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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 19, 2016 12:16:22 GMT -6
Anyone done this before? I'm looking at picking something up, but not sure how the duties or whatever will work out. Give me the lowdown.
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Post by EmRR on Dec 19, 2016 13:26:47 GMT -6
I've never paid import duties, though largest import was around $900.
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Post by bowie on Dec 19, 2016 14:27:27 GMT -6
It's not exactly gear, but I import cases of tubes from Germany and the UK a few times a year and here's what I've found. If it's around $1,500 or less, I've never had duties charged at the time of receipt. On shipments valued $2k or more, I've been charged every time. To give you an idea, it's been between $65 and $160 on $2,500 deliveries. Some of that covers duties, some of it is the fee that the courier charges themselves for the processing (just a cash grab). To pay the duties, you either get an email in advance allowing you to pay online, or you cut the UPS/Fedex/DHL person a check when they bring the package to your door. Heads up; the emails DHL sends to notify you of duties look like poorly written spam/pishing emails and they won't deliver until you respond. I ignored them for a month until I realized a package was late and then found out DHL was about to send it back to Germany.
Now, from what I understand, whether or not you are charged duties at the time of delivery, you are still technically obligated to cover these duties and report them. I don't think that there is any agency actually pursuing duties from anyone other than large importers. But, if you want to have your ducks in a row, you may want to look into it.
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Dec 19, 2016 18:13:03 GMT -6
If your going to do it, communicate via email first, proof that an actual gear pimp agreed to the terms as you thought they were can buy you more good will than using an auto check out if order approval / shipping / customs either catches something or adds a fee.
I have been told nobody auto approves any international order, everybody has a human who knows the rules approve any international order.
This is always a good policy but especially in this case:
READ THE SELLERS ORDER POLICY THRICE BEFORE ORDERING! This spells out what can & will happen . This trumps what any sales weenie promises!
READ THE MANUFACTURERS WARRENTY POLICY & THE POLICES OF BOTH THE US & GERMAN DISTRIBUTOR! Better to know how they will treat you if there is a problem! Realize if you have a problem you could be in a position where you make an enemies in The US distributor, German distributor and the dealer!
But yeah it could all go great but know what your position is if it goes wrong!
Also check with the issuer of your credit card, they may protect you on a mail order overseas purchase that you otherwise have no protection on !
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Post by pope on Dec 20, 2016 13:08:24 GMT -6
Anyone done this before? I'm looking at picking something up, but not sure how the duties or whatever will work out. Give me the lowdown. I can't really help but here are some random questions…  a) What are you planning of getting or at least how much does it cost? (Is it a mic or a console?) b) Can you not find a dealer in the US? Even if the price is a bit higher in US, it might be cheaper considering customs and shipping. c) Have you asked the German dealer about the costs involved? Just thinking out loud really |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 20, 2016 13:12:27 GMT -6
Anyone done this before? I'm looking at picking something up, but not sure how the duties or whatever will work out. Give me the lowdown. I can't really help but here are some random questions… a) What are you planning of getting or at least how much does it cost? (Is it a mic or a console?) b) Can you not find a dealer in the US? Even if the price is a bit higher in US, it might be cheaper considering customs and shipping. c) Have you asked the German dealer about the costs involved? Just thinking out loud really A) Pair of small items. Pair would cost $1500 in the US, $1050 after shipping from the German dealer (website shows cost of shipping to US). B) If customs aren't involved, I'd be saving 1/3rd the price. Probably a bit better price than buying used here in the US (if I could even find them used). C) Haven't talked to the dealer. Figure it's best to have my ducks in a row and cash in hand for the purchase before contacting the dealer. |
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Post by bowie on Dec 20, 2016 13:59:39 GMT -6
I can't really help but here are some random questions… a) What are you planning of getting or at least how much does it cost? (Is it a mic or a console?) b) Can you not find a dealer in the US? Even if the price is a bit higher in US, it might be cheaper considering customs and shipping. c) Have you asked the German dealer about the costs involved? Just thinking out loud really A) Pair of small items. Pair would cost $1500 in the US, $1050 after shipping from the German dealer (website shows cost of shipping to US). B) If customs aren't involved, I'd be saving 1/3rd the price. Probably a bit better price than buying used here in the US (if I could even find them used). C) Haven't talked to the dealer. Figure it's best to have my ducks in a row and cash in hand for the purchase before contacting the dealer. You're right at that point where it might be cheaper to have them shipped separately rather than together. That's what I would do at least. I'm not speaking of tax dodging either as the courier fees alone (which kick in around $2k in my experience) are often more expensive than the extra shipping charge. It's always good to talk to the exporter but, to be honest, few of them are able to keep up with the import duties in other countries. People often ask me what they will be charged but when I ship internationally, which I do on a weekly basis, I'm given zero info about what the customer will see in terms of duties. You may want to ask the seller who they ship with, then contact the courier to inquire about duties and fees. |
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Post by levon on Dec 21, 2016 0:14:12 GMT -6
Don't know how the US handles it, but anything over $40 that I import into Germany is taxed. 4% EU tax and 19% VAT. Those 19% are calculated on the price of the item, the shipping costs and the 4% EU tax, which, in effect means, I have to pay tax on the tax and on the shipping. Ridiculous. Why don't you check with your local customs office to see what the deal is in the US?
