The playing field is a bit more level...

[citizen99]

In the UK, Parcelforce/RoyalMail charge a handling fee that can sometimes be larger than the import tax on a second-hand item from the USA 🙁 .

As an aside, and a caution, a while ago we used to get fraudulent emails purporting to be from the likes of UPS, demanding payment for non-existent orders. Haven't had any recently, but a spate of these things can start up again at any time.

 

[Contarama]

They are trying really really hard to get control over the net. I wonder if Gutenberg faced a similar dilemma?

Anyone ever been on the silk road through a tor browser? You can purchase anything including hand grenades and any drug known to mankind.

Someone somewhere is mad because the masses are making to much money and have to much freedom and power.

The internet has been shut down many a time already for many folks don't think they can't do it here or there too if they want.

I'm just saying...

You folks in France really believe all that 30% of whatever is going to pay for the civil servants? I bet you a bunch of it is being deposited in Switzerland and offshore banks...

 

[btgc]

Let's pray they don't want to sleep with our wives because "there's a law" !

 

[kennylovrin]

This is quite common in Sweden and not very easy to slip past in my experience. Anything that comes from outside the EU you have to pay tax and customs for. I think it usually amounts to ~20% of the item price including shipping cost so it makes a pretty big difference. I've been thinking of getting a camera for example via JCH but the customs and tax adds so much on top I become a bit hesitant.

You can import items below a certain amount though without paying this on top, but it's quite low, I think somewhere around $120 or so.

The one thing that really annoyed me once was a think I purchased online from the US, and I had to pay a fee because they opened the package in the customs - basically I had to pay for their time opening my totally fine and legit package. I fail to see why it is my problem that they decide to open the package only to find everything is alright... If it had been something illegal in it though I can see how I would have to pay.

 

[Contarama]

Censorship at it's finest...

 

[btgc]

I fail to see why it is my problem that they decide to open the package only to find everything is alright... If it had been something illegal in it though I can see how I would have to pay.

Sweden seems to be one of countries with thickest butter spread on social bread. So you have to support that jar of butter....

 

[kennylovrin]

Sweden seems to be one of countries with thickest butter spread on social bread. So you have to support that jar of butter....

I can't tell if you are being serious or sarcastic here.. 🙂

But anyway, personally I don't generally mind taxes overall for reasons we don't have to discuss here.

My problem in this specific case was that I did everything right, yet I had to pay (it was a very small fee, I think $15 or so) and that doesn't seem right to me.

I can see though why they opened the package (if it was xrayed before) as it contained two syringes, some tube like containers and some "tiny beads" - it was two guitar humidifiers that came with syringes for refilling and some kind of gel beads to hold the water. 🙂

 

[willie_901]

Let's pray they don't want to sleep with our wives because "there's a law" !

What if I wrap my wife in tin foil?

 

[mbisc]

I just received a bill from FedEx for "Duties, Tax, Customs, Other Fees" related to an item I purchased from a dealer in Hong Kong. It amounts to about 6% of the purchase price. This is the first time I've ever had to pay any tariff for an item purchased outside the U.S. via the internet.

Now that the big online retailers are beginning to charge California sales tax (I live in CA), and foreign purchases are being subjected to duty charges/VAT taxes, local vendor prices are becoming more and more competitive. I think that's a good thing. 😱

Ignore those bills -- there is not such charge and therefore no need to pay "facilitation fees" on the part of UPS/FedEx. The good thing is that they know that, too, so they will never send you a payment reminder 😀