs, and then other costs on top.
Your Customs Allowance Customs charges may only be applied from goods sent into the UK from outside the EU. Orders from within have already had the relevant VAT and duty paid in that EU member state. Jersey is not classed as within the EU, but as a Special Territory , and as such are liable to VAT. The current allowances for DVDs, CDs and the such are ??18, or ??36 for gifts. If an item is VAT-exempt (such as books), you will not be liable for charges on those items Postage and packing must be remembered. If the total value of goods in the package that are liable to duty and VAT is less than ??18 WITHOUT P&P, you will not be liable for a charge. If the total value of goods in the package exceeds ??18, the VAT and duty is charged on the total value of the goods INCLUDING P&P The ??36 allowance for gifts only applies to unsolicited gifts from one individual to another (such as a birthday present). Goods marked as "gifts" from a company fall in to the same category as any other purchases and so the ??18 allowance applies.(cheers Ed Parsons).
How the charge is calculated Customs (Import) Duty of 3.5% VAT @ 17.5% - the VAT is charged on the value of the goods PLUS the customs duty Administration charge of the courier
For example, if the cost of goods and P&P comes to ??30, you would have the following: ??30 for goods ??1.05 customs (import) duty ??5.43 VAT on ??31.05
The administration charge of the courier varies. Here are the current charges you can expect:
Royal Mail ??4.00 (RM site ) Parcelforce - ??8 for standard parcels, ??13.50 for high value (> ???1000) and express parcels. (Thanks to DeadKenny for this info). (Parcel Force ) DHL ??1.25 or 2% (whichever is greater) for non-business users (DHL site - Information - About Duty & Vat for more information). UPS is ??11or 2.5% (whichever is greater) UPS site in section marked "Disbursements" (Thanks to Chris for the info and smst for update 14/02/06). FedEx personal handling charge is ??4.50 as of Dec03. If you have been charged more than this, you have probably been charged the business rate and should query this (cheers cm-9 for the info).
Another important factor is the value of the goods. If the value is not declared in GBP, HMC&E will use their own monthly rates to convert the value to GBP. The monthly rates are checked once a week and changes made if they differ by more than 5% from the last published rate and amended from midnight on Tuesday/ Wednesday of the following week. (Source - http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/rates/rates.htm ).
HMC&E can also value the item(s) if they feel that the declared value is false, and will apply what they feel the value should be and you will be charged accordingly.
How you pay With packages coming in through Royal Mail, the postman will leave a note telling you that you have an item with a charge at your local delivery office, and you will have to go and collect it. If they leave it/hand it over and do not collect any money, you have got away with it.
Couriers such as FedEx, DHL and the such will normally pay the VAT & duty on your behalf and invoice you some time later. Be careful to check that they have only charged you the non-business user rate of admin charge - if it is around ??10 or more, they have mistakenly charged you the business rate and you should take it up with them.
If that doesn't help fool the customs agents, perhaps dudes need to face the reality that they have to pay customs duties to import stuff.
we ship international EVERY day. if i had a dollar for every customer that wanted me to mark "gift" so they could avoid a customs charge, i'd have a lot of extra money in my pocket. people can not seem to understand that they have to pay a customs tax. we've had people order merchandise, and then refuse it due to an additional fee for customs.
our store policies state we're not responsible for said customs charges, whatever they may be. people just don't get it.
Boring Post ahead, don't read if easily distracted.
Heres the UK import laws and the breakdown of charges if you get stung.
Basically any ITEM under ??18 which is currently about $35.5 US and we don't get charged import duty or VAT. Any cost over that and we get stung for a percentage of the WHOLE amount including shipping costs, and then other costs on top.
