(RANT) I hate Customs...

[Padoca85]

I HATE the customs over here.
I got some cheap Saturn games came to around $96 with shipping. You know how much the customs want from me to receive it? $127. Almost 125% of the original value! Just because It was send by EMS they think Im rich and charge whatahell they fell like... XP

[Elijah]

Did the seller not mark the value down, and send it as a "gift"?

[Padoca85]

He did, but theres no arguing with the customs here.

[alphagamer]

I already heard that customs in Brazil was a rape fest, but that is an outrage!

[Mystical]

thats ridiculous, they are basically holding your stuff ransom

[Padoca85]

They usually tax them in 60%. But because it was an EMS they must though it wasnt enough XP

[HEX1GON]

Aw man, that sucks!

So gift does jack all? Would sending an item not by EMS change anything though?

[Yakumo]

I was the one who sent the parcel and here is the F*ing stupid thing. EMS should pass straight through customs while SAL or Surface mail will be checked more often than not. Just ask Importaku. I've sent him at least 50 odd parcels via EMS to the UK and not once have they been stopped. same with other countries as well.

It seems to me that Brazil will rape you no matter what service you use. Oh, and get this. It was cheaper to send the parcel to Brazil via EMS than it was by SAL mail!! how the fuck is that? Well, I wonder if it isn't some sort of bullshit set up by the Brazilian government. I can't think of any other country that I send parcels to where EMS is cheaper than SAL.

Yakumo

[Padoca85]

Aw man, that sucks!

So gift does jack all? Would sending an item not by EMS change anything though?

At least for EMS they gift option is useless, from what I read they will stop to tax every EMS/FEDEX arrived in the country, no mater the value. I very rarely had problems with other shipping methods. ( withtax, if they dont have a tracking its about 30% of chance they will just disappear on the way from my experience)


I was the one who sent the parcel and here is the F*ing stupid thing. EMS should pass straight through customs while SAL or Surface mail will be checked more often than not. Just ask Importaku. I've sent him at least 50 odd parcels via EMS to the UK and not once have they been stopped. same with other countries as well.

It seems to me that Brazil will rape you no matter what service you use. Oh, and get this. It was cheaper to send the parcel to Brazil via EMS than it was by SAL mail!! how the fuck is that? Well, I wonder if it isn't some sort of bullshit set up by the Brazilian government. I can't think of any other country that I send parcels to where EMS is cheaper than SAL.

Yakumo

I read on the federal police site today that most packages may as usual be checked and pay 60% of tax. BUT if it is by EMS they can charge up to 100%. Even so I guess 100% wasnt good enough.
So EMS its the other way around.
If you buy anything and use the fastest option of shippment, they think your rich and f**k you up. Try using FEDEX and youre really f*ked.
Another thing is that they tax based on the contents plus the shipping price. WTH! They want to make money even from the shipping company.

I know Yakumo had the best intentions, this is just a fu*ed up country.

Them i just got back from the post office again, and they said they cant ship it back right away just because I refused, they need to wait 10 working days, and if no one reclaims it, them they ship it back...

I have been geting so much bull**t from this country lately that Im really thinking of moving to another place.

[Johnny]

I HATE the customs over here.
I got some cheap Saturn games came to around $96 with shipping. You know how much the customs want from me to receive it? $127. Almost 125% of the original value! Just because It was send by EMS they think Im rich and charge whatahell they fell like... XP

Well, Express services are more prone to tax. Courier services like Fedex, UPS, DHL are always taxed. If you have the payment receipt and the auction / store pricing you can fill a form to contest that value. If i'm not mistaken it takes about 2 weeks for respond. But be aware. It can be lower, yes, but i've read of cases of getting even higher.

The Import Tax is 60% of the declared value. In some states there's also ICMS that is usually 18%.

Best way to try avoid these taxes is using regular mail services like Priority International or Surface. But even on those cases you can be taxed.

It's pratically a gambling situation. I've seen people with small packages being taxed, while others with big ones weren't. There's no standard. Also if the package has any store logo / info the product is taxed. Only stuff sent from real people can get away.

Some people even say some addressess are being "blacklisted" because received too much import packages and them start getting being taxed on anything they imported afterwards.

Since i don't import much (actually rarely these days), i can't say much about the current situation.

EDITED: Here's a good import tax calculator. http://fergonez.net/variados/impostos.php

[Lum]

This is one of those things I obviously wouldn't enjoy (no offense to people who *seek* to toss away money), but can't relate direct with. Our government handles customs and gaming alike too different than others.

I've yet to be charged a cent in import fees at the post office. Ever. And I bought stuff like Urusei Yatsura Complete Music Box. Been too long to recall paying for insufficient postage either.

