Customs and how it works.

CleoD

Hi,

Im importing goods from abroad and they will be coming to me by post. Im not sure how the customs arrangement is going to work. The goods are only worth about €500 in total, 2 seperate packages.

Will customs hold the packages until I pay the tax, or do you pay the tax at the door. Does anybody know what the rate of tax is

Thnaks for any help

Cliodhna

Victor

Where are they coming from and what are they will decide the rate.

Typically, if its delivered by a courier company, they will charge you the tax and an administration charge and they then pay customs.

CleoD

They're coming from China and they're handbags.

So I have no way of know what rate I pay? Is there a top level so I can have some idea of what to expect and can make sure its there?

RUDOLF289

CleoD wrote: »

They're coming from China and they're handbags.

So I have no way of know what rate I pay? Is there a top level so I can have some idea of what to expect and can make sure its there?

Hello Cleo D,

Handbags are classified in Customs tariff chaper 4202. If they are made of leather, they should attract a rate of duty of 3%. If they are of other materials rates can vary between 9.7% and 3.7%. (see below)

− Handbags, whether or not with shoulder strap, including those without handle:
4202 21 00 − − With outer surface of leather, of composition leather or of patent leather . . . . . . 3 %
4202 22 − − With outer surface of plastic sheeting or of textile materials:
4202 22 10 − − − Of plastic sheeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,7 %
4202 22 90 − − − Of textile materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,7 %
4202 29 00 − − Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,7 %

The VAT is 21.5%. The way the Duty and VAT are calculated is as follows ;

1) Duty
Duty is calculated of the Cost (i.e. the price you have paid your supplier), Insurance and Freight
2) VAT
Vat is calculated over the C.I.F. price plus duty

Hope this helps

Regards,
Rudolf289

Bellies

Hi there,

I did this last year and it broke my heart!!!! Lost my goods worth €350 and a fine of €200!!!

More than likely EMS will deliver the goods to your door. They seem to be the international postal system used to deliver packages from China to Ireland.

If these are designer bags, I'd be certain that they'll be seized once they land in Ireland by customs. They're classified as "counterfit" goods and so they say, will be sent to Dublin to establish the origin of the goods, and to see if they are fake or not.

If they are "fake" or replicas as I like to say you'll receive a letter in the post a number of days later, explaining that the goods have been seized and will be destroyed in the coming days.

More than likey these goods came Guangdong or Shenzhen?? Nearly 90% counterfit, I hope they get through for you, because if they do you'll do very well!!

Let me know how it goes for you.

Good Luck!!

bombers

hi
got a letter from revenue requiring information on costing of bags i ordered,so they will calculate amount owning to them, and then i will have to pay postman when arrive(?).has any one got something like this or just letter stating they will be destroyed!

Bellies

Well at least you know the goods are in the country.

Ring the sorting office and quote the tracking number to them. It's the one starting with IE and ending in CN.

If you paid by Western Union as far as I know they have no record of payment, so instead of you paying a tax on €500, declare the goods to a lesser value.

Are these designer bags? Becareful here!!

Lastly, I only got a letter stating that they have been seized,
But I did before get caught with a €97.50 bill for duty. You have 2 options here:

i) Pay the postman at the door by cheque or cash, receipt will be given

ii) If you dont have the cash they'll drop it back to your local collection point and you come get it with the cash when you have it!

bombers

Hi
Paid by visa,just wondering will they still give me yes bags if i give them bill/invoice statement to calculate vat and duty!

Bellies

I cant say, sorry. I only paid them at the door when they called. Hope you get them!

bombers

thanks

CleoD

Bellies, you've been a great help.... we have christened ours 'designer inspired'

One thing I just need to get straight in my head, if they are coming by EMS, do they have a better chance of getting through? And if the 'brand name' isn't on them, can customs seize them?

x

CleoD

One more thing, is there a certian amount that you can bring in that you wont be taxed on....

Bellies

Hey,

As far as I know EMS are the only international postal system that comes into Ireland, An Post then deliver it to your door.

I have been caught for duty before with EMS, but thats because I have fake watches inside the fake designer bags and basically attracted rats.

Todate, I've moved onto Ugg boots, and GHD hair straighteners (with the 3 pin plug) And I've had zero complaints.

Let me know did u get them in Ok?

No there is no limit as to what you bring in, be clever here and use maybe an Aunts, Grandparents, Uncle's address to get the stuff in. If they notice a pattern, the address will be flagged.

jd83

If ya call 018776200 and ask to speak to customs information they will talk you through any customs queries.

Bellies

But what would I say.....

Hi I have 2 boxes coming in from China, they're full to the brim with fake goods, I have the intentions to sell them on to make money for myself and declare nothing!

I'm sure they'd only be too delighted to help you then.

Fair enough, if its legit stuff, but I'd say 90% of the items (clothing, shoes, pens, bags, watches etc) that come from China is counterfit....

jd83

I dont know, if there fakes they will be seized, not much you can do its your fault for trying to import fakes. Its your responsibility to make sure everything is above board. But if you need information on how to legally import goods to ireland you can ring that number and they will help you.