Your Customs Allowance Customs charges may only be applied from goods sent into the UK from outside the EU. Orders from within have already had the relevant VAT and duty paid in that EU member state. Jersey is not classed as within the EU, but as a Special Territory , and as such are liable to VAT. The current allowances for DVDs, CDs and the such are ??18, or ??36 for gifts. If an item is VAT-exempt (such as books), you will not be liable for charges on those items Postage and packing must be remembered. If the total value of goods in the package that are liable to duty and VAT is less than ??18 WITHOUT P&P, you will not be liable for a charge. If the total value of goods in the package exceeds ??18, the VAT and duty is charged on the total value of the goods INCLUDING P&P The ??36 allowance for gifts only applies to unsolicited gifts from one individual to another (such as a birthday present). Goods marked as "gifts" from a company fall in to the same category as any other purchases and so the ??18 allowance applies.(cheers Ed Parsons).
How the charge is calculated Customs (Import) Duty of 3.5% VAT @ 17.5% - the VAT is charged on the value of the goods PLUS the customs duty Administration charge of the courier
For example, if the cost of goods and P&P comes to ??30, you would have the following: ??30 for goods ??1.05 customs (import) duty ??5.43 VAT on ??31.05
The administration charge of the courier varies. Here are the current charges you can expect:
Royal Mail ??4.00 (RM site ) Parcelforce - ??8 for standard parcels, ??13.50 for high value (> ???1000) and express parcels. (Thanks to DeadKenny for this info). (Parcel Force ) DHL ??1.25 or 2% (whichever is greater) for non-business users (DHL site - Information - About Duty & Vat for more information). UPS is ??11or 2.5% (whichever is greater) UPS site in section marked "Disbursements" (Thanks to Chris for the info and smst for update 14/02/06). FedEx personal handling charge is ??4.50 as of Dec03. If you have been charged more than this, you have probably been charged the business rate and should query this (cheers cm-9 for the info).
Another important factor is the value of the goods. If the value is not declared in GBP, HMC&E will use their own monthly rates to convert the value to GBP. The monthly rates are checked once a week and changes made if they differ by more than 5% from the last published rate and amended from midnight on Tuesday/ Wednesday of the following week. (Source - http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/rates/rates.htm ).
HMC&E can also value the item(s) if they feel that the declared value is false, and will apply what they feel the value should be and you will be charged accordingly.
How you pay With packages coming in through Royal Mail, the postman will leave a note telling you that you have an item with a charge at your local delivery office, and you will have to go and collect it. If they leave it/hand it over and do not collect any money, you have got away with it.
Couriers such as FedEx, DHL and the such will normally pay the VAT & duty on your behalf and invoice you some time later. Be careful to check that they have only charged you the non-business user rate of admin charge - if it is around ??10 or more, they have mistakenly charged you the business rate and you should take it up with them.
People will buy from you regardless of branding, but branding does help business. Maybe have an international label that is different from the domestic? Why not switch it to your real name with the address, or something made up with the correct address like Jonny Good or something.
I honestly don't think it would make a difference. I ship 50-100 packages a month. Mostly to the same countries. The customs agents will see the printed postage and addresses, the professional packaging, and they're going to be thrown off by a few words (in English, no less)?
I feel bad because I can't imagine paying to receive packages but there's a certain point at which it becomes ridiculous.
I hear this. I feel like our local post will see things differently if one out of 30 is odd in someway. We are shipping a lot lately so it is kind of a pain in the ass to go find that one that is specified and different from the rest, especially when your working assembly style. I guess I dont mind if its just one, but is this going to be the new order of things international? It took me a half hour to go back an find this one below. I hardly ever read paypal messages, everything is printed through a seperate program. I guess I DO mind just one, they all need to be the same. All or nothing.
anyways.. Tim just happend to notice this today :
"Shipping Method - AIR MAIL - Please, send the iten I have ordered as GIFT, in order I pay less taxes.Please, don`t put ANY PRICE with record in the packet.Please, put a STRONGER PACKET!!!!!Please, put a small price in the total order -2$ -Please, don`t put the name of the seller in the packet, put your PERSONAL NAME!!!!Thanks"
This is to Brazil, not even euro. So Im wonderin if the word on the street is NO SELLER NAME, NO PRICE...Mail fraud is O.K.??? what is the new general rule of thumb if this is obviously an issue that needs to be addressed ( pun intended )
Let make the call. US Sellers. What is the word??
