stung by customs

Headshot

got a letter in the post from customs and they have my item

i rang them and there not very nice what so ever

any way on ther letter they said they need a purchase recipt or paypal receipt (verification of purchase cost)

the item in question cost 330 euro and if my maths are right ill be oweing customs around 70 euro

but heres my questions

any way around this problem ??

i have a paypal receipt but it's in american dollars
will that be ok

they know its a cell phone because its probly marked on the outside so Would they know how much the phone is worth ??

Gillo

Pay what you owe and stop trying to dodge the system.

mcaul

if you went to the states and bought it in a store, you'd pay 8 - 12% sales tax.

If you bought it anywhere in Europe you'd pay 15 - 22% VAT. - So just because you bought it over the internet you think you shouldn't pay?

It the way the world works, VAT is added to pay towards social welfare, children's allowances, roads, health, education etc etc etc. - America can charge less tax because they pay feck all social welfare and virtually no public healthcare. (health insurance in USA is about $6000 per year!!!)

As for cost - expect approx €90

Headshot

ya ill be paying but why do i have to email them the receipt

why can't i just go to customs office and hand them the recipt

cgarvey

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote: »

the item in question cost 330 euro and if my maths are right ill be oweing customs around 70 euro

It'd be 70 quid (ish) for VAT. You still have to pay import/excise duty (a few percent.. there's a whole thread with links earlier in the forum for a full explanation), an administration fee, and at an exchange rate they determine.

You're asked for the receipt because they determine these rates based on current market value. To help them with that (and prove that the included documentation is accurate) they'll ask for the receipt. It's in your interest to show that (so they will take the lesser US actual value versus the current Irish market value).

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote: »

i have a paypal receipt but it's in american dollars
will that be ok

That'll do. For bonus bring a credit card statement showing the rate applied.

Red Alert

Once customs' amount has been paid does it still make sense to buy in the states versus Irish prices?

sdanseo

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote: »

but heres my questions

any way around this problem ??

Translation: Any way to avoid paying tax?

No. Don't be selfish and pay up, with almost $1.57 to the euro you'll still be in the black no doubt.

cgarvey

Red Alert wrote: »

Once customs' amount has been paid does it still make sense to buy in the states versus Irish prices?

Good question, and often overlooked by Irish buyers. I tend to add in the VAT/Duty, factor in the cost of having to return the item (if faulty, etc.), check the guarantee international status and then weight up whether it's worth it.

Sometimes it is worth it; especially not so mass market stuff (like LED strip lighting, for example) that is only available on a few specialist (==expensive) shops/sites here.

Sometimes it's not (like DVDs or headphones, or cheap consumer goods, etc.).

However, with the exchange rate so heavily in our favour, it's certainly worth considering for an even wider range of goods (like the American Eagle thread, for e.g. .. I'd never before considered buying clothes from the US online).