brbo
Well-known
I've always had the option to mark the item as gift and still have it insured for whatever amount (if insurance for destination country was available at all).
Ok, would-be customs cheats...
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David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
I often wonder what level taxes would be if everyone paid their share...
As for misspending, that's one of the joys of democracy. Having a good line in chat is the main requirement for politicians and then they are given control of billions to spend on things they don't/won't ever understand. But what's the alternative?
Regards, David
I often wonder what level taxes would be if everyone paid their share...
As for misspending, that's one of the joys of democracy. Having a good line in chat is the main requirement for politicians and then they are given control of billions to spend on things they don't/won't ever understand. But what's the alternative?
Regards, David
k__43
Registered Film User
Yeah - it's funny how they hang the president's picture there (even the cheap cheat before Gauck) - kinda reminds me of Erich hanging in my class rooms back in primary school.
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
Erich ? Erich Honecker ?
I thought that fashion of hanging the president's picture everywhere was mostly common in developing countries
brbo
Well-known
OK, I wasn't aware you were talking about eBay. OP was about buyers on RFF.
And it sucks that you obviously can't have the parcel insured if there wasn't any money involved. So you transfer $1000 to your son so he can buy a camera from you and only THEN you can have it shipped to him (so you get back $1000 if it gets lost)? My god, you are even worse at making simple things complicated than us Europeans...
willie_901
Veteran
When a stranger requests I commit a crime, I simply refuse.
brbo
Well-known
But you'd do it for a friend anytime? 😉
Joking aside, most (me included) probably didn't know that it's a crime in the US.
brbo
Well-known
Who said anything about sentimental value?
Here, I pay for a delivery of a mail with specified value (yes, the value can be pulled out of thin air, but the postal clerk can make me describe the contents and then check them; I guess they can refuse to accept my mail if something is fishy). If the contents are damaged or the mail is lost I'm entitled to compensation in the amount of the damage (up to the amount that was specified as the value of my mail).
OK, now we know you don't have that in US.
bmattock
Veteran
Just for fun:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/cusval_e/cusval_info_e.htm
It shows how confusing it can be establishing value for the purposes of making a Customs declaration and paying whatever the attendant fees might be. I like the basic conclusion:
In other words, if you paid $10 for the item on eBay, then that's the value for the purposes of Customs declaration.
As an aside (to others in this thread), I will say this once more - many of those in this thread who are complaining about the rate of taxation in their country are nevertheless failing to grasp the concept that this 'unfair' condition imposes no obligation on the seller. Why is it my problem that your country taxes you heavily? Why would you be angry at me for failing to help you cheat by putting my own butt on the line?
In other words, if Joe Schmoe in Elbonia gets taxed at 89% on widgets he buys overseas, and I sell poor Joe some widgets and ship them to him from the USA, it is a) not my fault that Elbonia has 'unfair tax rates' and b) I am not on the hook to help him get around those unfair rates. If Joe wants to get mad, Joe should direct his anger at his Elbonian government.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Given that many postal instruments are international standard, I suppose they might actually do where explicitly insured letters are concerned, unless that has changed within the last decade. At least German insured letters used to cover the full insurance sum, regardless of material value. When still doing studio photography, that made them my preferred transport for mailing original chromes to clients. When using registered letters or parcels, you were entitled to the equivalent length of film in case they were lost...
brbo
Well-known
There are MANY countries where you are compensated in the amount of direct DAMAGE to the contents.
So, a book is not simply worth the weight of paper when you mail it.
bideford
Established
Aside from small value items, the duty/tax for importing from either the USA or Japan (the two main possible markets) render importing an expensive business. Fortunately there is no import duty/tax for items sourced in Europe.
James
James
valdas
Veteran
That is true, but for some items the supply is so limited in Europe. I was looking for Fuji GA645 and ended up buying from Japanese seller, even after 24% Finnish VAT and the duty it was still cheaper than any European seller would offer...
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Well, there are a few things where this is true, as there are high protective penal duties in place (bicycles, for example, with 80%). But in general, duties are negligible (4% on most things photographic) and the only thing you have to pay at the customs office is the VAT (19%, in Germany) which also is applied to every domestic purchase, so there is no difference there.
The real nuisance is that you have to appear at the customs office for collection - and in the early 2000s (not apprehending the era of ebay and alibaba) they closed some 95% of customs offices in aggressive cost-cutting measures, so these are as rare as hen's teeth. In my case it means travelling to the most remote and least accessible corner of town (barred behind a traffic jam for most of the day), to a place opened only during my own regular working hours, to stand there in line for an hour or three while the custom officers perform some bizarre pantomime of slow motion work almost as fast and energetic as mating slugs on a cold day. And I am privileged to be in one of the metropolitan areas. If you happen to live in a small town or out in the country, throw in another two hour trip to the state capital, and even more limited opening hours...
valdas
Veteran
That really sounds bad. At least in Finland one can ask Postal office to clear it - all by email. I just provide the description, proof of value (purchasing documents) and email to them. Postal service will clear, and deliver to my door and issue an invoice in a week or so (they charge 20 EUR for this service).
Lss
Well-known
I don't really see that in this thread. I am quite sure that people holding a seller responsible for actions of any government are in the minority.
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
I'm pretty sure you can request a reassessment of the value of the package anywhere
skibeerr
Well-known
Ask a Dane about Danish post. :bang:
Darthfeeble
But you can call me Steve
It's amazing the various rationales for cheating. "The measure of a man is how he acts when no one is looking".
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Hereabouts not remotely. I can pre-arrange for the seller to send it by courier service rather than by post - at roughly twenty times the price of the latter. If it goes through the customs at the hands of the German Post and the customs for whatever reasons determine that a payment might be due, the Post refuses any further involvement, and it is between me, personally, and the customs - where the latter only offer pick-up. Within two weeks, or it will be destroyed, returned or auctioned off at the discretion of the customs office.