OR
I just figure, I pack everything the same. Everything gets the same amount of consideration and time regargless of value. Everything goes through our system...filing, labeling, packaging etc. I dont really believe in lying, yet I am ok with strecthing the truth BUT I dont have anything to lose except maybe a business licence....is that possible? What are the consequences? I like branding. I like seeing everything all primp and clean, orderly. I dont mind the extra particular buyer on occasion who demands certain way of shipping but if this becomes a regular thing amongst int. buyers then there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Is this a new disclaimer on the horizion???
Again, All or nothing I want this process to be as easy as possible. Automatic.
The last guy from South America to win a record from me also asked me to not put any store name or indication of value on packaging. He said it might get stolen somewhere along the way if it looked valuable. That made sense.
Unless they want it insured, I always claim a low value and I try use terms like "used phonograph record" on the form. Everybody's gettin' over here, sellers are getting high prices, buyers are getting good records, let's cooperate and try to have some flexability.
Comments
Does it get returned?
Thrown in the trash?
Smuggled away by the local record mafia?
I think it gets returned. A friend of mine had a package returned from somewhere in Europe not long ago. It had apparently sat in customs for a while and was never picked up.
I've always tried my best to fill out customs forms to the buyer's advantage, but a few people have told me that they'd prefer I not declare a low value, as it only makes the customs officials more suspicious. Last week a buyer (in Austria, I think) asked me specifically to declare the item for around $16 USD, when he had only paid $12 for it. He said anything under $15-16 made them suspicious and they'd hold the package.
I have to say, overall I think the USPS is pretty nice.
Good question... I don't know...
that's true, sometimes the customs authority just send a note to show them an invoice for the total amount - I always ask to declare a single record for $4.99. If there are more records in the parcel then $2.99 or $ 1.99. And I always ask to declare the as "used vinyl records" or "discontinued stock records", and the best will be to include an "invoice" in the parcel where all records are marked with the declared low prices.
If a have to pay import duites and taxes - a low declared amount will save some $/euros otherwise it does not make sns to pay $15 for shipping plus import taxes for a single record.
And from my long time experience it shows that private adresses are usually getting less attention than businesses.
Give it a go... Obviously has to be the right shape! Hard to pass off a 45 in cardboard as Vintage Clothing unless you say it's a hoola hoop for Kate Moss...
Heres the UK import laws and the breakdown of charges if you get stung.
Basically any ITEM under ??18 which is currently about $35.5 US and we don't get charged import duty or VAT. Any cost over that and we get stung for a percentage of the WHOLE amount including shipping costs, and then other costs on top.
Your Customs Allowance
Customs charges may only be applied from goods sent into the UK from outside the EU. Orders from within have already had the relevant VAT and duty paid in that EU member state. Jersey is not classed as within the EU, but as a Special Territory , and as such are liable to VAT.
The current allowances for DVDs, CDs and the such are ??18, or ??36 for gifts.
If an item is VAT-exempt (such as books), you will not be liable for charges on those items
Postage and packing must be remembered. If the total value of goods in the package that are liable to duty and VAT is less than ??18 WITHOUT P&P, you will not be liable for a charge. If the total value of goods in the package exceeds ??18, the VAT and duty is charged on the total value of the goods INCLUDING P&P
The ??36 allowance for gifts only applies to unsolicited gifts from one individual to another (such as a birthday present). Goods marked as "gifts" from a company fall in to the same category as any other purchases and so the ??18 allowance applies.(cheers Ed Parsons).
How the charge is calculated
Customs (Import) Duty of 3.5%
VAT @ 17.5% - the VAT is charged on the value of the goods PLUS the customs duty
Administration charge of the courier
For example, if the cost of goods and P&P comes to ??30, you would have the following:
??30 for goods
??1.05 customs (import) duty
??5.43 VAT on ??31.05
The administration charge of the courier varies. Here are the current charges you can expect:
Royal Mail ??4.00 (RM site )
Parcelforce - ??8 for standard parcels, ??13.50 for high value (> ???1000) and express parcels. (Thanks to DeadKenny for this info). (Parcel Force )
DHL ??1.25 or 2% (whichever is greater) for non-business users (DHL site - Information - About Duty & Vat for more information).