For that matter we don't have federal games rating. ESRB is "officially" voluntary and non-governmental in operation.

[Padoca85]

Unfortunaly we dont have much options here, Everything that its made or enter this country its heavily taxed.

A brand new release, officialy released here usually costs between $105~130

Add to that our wage floor its around $360, depending on the state you live.

[Yakumo]

Them i just got back from the post office again, and they said they cant ship it back right away just because I refused, they need to wait 10 working days, and if no one reclaims it, them they ship it back...What a bunch of twats. OK, I'll keep an eye open for the parcel and resend it to you. Next time shall we send it as two Small Packet SAL parcels or one normal SAL parcel with tracking?

You did the right thing having it sent back to me. I wouldn't pay that much tax either.

Here's a funny story for you about the bastards in Osaka customs (where all my imports go through). I buy my BluRays from Amazon US because they are 50% cheaper than buying them in Japan even with shipping. Anyway, the last set I wanted fast so I paid for express shipping service. The discs arrived in Japan just two days later but those bastards at Osaka customs kept them for over a week. Then they wanted me to pay holding fees or some shit. I told them to stick their fee up their arse since I had paid for express service yet they kept my parcel for a week. The backed down right away. :thumbsup:

The last parcel I paid for normal shipping and guess what? Three days after Amazon sending me a mail to tell me the BluRays had shipped, they arrived at my home. I'm always going for standard shipping from now on. So much faster.

Yakumo

[Padoca85]

What a bunch of twats. OK, I'll keep an eye open for the parcel and resend it to you. Next time shall we send it as two Small Packet SAL parcels or one normal SAL parcel with tracking?

You did the right thing having it sent back to me. I wouldn't pay that much tax either.

Yakumo

Yeah, no way I was going to pay that much.

One normal SAL with tracking will do just fine, maybe mark the value a little down. I not using anything that doesnt have tracking..


They must think along the lines: If he wants to receive it fast, them he NEEDS THIS SOON, lets charge him whatever we fell like, otherwise he will have to wait a long time XP

[port187]

Yeah, no way I was going to pay that much.

One normal SAL with tracking will do just fine, maybe mark the value a little down. I not using anything that doesnt have tracking..


They must think along the lines: If he wants to receive it fast, them he NEEDS THIS SOON, lets charge him whatever we fell like, otherwise he will have to wait a long time XP

I would recommend using an address of a mate or family next time, as you are probably on the radar now.

[ThetaSigma]

Dude that sucks! Go and start a revolution or something!

[Padoca85]

Dude that sucks! Go and start a revolution or something!

We REALLY do need one.

[ave]

I rarely had to pick up SAL or surface packages from the customs office, maybe about 10 times in my life (out of several times that amount of packages). Then again every EMS package I had to pay for, simply because they assume there's something valuable in it and of course because it doesn't make much sense to buy insurance and write 5$ on it, so usually there's the real value right on the label (100$+).

I just recently got some 10kg packages (surface) without any complications.

Taxes here in British Columbia are a lot cheaper, only 12%. Everybody still complains about the high taxes, but I was used to 19% GST in Germany... back in Alberta where my family lives it's even as little as 5% iirc!! 14% less than in Germany, how can the government afford this generous fiscal policy!?

That customs ripoff sucks. And I thought it was bad back at home in Germany where they charge you 19% GST on BOTH, shipping fees AND item value (if the item value exceeds 22 Euros)! Because shipping is a service and counts as import, hmpf. Sometimes I had to pay 19% on a $40 item (fake) and $125 shipping, so 19% of $165. Still a bargain compared to that deal of the century they offered you.

[sayin999]

Honestly I never had to deal with customs prices, then again are postal system is top notch for the most part never had a package not show up either. In the states the only thing they will tax you on is something huge and heavy like a car. But games and movies or any misc entertainment they don't care. Lol Yakumo did you use free shipping? Even when I choose the free shipping option with amazon mostly comes in 3 days, sometimes comes in 2 days or next depending on what it is. Last thing I bought from ebay I choose ems so I am going to see how much its worth over regular airmail.

[Mugi]

(RANT) I hate Customs...


atleast you got as far as customs....

the lovely finnish postal service just told me that a device sent to me via standard mail absolutely can't be sent to it's new owner at all because it contains a battery -.-
well, how nice of them to deliver it to me before telling me there's no way to deliver it by post.

[retro]

Marking it as gift, to Europe anyway, gives you a small concession - but it's only to the value of £32, IIRC (as opposed to about £15 for commercial goods).

