US Import Duty - Page 8

Do items sent from UK get assessed import duty? I've ordered from Drakes, Hilditch & Key, and others and have never been hit with duty.

Packages have been sent a variety of ways: Royal/US mail, DHL, FedEx. My orders are always small - a couple of shirts or a couple of ties, perhaps that is part of the reason.

That said, I worry every time I order something.

Yes, packages from the UK to the USA are potentially liable for import duty. There is a minimum threshold; I can't remember what it is, though... might be $50?

 

Having said that, the sheer volume of packages arriving at NYC customs means most items slip through the net, especially if the customs form checks out superficially. It's luck of the draw though. The UK HMRC has really cracked down on packages arriving from abroad though, so at some point your customs people may do the same. At the moment, they struggle to simply keep pace with the routine processing. Courier services are generally much more likely to hit you with charges than Royal Mail/USPS, in either direction.

All this just to get some freaking socks!!! Thanks UPS!!

 

 

Location	Date	Local Time	Activity
Philadelphia, PA, United States	06/07/2012	1:30 P.M.	Import Scan
	06/07/2012	11:18 A.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency
	06/07/2012	11:10 A.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/07/2012	10:43 A.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/07/2012	8:09 A.M.	Package data processed by brokerage. Waiting for clearance. / Brokerage released shipment. Shipment is submitted to Clearing Agency for further clearance.
	06/07/2012	8:09 A.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
Philadelphia, PA, United States	06/06/2012	8:04 P.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/06/2012	6:18 P.M.	Package data processed by brokerage. Waiting for clearance.
	06/06/2012	6:18 P.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/06/2012	5:11 P.M.	Brokerage released shipment. Shipment is submitted to Clearing Agency for further clearance.
	06/06/2012	5:11 P.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/06/2012	4:42 P.M.	Additional Clearing Agency information or documentation is required for clearance. / Brokerage released shipment. Shipment is submitted to Clearing Agency for further clearance.
	06/06/2012	4:42 P.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/06/2012	3:15 P.M.	Additional Clearing Agency information or documentation is required for clearance.
	06/06/2012	3:14 P.M.	Registered with Clearing Agency / Shipment submitted to Clearing Agency
	06/06/2012	11:18 A.M.	Import Scan
	06/06/2012	5:56 A.M.	Arrival Scan

So what was the total brokerage scam charge in the end?

It's these customs/brokerage charges that make me wary of ordering from abroad if the seller only uses UPS or FedEx.

Anyone self-clear in the US like this Canadian person was able to do?

He talks about custom fees going between Canada/US, but with NAFTA aren't there no tariffs on goods from Canada?

Goods made in Canada. The rules of origin can be a bit tricky - so many items have components from all over the globe. Generally, items made outside Canada (Drake's UK-made ties for instance) which are sold by a Canadian retailer to a US buyer are subject to tariff applied by the US if the customs agents decides to levy it.

Keep this in mind: YMMV.

Looking at some sneakers on fleabay-- priced around 330. Should I take the VAT deducation (which gives me 50 dollars back) or should I have the Seller be responsible?

They're shipped from ITaly

Okay that makes sense: I missed they were UK products being sold by a Canadian retailer. I agree that items do have to be made in North America to be subject to duty free imports in the NAFTA region.

I almost started a new thread as I was hoping many forum posters would share actual cost data along with their experiences with carriers (UPS/FedEx/DHL/USPS/Royal Mail....). Something along the lines of:

Store:
Items (Apparel, Footwear):
Total Value of Order:
Shipping Carrier:
Total additional import charges:


I found a calculator online but it does not include the "convenience charge" that UPS, FedEx and DHL charge for acting as a fast track agent which is very hard to pin down:

http://www.dutycalculator.com/new-import-duty-and-tax-calculation/

Earlier in this thread people mentioned Pediwear.co.uk used to use Royal Mail but it now uses DHL. I was considering purchasing a pair of shoes from Pediwear or HerringShoes which cost ~$310 (after VAT deduction) + $30 shipping. Both Pediwear and Herring use DHL. Any idea of what the approximate import duty + DHL charge might be?

^^ Added to bookmarks - Thank you!

My last pediwear order about 9 months ago was shipped via UPS.
Not sure what the breakdown of charges was, but the total was a bit more than fedex for a similar priced UK made pair so I assume their brokerage fee is a bit more.
UPS is COD for those fees/duty and they don't give you a breakdown of the costs unless you ask.
I've been told that pediwear will still ship Royal Mail on request.

Fedex brokerage fee is something along the lines of $25 plus minimum $5 "advancement fee". They'll deliver and send you a bill.

DHL charges around $10 for their brokerage. They'll also deliver and send you a bill.

With DHL, I've only been hit with fees/duty about 20% of the time.
With Fedex I'm probably around 80%.
With UPS, I'm 100% but that was only one shipment.

I've had a couple USPS shipments where I got dinged but they were watches.
Charges appeared correct based on declared values and no additional fees.

As an update, I ordered 2 pairs of shoes from Herring in April (shipped via DHL). A few days after delivery I received an invoice of $158.18. Which represented a 48% customs duty and a $6.50 processing fee by DHL. I have no idea why the rate is so absurdly high, and DHL would not provide any insight as to why. Furthermore, I asked for a number to which I could call and contest the charge and the lady sent me to a random number that is trying to get me to sign up for a cruise. So I will continue to research on this disaster. She also noted that for people who do not pay their customs invoices the invoices are sent to 'collectors.' Take that for what you will...