UPS is ??11or 2.5% (whichever is greater) UPS site in section marked "Disbursements" (Thanks to Chris for the info and smst for update 14/02/06).
FedEx personal handling charge is ??4.50 as of Dec03. If you have been charged more than this, you have probably been charged the business rate and should query this (cheers cm-9 for the info).
Another important factor is the value of the goods. If the value is not declared in GBP, HMC&E will use their own monthly rates to convert the value to GBP. The monthly rates are checked once a week and changes made if they differ by more than 5% from the last published rate and amended from midnight on Tuesday/ Wednesday of the following week. (Source - http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/rates/rates.htm ).
HMC&E can also value the item(s) if they feel that the declared value is false, and will apply what they feel the value should be and you will be charged accordingly.
How you pay
With packages coming in through Royal Mail, the postman will leave a note telling you that you have an item with a charge at your local delivery office, and you will have to go and collect it. If they leave it/hand it over and do not collect any money, you have got away with it.
Couriers such as FedEx, DHL and the such will normally pay the VAT & duty on your behalf and invoice you some time later. Be careful to check that they have only charged you the non-business user rate of admin charge - if it is around ??10 or more, they have mistakenly charged you the business rate and you should take it up with them.
God knows what other countries are like though.
we ship international EVERY day. if i had a dollar for every customer that wanted me to mark "gift" so they could avoid a customs charge, i'd have a lot of extra money in my pocket. people can not seem to understand that they have to pay a customs tax. we've had people order merchandise, and then refuse it due to an additional fee for customs.
our store policies state we're not responsible for said customs charges, whatever they may be. people just don't get it.
I hear this. I feel like our local post will see things differently if one out of 30 is odd in someway. We are shipping a lot lately so it is kind of a pain in the ass to go find that one that is specified and different from the rest, especially when your working assembly style. I guess I dont mind if its just one, but is this going to be the new order of things international? It took me a half hour to go back an find this one below. I hardly ever read paypal messages, everything is printed through a seperate program. I guess I DO mind just one, they all need to be the same. All or nothing.
anyways.. Tim just happend to notice this today :
"Shipping Method - AIR MAIL - Please, send the iten I have ordered as GIFT, in order I pay less taxes.Please, don`t put ANY PRICE with record in the packet.Please, put a STRONGER PACKET!!!!!Please, put a small price in the total order -2$ -Please, don`t put the name of the seller in the packet, put your PERSONAL NAME!!!!Thanks"
This is to Brazil, not even euro. So Im wonderin if the word on the street is NO SELLER NAME, NO PRICE...Mail fraud is O.K.??? what is the new general rule of thumb if this is obviously an issue that needs to be addressed ( pun intended )
Let make the call. US Sellers. What is the word??
OR
I just figure, I pack everything the same. Everything gets the same amount of consideration and time regargless of value. Everything goes through our system...filing, labeling, packaging etc. I dont really believe in lying, yet I am ok with strecthing the truth BUT I dont have anything to lose except maybe a business licence....is that possible? What are the consequences? I like branding. I like seeing everything all primp and clean, orderly. I dont mind the extra particular buyer on occasion who demands certain way of shipping but if this becomes a regular thing amongst int. buyers then there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Is this a new disclaimer on the horizion???
Again, All or nothing I want this process to be as easy as possible. Automatic.
The last guy from South America to win a record from me also asked me to not put any store name or indication of value on packaging. He said it might get stolen somewhere along the way if it looked valuable. That made sense.
Unless they want it insured, I always claim a low value and I try use terms like "used phonograph record" on the form. Everybody's gettin' over here, sellers are getting high prices, buyers are getting good records, let's cooperate and try to have some flexability.
SONIC