Grrr customes fees on my designer pins!!

Marking an item as a gift when its not or declaring a value below the true value of it is illegal. In my view, people doing that are no better than people that knowingly buy scrappers. Its illegal and they just want to get something cheaper. I do think people should know the full of custom fees and such and take it into consideration when making a purchase.

As others have said, its not the sellers fault. Blame your local government. A situation like makes me wonder, what if the pins would have got lost or destroyed in the mail and the seller would have declared a lower value just to save on custom fees. They would not be able to insure it. In that case, if it ends up being a total loss, who do you think would get stuck with the loss. The seller of course. I don't know why anyone would lie to customs and risk a great loss like that for themselves just to help someone else circumvent taxes and fees.

Yes, custom fees suck but it is what it is and trying to get around it is wrong.

I quite often receive packages from abroad that have over stated values on the custom form, both trades and sales. I can pay $10 for a pin, and the sender puts $30 on the customs form!! WHY!! It bugs the heck out of me, because I have been charged customs fees too.

On one occasion I sent all the paperwork into the customs office to prove that the value was overstated, I got a partial refund which wasnt much, but the largest part of the fee was not refundable, even though technically none of it should ever have been charged. Customs told me to make sure the sender puts the right value on it, yer right, like you can go round saying that to everyone. I suppose at the end of the day all we can do is refuse the package. But realistically when a long sort after pin is coming in the post, who want's to send it back!!

Love a good rant!!

pinnochiolover said:

I quite often receive packages from abroad that have over stated values on the custom form, both trades and sales. I can pay $10 for a pin, and the sender puts $30 on the customs form!! WHY!! It bugs the heck out of me, because I have been charged customs fees too.

On one occasion I sent all the paperwork into the customs office to prove that the value was overstated, I got a partial refund which wasnt much, but the largest part of the fee was not refundable, even though technically none of it should ever have been charged. Customs told me to make sure the sender puts the right value on it, yer right, like you can go round saying that to everyone. I suppose at the end of the day all we can do is refuse the package. But realistically when a long sort after pin is coming in the post, who want's to send it back!!

Love a good rant!!

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Pinocchio - this happened to me last year. I bought 3 pins and with postage it came to $20 (roughly over £12 - below custom charges) and seller put $50 on the package. I was so cross they wanted like £20 for me to pay Royal Mail! So I refused the package and it eventually got returned to the sender nearly 2 and a half months later and she put $10 on the package and shipped it back.

Whenever I make a trade or buy from abroad, before I buy I always ask them if they would be willing to declare a low value - in most cases people do and if they can't, well I just don't want that pin that badly