posted on August 8, 2001 01:06:23 AM
Unfortunately, Marty, you feel it necessary to overlook the provocative comments another user has directed at me, and instead are singling me out for a warning.
I don't mind the warning, just the inequity of it's application.
posted on August 8, 2001 04:19:49 AM
When I started shipping out of the US, I had no idea what the regulations in other countries were. As it turns out, most of my bidders outside of the US who happen to bid on my US only auctions (talk about an inability to read and follow instructions...) are from Canada. From what I gleaned from their regulations (assuming I read it right), books up to a certain dollar value are not subjected to any particular fees. Since that's mostly what I sell, it's no problem. It's a good idea to check what the applicable rules are at the receiving end if that info is available. Anybody know of a single source for such info?
The U.S. Customs Dept has a website w/a good deal of information, including downloads of many of the agreements w/other countries where many have direct links to other countries Customs sites.
yumacoot,
Back to your original problem. A fair percentage of my sales are international. I do get the occasional request to mark the items as a "gift". I use the following response which seems to work well, atleast no-one has complained and most respond that they understand.
Dear XXX
Thank you for your purchase and inquiry about customs forms. As a business, I am not authorized to mark our items as "gifts" when shipping internationally. To do so could put my business in violation of U.S. Customs regulations and put my business at risk.
Sincerely,
YYY
It's designed to make them understand that there are laws/rules/customs concerning this w/o making them feel guilty for asking.
All that said, this is how I've chosen to handle the request. Others may feel the risk is minimal and worth it and that's certainly their decision to make.
As I've often said, each of us has to make our own decisions on how we are going to handle our business. We will each have to weigh the ramifications of our decisions.
getalife said: "So I asked my local post office clerk if it was legal or ok......."
kiawok said: "LOL, and at Tax time do you ask your local post office clerk what's ok, and what isn't?"
Kiawok, your analogy is NOT LOGICAL. I get tax advice from my plumber.
posted on August 8, 2001 09:38:55 AM
Isn't this thread locked yet?
As with most everything, I look at from a practical matter.
a. Someone asks me to write gift.
b. There is a non-zero chance that canada customs will open it.
c. Based on my usual packing slip, and professional packaging of item, there is a non-zero chance that canada customs will find it not to be a gift.
d. Something bad happens, either the buyer never gets it, or the buyer has to pay the duty, or the buyer has to pay the duty plus a penalty. In any case, buyer is pi***d off and ...
e. Buyer leaves me a NEG
So it's much easier to nip it in the bud, and say up front in TOS I will never write gift. They can choose to bid, or not.
posted on August 8, 2001 09:53:46 AM
kiawok posted:
When [not if] someone at Canada Customs inspects a parcel & they get the hinky feeling the "Gift" is really merchandise, they can sniff a little further, & if it's deemed to be "merchandise", they can at the VERY least confiscate the parcel.
So now, at this stage of the transaction, you (the buyer) have two choices:
A) Oh well- the seller tried to help me by marking "gift" as I requested, but I guess I'm out of luck this time.
or
B) I didn't get my item! I want a refund!
All of you who would choose option A- let's see a show of hands...
posted on August 8, 2001 02:22:51 PM
Just something to consider for everybody who says you can't lie. I am also an international buyer and over here, you get about $18 free to purchase anything over the internet and bring it into the country. If you go over that, you pay 20% taxes over the full amount! And yes, that does include shipping cost.
If you just image that often it takes about $20 to just have something shipped Priority, then you always end up paying the taxes. Also, it doesnt' matter if the package says gift or not. If it comes into the country, you pay for it. Wether you bought it on E-bay or had a friend or relative send you a present.
So is that fair? Some goverments just want to squeeze everything out of their people as they can. Otherwise they would at least give a resonable amount that was free.
Anyway, on the subject of what should you do. I bought many things on E-bay and the people who sold it to me often put in gift and a lower amount. Doesn't matter anyway, because I end up paying anyway. Just a little bit less sometimes.
posted on August 8, 2001 02:27:13 PM
kiawok posted:
When [not if] someone at Canada Customs inspects a parcel & they get the hinky feeling the "Gift" is really merchandise, they can sniff a little further, & if it's deemed to be "merchandise", they can at the VERY least confiscate the parcel.
Actually, rules are very simple here. If customs charge you a certain amount in taxes for bringing it into the country, you either pay or you don't get the package and it gets send back. Do I don't think any package would get confiscated. The buyer just won't get it without paying.
posted on August 8, 2001 02:50:30 PM
I cant believe this is still going either! I replied to the bidder, and politely and simply explained that I would not feel comfortable falsifying the customs form. I never heard back from her/him, and the item got a bid anyway, so maybe it's her/him, and maybe it isn't. To be honest, I waivered back and forth a couple of times, based on what I have been reading here, but I am not wavering any longer. I feel GOOD!!! And, by the way, I have NEVER included the shipping in with the value of the item on the customs form. Moderator, you can lock this thread now if you choose......
posted on August 8, 2001 02:54:05 PM
Plenty of parcels get confiscated by Customs, you just don't read about them unless they involve a major drug bust.
Funny story I forgot to mention last night.
A Canuck I know had a $50 Cdn item shipped to him from a large volume eBay seller in the states last year. Seller said they would mark it "Gift" [high bidder never asked her to]. High bidder asks seller to please just put a $10 Cdn value on the item so he won't have to pay any Duty/Taxes, and not to mark it as a Gift. Item gets inspected by Canada Customs who place the value at $50 Cdn & charge the high bidder Federal tax on the $50 Cdn value.
posted on August 8, 2001 04:06:41 PMthey can at the VERY least confiscate the parcel
Not accurate ... confiscating the package would be the worst thing they would do.
99.99% of the time they give you an opportunity to pay the graft and get your stuff.
The only time stuff is confiscated is if it is illegal to enter the country. US Customs looks for things like bombs and drugs to confiscate ... Canada Customs looks for things like pictures of naked women and horror movies to confiscate.