Bellies

Yeah thats true, but the standard of the fakes are excellent. Very very hard to separate!!

jd83

Yh well good luck with that. For a lot of name brand goods customs actually contacts the genuine supplier of the product to confirm if it is real or not either by sending a sample to the genuine supplier or by getting detailed photos of a genuine product to compare. Especially if its a large or bulk order. They suppliers are usually happy to oblige to stop the import of fake goods.

onedmc

Bellies wrote: »

But what would I say.....


Fair enough, if its legit stuff, but I'd say 90% of the items (clothing, shoes, pens, bags, watches etc) that come from China is counterfit....

What a load of bull, I brought bags in from China a couple of years ago, they were not counterfit. They were real unbraned bags, cant remember how much I paid (probably about 2E) but some customers sold them for 50 euro. I still see some of them around.

Most stuff is made in china, so to say 90% is fake is rubbish. Yes there is plenty of fake stuff and if you are buying rolex watches or fendi bags you will end up with fakes. But the real bag is probably made in china even if it is 'finished' in Italy and has a made on italy stamp on it.

Bellies

Unbranded maybe...

There is not a hope in hell that you imported these bags in for 2E, it isn't possible unless you brought in at least 2 pallets. And you actually had a sample! Min price you'll pay is about $25! And the shipping on that will be at least $15-$35! Which will bring the price of 1 bag to $50 and at a good rate you'll be paying about 38.50euro!

2euro a bag imported to Ireland is abig unrealistic, I know it can be achieved, however if you only buy in Bulk.

If you don't mind me asking... How did you sell these unbranded bags??
Who was the typical client that you sold them to.

Oh and for your own information if you look and have been to Shenzhen and Guangdong you'll know they are the main suppliers of fake goods! Check it out for yourself before you go shouting your mouth off.

PM me there and I'll send you on some previous invoices if you wish, and sure I can email you some of the images aswell as I'm at it

onedmc

Bellies wrote: »

Unbranded maybe...

If you don't mind me asking... How did you sell these unbranded bags??
Who was the typical client that you sold them to.

Oh and for your own information if you look and have been to Shenzhen and Guangdong you'll know they are the main suppliers of fake goods! Check it

Sold them to a number of ladies cloths shops for 12 to 15 euro each. Got them in 12 lots of 50. I was importing furniture at the time and the agent suggested I look at bags. Though I didn't bring these in the furniture containers, just in standard DHL type box.

And yes it did cost me an average of 2 euro each and by the time I added my costs they came out at 4.50 each.

Your are jumping to conclusions by saying things like all bags are 15$ each and must be sold at 38E. The bags that I brough in were generally sold at 25 to 35 each. In fact a quick look at ebay tells me that I may have paid too much, some similar ones are now advertised at .99$ each and other at .01$ (mine were nicer - I promise).

Did well in the begining and was able to sell 20 at a time but repeat sales were only 1 and 2's and it wasn't my patch anyway.

I have no idea where the bags came from but the furniture certainly came from Guangdong. Maybe the furniture was fake too - it might explain the ultimate failure of the venture.

Bellies

Bellies wrote: »

But what would I say.....


Fair enough, if its legit stuff, but I'd say 90% of the items (clothing, shoes, pens, bags, watches etc) that come from China is counterfit....

"In fact a quick look at ebay tells me that I may have paid too much some are similar are now advertised at .99$ each and other at .01$"-onedmc

As you can see from my previous post you'll see that I said the following: If it's legit fair enough, furniture, grand, furthermore, if you continued to read on you'll see that I said shoes, bags etc. If they don't have a brand name I presume they're an unkown, maybe a generic bag!

Ebay, Yeah they advertise a copy of a iPod and bags at 1c each, if you buy it the shipping cost is 30euro alone, Therefore making your 1cent item E30.01c.

Also, if you brought in 12 x 50bags, at a duty rate of

"− Handbags, whether or not with shoulder strap, including those without handle:
4202 21 00 − − With outer surface of leather, of composition leather or of patent leather . . . . . . 3 %"


I just think the figures don't add up as DHL and Fed Ex are very expensive, and at an air freight would be even more no??

If you can get them cheaper, sounds very interesting...

Tell me a bit more about the furniture??

onedmc

Bellies wrote: »

Tell me a bit more about the furniture??

Brought a few containers in from china a few years ago. Chinese style stuff in Elm Wood, some of it painted, some lacquered. Excellent gross margins but big issue was with damaged goods particularly redelivering in Ireland. Furniture quality was fine but they needed to packaged much better; I still have a number of damaged samples in my house.

Don’t do China any more as its too much hard work (- and I have a real job) but I have brought in the odd order for interior designers from other countries.

As for the pricing not adding up well i certainly didn't make my fortune but I can assure you I didn't pay 15$ a bag.