Foster & Sons ready made shoes thread

[Maximus Rex]

I agree that if you are buying shoes that are over $800 and are importing into the US, you should be aware and responsible for the import taxes. Period. However, it is unfortunate that DHL, FedEx, etc. often assess a large fee for paying your tax, and that tax itself is also often incorrectly calculated. I have paid 8%, 10%, 20% etc. in taxes without any justification as to the variability. It is annoying that what is actually owed is not necessarily clear at the onset.

 

[dieworkwear]

I agree that if you are buying shoes that are over $800 and are importing into the US, you should be aware and responsible for the import taxes. Period. However, it is unfortunate that DHL, FedEx, etc. often assess a large fee for paying your tax, and that tax itself is also often incorrectly calculated. I have paid 8%, 10%, 20% etc. in taxes without any justification as to the variability. It is annoying that what is actually owed is not necessarily clear at the onset.

I've paid different rates depending on the exact item imported, including the county of origins, material composition, type of item, etc. I once paid a 50% tax on five cashmere items, which ended up being a hefty bill. A tailor in London told me the fee is levied even on cashmere blends, so if you order a sport coat made from a 99% wool and 1% cashmere blend, you owe 50% of the total bill.

There are online calculators to help you estimate your fees. Just Google "import duty calculator." Some sites are more sophisticated than others, but they charge money and require you to be very specific.

 

[Texasmade]

I've paid different rates depending on the exact item imported, including the county of origins, material composition, type of item, etc. I once paid a 50% tax on five cashmere items, which ended up being a hefty bill. A tailor in London told me the fee is levied even on cashmere blends, so if you order a sport coat made from a 99% wool and 1% cashmere blend, you owe 50% of the total bill.

There are online calculators to help you estimate your fees. Just Google "import duty calculator." Some sites are more sophisticated than others, but they charge money and require you to be very specific.

When I got my first bespoke suit from Huntsman NYC, I was able to deduct the VAT but then had to pay 20% of customs fees. Now, Huntsman NYC is a US company so you don't have to pay customs and can pay in USD.

 

[flylikeneagle]

I think it was a 20% tax. If that’s the rate I’ll just refuse delivery & they can take it back


I guess I’ll just have them sent back. There’s nothing criminal about refusing delivery and getting your money back when you find out how much that tax is.

I don’t know the details, all I know is that most overseas shipments do something that avoids import taxes. I’m guessing that is what they do. My point is, I don’t expect to pay outrageous import taxes & that changes the nature of the transaction if I do.

I would ask DHL for supporting info behind the 20% bill. Either DHL or Fosters could;ve messed up, see Encore's post

I believe the rate should be between 5% (welted shoes) and 8.5% (shoes general). The one-time I've had to pay duty, DHL charged me 6% for a pair of EGs I ordered from a shop in Norway. 20% sounds exorbitant.

Quick box opening, sample from foster and son, half price, comes with free shoe trees, lucky me.

The process took longer tho... F&S forgot to indicate the manufacture location which increase the duties by a significant amount, did a lot of back and forth calls/ emails with both FS and DHL to sort it out, but it's worthy.

 

[JustPullHarder]

I agree that if you are buying shoes that are over $800 and are importing into the US, you should be aware and responsible for the import taxes. Period. However, it is unfortunate that DHL, FedEx, etc. often assess a large fee for paying your tax, and that tax itself is also often incorrectly calculated. I have paid 8%, 10%, 20% etc. in taxes without any justification as to the variability. It is annoying that what is actually owed is not necessarily clear at the onset.

Considering how complicated income tax law is in the United States and how much DHL agents are being paid (or not paid as the case may be) it does not surprise me that they aren't the best in assessing the proper duty applicable.