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Post by EmRR on Dec 21, 2016 12:48:12 GMT -6
Heads up; the emails DHL sends to notify you of duties look like poorly written spam/pishing emails and they won't deliver until you respond. I ignored them for a month until I realized a package was late and then found out DHL was about to send it back to Germany. bowie, do they look like this? I am waiting on something from them, and if this is legit, it certainly does look like every other spam.  edit - THIS DID TURN OUT TO BE SPAM |
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Post by bowie on Dec 21, 2016 14:02:32 GMT -6
Heads up; the emails DHL sends to notify you of duties look like poorly written spam/pishing emails and they won't deliver until you respond. I ignored them for a month until I realized a package was late and then found out DHL was about to send it back to Germany. bowie, do they look like this? I am waiting on something from them, and if this is legit, it certainly does look like every other spam. Precisely. I'm glad you posted that because I really wanted people to understand what I was talking about. They looked like that and I believe one I received from a supervisor (a "last notice") which had several font colors and screamed "unprofessional". DHL doesn't seem to realize how spam-weary Americans are. There's no way in hell I was going to open the attachment or respond, until I realized I was missing a shipment. Even then, I didn't go through the email, I just called them and inquired. |
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Post by EmRR on Dec 21, 2016 15:10:42 GMT -6
I think I will call or email directly. The emails look legit, but the whole thing screams SPAM. The tracking # I have doesn't match, nor does it show up online either.
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Post by mrholmes on Dec 21, 2016 15:52:03 GMT -6
jcoutu1 If you want I can check the offer for you because I know the German gear scene very well...
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Dec 21, 2016 18:07:43 GMT -6
I think I will call or email directly. The emails look legit, but the whole thing screams SPAM. The tracking # I have doesn't match, nor does it show up online either. m Yeah That's DHL and a bunch of their partners! |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Dec 21, 2016 18:12:53 GMT -6
Don't know how the US handles it, but anything over $40 that I import into Germany is taxed. 4% EU tax and 19% VAT. Those 19% are calculated on the price of the item, the shipping costs and the 4% EU tax, which, in effect means, I have to pay tax on the tax and on the shipping. Ridiculous. Why don't you check with your local customs office to see what the deal is in the US? The problem is the shipper/ broker/ customs / customs agent marks up these fees and then charges you for the privilege of paying these mark ups! Direct importing something as a consumer is like driving with a blindfold on ( flying you have instruments and auto pilot so flying blind won't cut it anymore)! |
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Post by EmRR on Dec 21, 2016 18:37:00 GMT -6
I think I will call or email directly. The emails look legit, but the whole thing screams SPAM. The tracking # I have doesn't match, nor does it show up online either. m Yeah That's DHL and a bunch of their partners! If it's legit, then they must be the example after which most SPAM is modeled! |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Dec 21, 2016 18:42:56 GMT -6
m Yeah That's DHL and a bunch of their partners! If it's legit, then they must be the example after which most SPAM is modeled! Maybe that's why they couldn't make it in the US market? Everybody thought their important emails & their SPAM was SPAM ! |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Dec 21, 2016 18:45:46 GMT -6
I will say the RADAR purchase from Don Larking and the Company he used / US Postal was comepletly pain less!
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Post by EmRR on Dec 21, 2016 19:05:45 GMT -6
Postal is usually the best way to go if it can be done.
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