Marking it as less valuable as it is - that's fraud. If you get caught, you are in trouble. They can open the parcel and assess the value of the items. You also won't be able to claim for anything more than the value you marked should you need to, of course.

In the UK, they will charge tax at our rate on the goods AND the shipping. So yes, if you choose an expensive shipping method, they'll tax you on that, too.

[ave]

Marking it as less valuable as it is - that's fraud. If you get caught, you are in trouble. They can open the parcel and assess the value of the items.

That's only partially true. They do make you open the parcel and assess the value of the items if they think it might be way too low (or if it's obvious, i.e. new PS Vitas for $20 each). But you're not in trouble if the value on the label was way lower, but you let them assess it and pay the taxes on a higher value as estimated by the customs. This happened to me several times and since I cannot influence the actions of the sender, I'm not the one who can be confronted with consequences.

Of course it's fraud, but it only becomes illegal if you try to confirm the $20 PS Vita with a fake invoice after they inquired about it.

[Elijah]

Marking it as gift, to Europe anyway, gives you a small concession - but it's only to the value of £32, IIRC (as opposed to about £15 for commercial goods).

Marking it as less valuable as it is - that's fraud. If you get caught, you are in trouble. They can open the parcel and assess the value of the items. You also won't be able to claim for anything more than the value you marked should you need to, of course.

In the UK, they will charge tax at our rate on the goods AND the shipping. So yes, if you choose an expensive shipping method, they'll tax you on that, too.
I have never had an issue with customs in the UK, when marking the value down and as a "gift", and the parcels have always been sent with EMS and often are worth over £250. I know that you may say that this is risky, but I have never had an issue with it. Even when the shipping cost itself was well over £100, I never had an issue. I just get the seller to describe the item(s) as stuff that I left behind on holiday by accident (lol), and customs don't even seem to bother to open it up, even though some parcels have been very large. It always gets through without a penny extra charged to me.

Also, I once imported a PS3 as soon as it was released, and told the sender to mark it as a $20 DVD player. I did not hear anything more from customs and the console was delivered to me immediately. I have saved thousands over the years with these tricks and that is what I call "sticking it to the man"

[Azathoth]

15+ years and hundreds of international packages later I've only had:

a) two that didn't make it to me (one from China, another Malaysia)
b) two that were opened and inspected by US customs/boarder patrol (again one from China, another Malaysia)

Neither of the lost packages were registered or had tracking numbers associated with them so it's untelling at what point they vanished. Which leads me to ask this; what does customs do (specifically US customs) if they inspect your package and deem that it is illegal or whatever shouldn't be delivered? Obviously if it's toys stuffed with cocaine or spindles of kiddie porn your ass will be greeted by law enforcement, but what if it's a counterfeit product or something less threatening of that nature?

Do they notify you that what you ordered is being seized and destroyed? Write you a dirty letter? Put your shitty camcorder DVD's in the break room while you sit on your thumb wondering where the hell they are?

[Shadowlayer]

Haha yeah, I remember when I was in south america for work and my laptop broke down, so my GF sent me a replacement.

Mind people there gave me all the advise they could so I wouldnt get robbed or something, but post offices there are really shifty, and because nobody controls them the fuckers get to do whatever they want.

I had to wait in line for 2 hours just to get to this really dirty room where some asshole dropped the box on his grimy desk: it was already opened and they didnt let me check the contents until I signed the receipt.

Now mind my GF took a lot of precautions besides marking it as GIFT like including a note from her (so its obviously a gift). It was ALL missing! both the gift label and the note! fuckers took it out so they could charge me anyway.

Fortunately I could pass that as travel expenses (not my fault they sent me to a place every laptop costs more than a macbook pro!) and my company gave me my money back, but for the locals? its the same hell over and over, and for literally ANYTHING: some kid there had to go through the same shit for a $50 toy!

[Shadowlayer]

BTW, if my friends there made something abundantly clear is that you should NEVER EVER USE EMS

Why? because the fuckers at customs ALWAYS overcharge EMS parcels, no exceptions!

[Padoca85]

Horay to the Country of High Tax!!
Thats why I try to import everything nowadays. Heres almost a no men land. People just want to screw over each other, no one want to feel like have been passed behind.

Im getting to a point of boil with the people in this country, I would move right away to someplace else if I could afford at the moment.

[feder]

I had to wait in line for 2 hours just to get to this really dirty room where some asshole dropped the box on his grimy desk: it was already opened and they didnt let me check the contents until I signed the receipt.

Which country did you go to? Here in Argentina the customs are a pain in the ass, I had to go many times, but they always opened the packages in front of me.

[Tchoin]

I feel you Padoca, I've ranted tons of times about this here.

Customs suck, almost everywhere in South America.