Custom Fees USA

9de5q7tsr8u2im

So i'm thinking of buying a t-shirt on a USA website but when i add the item to cart it clearly advises that i'd be liable to custom fees. This is really putting me off and i really want to buy that t-shirt.

The website is called, alphaleteathletics.com and i'm not advertising or anything but i'm following the ceo religiously as he is a youtube celebrity (hes popular;))

so yeah im possibly thinking buying a t shirt costs around $20-35 and the shipping is $18 and then the custom fees...
whats the limit before being charged by customs?
thanks all advise appreciate thanks guys!

L1011

€22 including shipping; although there is an amount of VAT they do not bother collecting so the real limit is slightly higher.

With obscure sellers and shipping via post you are generally unlucky to get caught for customs (but are liable if caught - don't bother complaining). With better known firms and/or couriers you will almost always be required to pay.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I believe items costing below €150 are free of duty but liable to VAT plus handling fees.

rubadub

L1011 wrote: »

€22 including shipping; although there is an amount of VAT they do not bother collecting so the real limit is slightly higher.
.

The limit is 6 euro, so items worth 26euro have vat of 5.98 and just over 26euro is the current effective limit.

I have also found that when things go via an post they seem to value the item on its cost (not cost plus postage) to determine if it is liable for VAT, but when they charge you VAT it will be on the postage.

e.g. 22 euro is about 25 dollars. If your t shirt was 20 dollars then it is well under the 22 euro limit and I would think it likely to slip through, even though the combined postage and item price is well above the 22 or even the 26 euro limit.

If it is sent by courier it is far more likely to be caught, if the sender does not list the genuine postage couriers like DHL will make up their own price, which is usually about 80 euro and you get charged VAT on that. You will also have a horrible time trying to contest this.

9de5q7tsr8u2im

rubadub wrote: »

The limit is 6 euro, so items worth 26euro have vat of 5.98 and just over 26euro is the current effective limit.

I have also found that when things go via an post they seem to value the item on its cost (not cost plus postage) to determine if it is liable for VAT, but when they charge you VAT it will be on the postage.

e.g. 22 euro is about 25 dollars. If your t shirt was 20 dollars then it is well under the 22 euro limit and I would think it likely to slip through, even though the combined postage and item price is well above the 22 or even the 26 euro limit.

If it is sent by courier it is far more likely to be caught, if the sender does not list the genuine postage couriers like DHL will make up their own price, which is usually about 80 euro and you get charged VAT on that. You will also have a horrible time trying to contest this.

Appreciate your taking your time to post a very generous piece of information. Looks like i won't be ordering anything yet.

rex-x

If you really want the t-shirt then whats an extra few euro?

whiterebel

Kyla Uptight Painkiller wrote: »

Appreciate your taking your time to post a very generous piece of information. Looks like i won't be ordering anything yet.

If you can get it shipped via normal post you would probably be ok as the shipping charges are much lower. Even $18 sounds high for a t-shirt.
What happens with couriers is that it is shipped as express which can cost 15/20 times more than normal mail, and this amount has to be assessed for the VAT/Duty calculations according to revenue instructions.

9de5q7tsr8u2im

Thanks guys ye are very good!!

The Raptor

I ordered a few t-shirts and things a few months ago from the USA and I didn't get hit with customs. Though, I could have so I was prepared for it.

The same could happen to you too.