Customs Fees?

How are these determined? Do they just randomly check parcels?

Over a year ago, i bought some K-Swiss(?) runners off their official website. The runners and the P+P costs came to €120. A month after getting my runners, i get a letter off Fed-Ex saying they want almost €50 for customs fees.


Today, Revenue went one better. Not only do they want the customs fees, but they won't deliver my parcel until they get the money first.

Not only that, but they want a "post office handling fee of €6"? I assumed when I'd paid for the shipping charges, that i was covering the post office handling fee, but apparently not.

Also, I'm no genius when it comes to this kinda thing, but is it right that i should be charged 21.5% VAT from them, even though i didnt buy anything in Ireland to begin with?


Where is this money even going? And why are they entitled to it to begin with?



I mean.. The whole point in buying stuff online is to avoid being ripped off in this crap hole. What a shower of cunts! :mad:

Paulw

They have the ability to check all imports.

You are liable for import duty, then VAT (21.5%) and then an administration fee (in your case the €6).

You are technically importing products in to Ireland from outside the EU, so therefore liable for the tax charges.

rubadub

Deleted User wrote: »

Where is this money even going? And why are they entitled to it to begin with?

The money is going into the economy, into the governments pocket like all VAT & duty. They are entitiled to it, just like if you bought in a shop here you would have to pay it.

Deleted User wrote: »

I mean.. The whole point in buying stuff online is to avoid being ripped off in this crap hole. What a shower of cunts! :mad:

Over certain values you are liable to be charged, you should presume you WILL have to pay it and factor it into your price.

e.g. if Play.com are selling a dvd box set for €120, and in town it is €121.5, then really it is play who are "ripping you off", the shop in town is charging your €100 vs €120. If stung by customs you pay the VAT & the admin fee. (you also pay duty over a certain higher amount too). Also VAT is calculated on the cost of good INCLUDING shipping & handling costs from the seller.

People come on here saying they were "stung" by customs, but you are similarly "stung" for 21.5% buying loads of stuff in shops here but do not moan!

gar_29

Deleted User wrote: »

Also, I'm no genius when it comes to this kinda thing, but is it right that i should be charged 21.5% VAT from them, even though i didnt buy anything in Ireland to begin with?


Where is this money even going? And why are they entitled to it to begin with?

I mean.. The whole point in buying stuff online is to avoid being ripped off in this crap hole.

of course they're entitled to it, if you don't like it then emigrate.

the "point of buying online" is that lower overheads on the seller's side (out-of-town premises, economies of scale from a larger market place) should lead to cheaper prices. it is not so as to help people avoid paying taxes.

AdamGiamatti

Skewing off the topic slightly, but I know if you recieve a GIFT from America you don't have to pay vat on it, so if I was to buy an item and have the seller write "gift" on it, what are the chances of it getting through without getting hit for vat? If size/price is a variable, about $700, the size of a guitar.

Cheers

Paulw

The value of the gift also matters. You may still be liable for duty and vat.

MOH

AdamGiamatti wrote: »

Skewing off the topic slightly, but I know if you recieve a GIFT from America you don't have to pay vat on it, so if I was to buy an item and have the seller write "gift" on it, what are the chances of it getting through without getting hit for vat? If size/price is a variable, about $700, the size of a guitar.

Cheers

Still liable for duty.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1179.html

Yeah, it has to be valued at less than $50 and be a gift to get in free :-/

kowloon

I bought an antique gun, over a century old, and was charged 21% VAT, duty and a customs fee for the privilege of having the box opened. The postman advised me (as friendly advice) that if I appealed the VAT, which definately didn't apply, it was quite likely that it would sit rusting in a warehouse for 6 months before I saw it again.

UPS also double charged me once for bike parts that I needed straight away. When I appealed the double charge they blanked me, only to send me a copy of the original double charge invoice, which I had already paid at my front door, claiming I hadn't paid.

