The most delinquent country: Customs taxes

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:27 pm

Today I had to receive a package with some whistles. The total value of the package was almost u$s 195 (there is a bill inside the box). When the mailman came told me that I had to pay u$s 110 of customs taxes. My face was something like:

and then

.
Obviously, I REJECTED to pay that (that's about 55% of taxes, are they kidding me?), and told him that I CAN'T PAY THAT. The thing is that in the next few days I'll receive a note to go to retire it directly from Customs (at the Central Post Office).
The mailman told me that everyone argue about taxes, and when you go to Customs they let you pay less (I think MUCH less) than what they asked in a first instance. I believe that if you offer the Customs-man about 10% he will save that money in his pocket and let you go (things work that way in this swindler country).
This country is really a sh*t, everyone, from bureaucracy to common people are thieves. Fortunately, I'll leave this country in a few months. This su**s. I'm really infuriated.

When someone wants to receive a package marked as a gift it never arrives because it's stolen. When someone wants to receive a package with a marked value, you have to pay 50% of it. I think this is a joke.

When I receive the note I'll go and I'll argue to death to pay a maximum of 15%-25%, but I'll try to get it 'for free'.

Just wondering... how much do you have to pay when you receive a package with whistles?

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:59 pm

I've bought stuff shipped from France, UK, and Canada, and never paid extra
customs taxes on it... though maybe that was hidden in the original shipping
costs? I really didn't know about Custom taxes until I started sending stuff
overseas.

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:03 pm

fearfaoin wrote:I've bought stuff shipped from France, UK, and Canada, and never paid extra
customs taxes on it... though maybe that was hidden in the original shipping
costs? I really didn't know about Custom taxes until I started sending stuff
overseas.

I've never paid before, but last time I received a package valued on about u$s 100 and it was reteined randomly in Customs. I went there to retire it and told me that I had to pay *I don't remember how much, but it was a ridiculous amount as well*. I told the man that I couldn't pay that and let me go without putting 1 cent, lol. This is just to piss off people.

Brigitte · Post by **Brigitte** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:14 pm

Germany charges 19% plus a fee of I think 3,something % for anything above 50 Euro value from outside the EU.

Swiss I learned 7,6% plus a weight fee for anything starting with the first swiss franc value from outside Switzerland.

Brigitte

The Round Tree · Post by **The Round Tree** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:05 pm

I sold a used flute to a fellow in England (I'm in the US) for $850. We couldn't believe how much he had to play. The last I heard from him the duty, etc was $110! Used was clearly marked on the custom slip. I know that taxes were high in the UK, but $110 seems a liitle much.

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:13 pm

Some of the mailmen and mailwomen in the United States steal birthday card money and other stuff. Every now and then someone gets caught.

pao · Post by **pao** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:28 pm

ooh, Bothrops that's really is an awful thing to experience esp. if there's whistles on it. I just received a package today too, and luckily on my part, it's waaaay too better. we actually don't receive the package itself, instead we are given a notice slip which has to be taken to the post office for us to be able to get the package. Part of the postal security and pretty wise i thought so there'd be no stealing of goods. And the other good thing is, we don't pay any taxes, just have to pay the storage fee ('coz they have to store the stuff until u pick it up - 1 month max), that's the only downside but not a total downside at all 'coz the fee amounts to USD equivalent of only $0.85....

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:51 am

Customs tax is around 20% in Ireland for stuff from outside the EU worth over €40. Until very recently I seemed to get away with quite a lot without charge but over the past three months I have had to pay up on stuff (expensive camera lenses) bought on Ebay a few times. The post-office adds around a fiver for collecting the customs fee (but then again, the postman lent me the 30 euro on the last package and didn't collect it for several weeks).

I do generally avoid buying from sellers who insist on shipping with Fedex or UPS and the like, these always charge you through the teeth on delivery, even in cases where customs wouldn't have bothered.

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:01 am

The Round Tree wrote:I sold a used flute to a fellow in England (I'm in the US) for $850. We couldn't believe how much he had to play. The last I heard from him the duty, etc was $110! Used was clearly marked on the custom slip. I know that taxes were high in the UK, but $110 seems a liitle much.

That's high, but I have to pay that ($110) just for a $200 package!! That's a formal way to tell me: "This is a robbery"!

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:05 am

In conclusion, people, it's like I thought. In USA, Europe and other 'advanced' countries, the custom taxes are a maximum of 20% or 30% in the worst cases.
Paying 50%-55% is really a robbery. I hope to be able to retire this package paying much less than that, and after that I don't think I'll buy another stuff from internet (not until I moved to Israel, in a few months)

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:13 am

Customs tax? For receiving a personal parcel?
Customs tax?

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:29 am

talasiga wrote:Customs tax? For receiving a personal parcel?
Customs tax?

This is how this fu**ing country works. If you bring a parcel with commercial purposes you have to pay 50% of taxes. If you bring a personal parcel, it doesn't matter, you have to pay 50% taxes!
Oh, but it's not all that bad, I can bring a u$s 25 dollars package for free! (what can I bring for u$s 25?!?)

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:42 am

I wasn't just expressing anguish only about your country but also all the other countries, including 1st world countries who charge customs tax on personal packages.

It sounds to me like piracy governance or institutionalised extortion.

Maybe you should go and live in India for a few months to get Argentina into perspective.

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:05 am

I have had several transactions with people in England, Canada, and Australia and have NOT been required to pay custom duties.

On the other hand, I have sold items to folk in the UK, Canada and Israel and those buyers were all hit with hefty customs fees.

If you check the news media, you will notice that the EU and other countries and or enties penalize their citizens for doing business with America.

These "trade wars" have been going on for two hundred years; give or take; and the players change with the politcal winds.

Sorry if you are getting a raw deal. Cyril.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:13 am

Cranberry's Dog wrote:If you check the news media, you will notice that the EU and other countries and or enties penalize their citizens for doing business with America.

You'll find customs duties in the EU are applied to all goods arriving from outside the EU, not specifically the USA.

[corrected typo]

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