Purchasing something overseas. Customs/Duty Taxes? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2015, 05:23:44 am
content: So, I'm getting ready for a purchase from China, to be sent to my address in the US.As Ive bought stuff on eBay from China with no problems, I'm guessing this shipment will come into the SanFrancisco Port. I live in Oregon.If my item is subject to customs and duty taxes, what happens after paying for the item and this it gets shipped.Do I have to drive down to the port in SanFransisco and pick it up from the customs office? I've never done this before. Anyone with experience, can you please explain the process to me.It is electrical Wire, and if I read the online Tarriff stuff, it may be subject to a 3.9% charge. Is that the only charge? Is there more charges?Thank You.

author: janekm
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 09, 2015, 05:57:05 am
content: Well you haven't mentioned what kind of shipping service you are using. If it's one of the usual couriers (DHL, UPS, etc) they will handle the customs processing on your behalf (either through a sub-contracted customs agent or their in-house one) and drop the parcel off with you after you paid them for the duties, tax (in most parts of the world we have to pay the value added tax, what you call sales tax in the US, as well, not sure how that works in the US with the local sales tax regimes), and a service charge.If you went for ocean shipping as say a part container load or pallet etc. then, well, it dependsIt is possible to get delivery to your local port with you being responsible for the rest, but usually you'd still employ the services of a local customs agent and delivery company at that point.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2015, 05:59:54 am
content: well, first of all...Oregon does not have sales tax.Second, I'm not sure. I think it is coming by sea (ship into port). Then I think USPS is taking over from there.So, if it is subject to customs charges/duty tax....will they notify me or it just sits there until they auction it off?

author: janekm
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 09, 2015, 06:23:47 am
content: If it's being sent by "regular mail" (i.e. where USPS takes over the final delivery, and it was sent by China Post on the other end), then USPS would let you know if any duties are due... You may have to go to your local post office to pay? Someone from they US may be able to answer as the information online isn't very clear on that point:http://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/immc7_002.htmNot that there seems to be a $200 duty-free amount if the item is deemed "personal delivery" so you might get off without it.BTW mail sent by the national post services like USPS and China Post internationally is quite fascinating:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_UnionThey'll usually actually travel by plane on spare capacity on commercial flights, hence the delivery times can be very variable.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2015, 09:10:46 pm
content: @Falcon69I have something en-route from China at the moment also. I asked one of the local postmasters about this, and her response was that the postal carrier will attempt to collect the duty (based on what inbound customs has calculated). If no one is home, a note is left in the mail box, and you have to go to the local post office, make payment, and collect the package. She also mentioned that while these were once common, she rarely sees them anymore. I think it may to do with the declared value of the item, which the shipper puts on the customs form. The item I ordered has a $35 value, so I'm not expecting a duty (if any).

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2015, 11:51:13 pm
content: Quote from: cosmicray on January 09, 2015, 09:10:46 pmSame here, never had to pay custom or sale tax on shipments from china and the likes (including for example a MAYNUO programable load for 100's of dollars).

author: hpux735
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2015, 04:55:56 am
content: It would be good for you to do some digging with your seller. I bought a laser cutter from China a few months ago. It was shipped as part of container filled with other smaller shipments. There was the magic acronym FOB. Which means freight on board. This means that I had to pay for customs bonds, dock fees, container fees, etc. It's basically impossible to do all that without a customs broker. The shop came in to the long beach port (Google for port delays, they're really bad right now), and rode on a truck to the port of Portland (i'm in Corvallis). If it isn't a FOB situation, disregard.By the way, I can recommend a broker in the Portland area, and one to avoidalso, the broker bill was about $650. Almost none of that was the duty.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2015, 05:05:21 am
content: hpux735,can you private message me his number. I will call him on Monday to find out the details. I think it will be FOB. The first initial order is under the $200 (379 with shipping). So, I may not have to pay anything on it, but it will be sent to a business address, so maybe I will, dunno. But, I may be purchasing a very large order (like 6 grand), and I'll definitely need help with that.They are telling me that it is Ship to Port or Airport to Airport. I've never done shipments like that.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2015, 05:07:12 am
content: cosmicray,So the post office pays the duty and then they hope that i will pick up the package and pay them back? From my understanding, I thought the actual border customs office does not release goods until they actually have the money in their hands.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2015, 05:25:50 am
content: PO customs does the calculation, and if you do not pay then they will either return the parcel ( if there is a lot and there is spare containerage to the origin country) or destroy it, or sell on auction. If you pay then they keep the transaction and admin fee and the rest is sent to the CBP or government as income. Until you pay they have not spent any money other than on routine processing.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2015, 01:41:28 pm
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on January 10, 2015, 05:07:12 amI *think* the way that is handled is the post office collects from you, and then remits it to customs. There may be some book accounting in there to keep the pennies from being lost. For smaller shipments, USPS is acting as a collection agent for CBP.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2015, 06:29:41 pm
content: For small parcels I usually pay the mail man or I get an invoice (from UPS etc).If it is shipped to a port or airport I'd contact the company who handles the shipping. They can tell you all about the arrangements they can make for pickup or forwarding.

author: hpux735
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2015, 03:17:00 am
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on January 10, 2015, 05:05:21 amI can't figure out how to do pms in tapatalk, so I'll just post their website. Hopefully that doesn't violate some kind of policy...http://www.geosbush.com

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2015, 03:34:20 am
content: Thank you.You mentioned they chraged you $650? Please tell me that is not their flat rate. I hate to get charged $650 on an item I'm subject to duty for that only cost me $30.

author: hpux735
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2015, 07:19:03 am
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on January 11, 2015, 03:34:20 amOh, no, not at all. The only fixed cost is the cost to become a new customer, which is $50. Incidentally, I just finished a blog post about my experience with all this. I go into some detail about the process and the fees:http://www.housedillon.com/?p=2062Have you ordered it already? It's a good deal to learn all this before squeezing the trigger. I kinda wish I had. Although, maybe I wouldn't have a laser cutter now... Hmmm.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2015, 07:38:08 am
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on January 11, 2015, 03:34:20 amYou get charged according to what work the customs brokers do, not according to the value of the shipment. It's generally best to avoid being exposed to brokerage fees for low value shipments as the cost will be excruciating. Where possible, items should be sent by mail as parcels or packages. That way the Post Office deals with the import formalities and you just get to pay any customs duties assessed when you take receipt of the package.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2015, 08:19:47 pm
content: My modestly valued package arrived today from Seeed Studio. No duty (as expected). 15 calendar days from HK to Florida, via the cheapest shipping offered. Something on the label makes me suspect that DHL was involved in the handling.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2015, 10:03:25 am
content: So, I placed the order today. They send it HKUPS, then UPS in the states takes over. I called UPS, they said they pay the customs and duty fees to get the package released from customs. Then, they have me pay the fees when the package is delivered. So, We'll see, they said there may be 'other' broker fees as well, but didn't tell me how much. I guess UPS broker's their own packages when they pick them up from the Port?

author: janekm
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2015, 03:50:52 pm
content: UPS have their own fleet of planes, and also handle customs processing for you in order to move the parcel through the system quickly (sometimes they employ a third party customs broker). They do typically charge a customs brokerage fee but it's not humongous:http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs/fees.html