Red Alert

FedEx mis-charged me a customs VAT amount, and then had the cheek to send another bill for the full amount. I'm never using that shower by choice again.

jor el

kowloon wrote: »

I bought an antique gun, over a century old, and was charged 21% VAT, duty and a customs fee for the privilege of having the box opened. The postman advised me (as friendly advice) that if I appealed the VAT, which definately didn't apply, it was quite likely that it would sit rusting in a warehouse for 6 months before I saw it again.

Are antiques VAT exempt?

kowloon wrote: »

Fedex also double charged me once for bike parts that I needed straight away. When I appealed the double charge they blanked me, only to send me a copy of the original double charge invoice, which I had already paid at my front door, claiming I hadn't paid.

Do you have proof of paying on delivery? A receipt, or credit card statement? Without proof, he could have pocketed the cash and you'd have no comeback.

rubadub

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah, it has to be valued at less than $50 and be a gift to get in free :-/

Likely it will, but not fact.

Relief from payment of Customs Duty and VAT is allowed on gift consignments from outside of the E.U. where the following conditions are met:

The value of the gift does not exceed €45.
The gift is correctly declared (see paragraph 7).
It has been sent from a private person abroad to another person within the E.C.
The gift is for the personal or family use of a private individual in Ireland.
There is no commercial or trade element i.e. the goods have not been paid for.
Alcohol, Tobacco products, perfumes or toilet waters are within the allowances set out in paragraph 4. Anything over those allowances is liable to charges.
The gift is of an occasional nature only, such as a birthday or anniversary.

So if there is an invoice, paypal printout etc it is not a gift.

The limit is €22 which INCLUDES the postage. i.e. a €1 pen sent by courier for €22 is liable, as the combined value is €23.

2 christmases ago customs guys were on TV saying the limit was €45 (not €22). It is really not worth the admin costs on stuff below that.

kowloon

jor el wrote: »

Are antiques VAT exempt?



Do you have proof of paying on delivery? A receipt, or credit card statement? Without proof, he could have pocketed the cash and you'd have no comeback.

Pretty sure they are, already been paid for.

They've stopped sending me Invoices, I'll not use them again in case they refuse delivery until the first charge is paid for.

HarryD

rubadub wrote: »

The value of the gift does not exceed €45.
The gift is correctly declared (see paragraph 7).
It has been sent from a private person abroad to another person within the E.C.
The gift is for the personal or family use of a private individual in Ireland.
There is no commercial or trade element i.e. the goods have not been paid for.
Alcohol, Tobacco products, perfumes or toilet waters are within the allowances set out in paragraph 4. Anything over those allowances is liable to charges.
The gift is of an occasional nature only, such as a birthday or anniversary.

Can you post a reference link ?
I'm sure I checked a while back and the gifts loophole was no longer available.

Anyone know how do customs determine the value of the item in order to calculate the payable duty?
It seems to me they randomly generate a number.
I've been charged from 5% to 48% import duty on various goods.

Big Wave

rubadub wrote: »

e.g. if Play.com are selling a dvd box set for €120, and in town it is €121.5, then really it is play who are "ripping you off", the shop in town is charging your €100 vs €120. If stung by customs you pay the VAT & the admin fee. (you also pay duty over a certain higher amount too). Also VAT is calculated on the cost of good INCLUDING shipping & handling costs from the seller.

You don't get charged VAT or customs for goods shipped within the EU.

Mena

Big Wave wrote: »

You don't get charged VAT or customs for goods shipped within the EU.

Play.com warehouses are in Jersey though, so not within the EU.

Paulw

Big Wave wrote: »

You don't get charged VAT or customs for goods shipped within the EU.

True, but play.com aren't within the EU.

MOH

HarryD wrote: »

Can you post a reference link ?
I'm sure I checked a while back and the gifts loophole was no longer available.

Anyone know how do customs determine the value of the item in order to calculate the payable duty?
It seems to me they randomly generate a number.
I've been charged from 5% to 48% import duty on various goods.

I posted one fairly recently. As in, 7 posts above yours?

MysticalSoul

Different items are charged different rates too. Clothes, are charged an extra 10% duty on top of the 21.5%.