 

[classicalthunde]

I toyed with the idea of purchasing an expensive watch from an oversees AD, but eventually pulled the plug after no one at DHL could give me a straight answer on what the import duties would be

I wouldn't enjoy it, but I could eat a 20% import tax on an $800 pair of shoes...an unexpected 20% on a 5-figure watch purchase through would be a major issue for me

 

[E. coli]

I toyed with the idea of purchasing an expensive watch from an oversees AD, but eventually pulled the plug after no one at DHL could give me a straight answer on what the import duties would be

I wouldn't enjoy it, but I could eat a 20% import tax on an $800 pair of shoes...an unexpected 20% on a 5-figure watch purchase through would be a major issue for me

Most of the watch purchases I've made overseas have been with brand boutique or an AD who does a lot of business with the US so I've been pretty fortunate to deal with personnel familiar with the exporting wristwatches to the US. The seller when sending the watch needs to include what they call a watch worksheet that breaks down the watch parts- movement, case, bracelet, or strap from there tariff/custom duties are calculated by the most current Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) the one for wristwatches are typically HTS Code: 9102.21.7010 and HTS Code: 9102.21.7030. DHL or FedEx wouldn't have the knowledge of this so they couldn't help.

Purchases ranged from $2k up to $10k with custom fees ranging from 6-8% depending on how the seller prepared the watch worksheet. The breakdown should legally represent the components of the watch accurately but there are sellers that are buyer friendly with this. When the USD was stronger I was actively perusing watches from Europe and the UK and the custom fees were negligible compared to the amount that I saved minus the VAT.

Really scratching my head on a 20% import tax on a pair of shoes, but agree with others that it wouldn't have affected my decision in purchasing a well made shoe like F&S at 50%. For the record my recent purchase of the Keble was under the $800 USD threshold so no fees were assessed- I was fortunate it appears.

 

[jonathanS]

I would ask DHL for supporting info behind the 20% bill. Either DHL or Fosters could;ve messed up, see Encore's post

I believe the rate should be between 5% (welted shoes) and 8.5% (shoes general). The one-time I've had to pay duty, DHL charged me 6% for a pair of EGs I ordered from a shop in Norway. 20% sounds exorbitant.

where did you get the 5% welted shoes and 8.5% general shoes number from?

 

[flylikeneagle]

where did you get the 5% welted shoes and 8.5% general shoes number from?

https://hts.usitc.gov/current

See chapter 64, page 21

 

[jonathanS]

https://hts.usitc.gov/current

See chapter 64, page 21

Thanks @flylikeneagle. @dieworkwear, I called dhl and got them to adjust the tax to the proper rate (according to the tariff schedule) and paid that. Still salty dhl randomly charges a 17 dollar handling fee. But, I wanted this thing solved so I paid it. Happy?

 

[Sutefan]

Those boots from F&S are a steal at 50% off. Even with a little customs or VAT. In Norway, we only have VAT on shoes, but this is always charge, and is 25%.

 

[Kawini]

Here’s a bump on an old thread.

Is it possible to distinguish by looking at the nail pattern and soles between the high end and the low end of the now discontinued F&S RTW line?

Was there ever such a thing as an RTW catalogue or brochure that someone might have?

Below are two heels and soles from the RTW line. What are these nail patterns saying to me, if anything?

Thanks in advance.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Here’s a bump on an old thread.

Is it possible to distinguish by looking at the nail pattern and soles between the high end and the low end of the now discontinued F&S RTW line?

Was there ever such a thing as an RTW catalogue or brochure that someone might have?

Below are two heels and soles from the RTW line. What are these nail patterns saying to me, if anything?

Thanks in advance.

Don't think any of those are from their own factory, they used a different rubber top piece and different nail pattern (not the centre nail) from those, at least from the photos I have.

 

[Kawini]

Don't think any of those are from their own factory, they used a different rubber top piece and different nail pattern (not the centre nail) from those, at least from the photos I have.

Thank you very much for your response. I appreciate it.

Here’s a follow-up question. The pictures below are of a F&S branded shoe that looks very similar - but not identical, from the photos I have seen - to a shoe that F&S manufactured in their own factory. F&S called it Alvie.

Do you know who manufactured this shoe for F&S? My best guess - from the 337 notation - is that the manufacturer was Crockett & Jones. Would that be correct? If so, are there any generalizations that can be made about the quality of the shoes? Were C&J for F&S of this vintage essentially identical to C&J’s handgrade shoes, or of some lesser quality?

Thanks again!