UPS Custom Charges

cloudsurfer

I got a call today to say my package from the USA has arrived. Unfortunately I was out at the time so I asked if i could collect the package the next day from the depot. The courier said that was no problem but there was a customs charge of €26.50 on it.

I have had to pay customs on makeup from the states before which is no problem. However the item I bought (1 eyeshadow palette) was only $42! The shipping was $17.95. When I checked the online duty calculator it says the maximum customs due is €12.41.

Has this happened to anybody else before? It seems a very high price and I'm afraid they're trying to shaft me out of money

Esel

Duty is calculated on value plus shipping.

VAT is calculated on value plus shipping plus duty.

There will also probably be a processing fee from UPS.

fmcato

When you use UPS for US orders, they take care of carrying the package to customs and handling the fees. That is what they charge 26.50 for, not for customs itself.

Happened to me once, since then I have avoided UPS for international orders.

Esel

fmcato wrote: »

When you use UPS for US orders, they take care of carrying the package to customs and handling the fees. That is what they charge 26.50 for, not for customs itself.

Happened to me once, since then I have avoided UPS for international orders.

UPS, Fed Ex, DHL etc.

Regular post is always the option I go for.

rob316

All couriers charge and admin charge of about €12. Any import over €22 is liable for vat. Neighbour of mine works in the duty department of the revenue and said their has been a massive crackdown on collecting vat and duty on non-eu imports.

vandriver

Ups processing charge €14.50
Vat makes up the rest.

Seanachai

This is from DHL's website, what I don't understand is why An Post don't apply these charges like the other companies do? I used to use DHL for their speed but I got fed up of their extra charges.

Goods Purchased Online for Personal Use

You may be charged customs duties and taxes for something purchased online because:
Duties and taxes are most typically not included in the price of the goods you purchase online, and might not be included in the overall shipping costs you pay to the online retailer.
When purchasing goods online, some or all of these goods may not originate in the country you reside in, therefore are subject to a customs duty, which is a tariff or tax imposed on goods when transported across international borders.
When goods are not shipped domestically (within your country) or within a single customs union, such as the European Union, you are liable to pay any inbound duties and taxes which your local customs authority deems appropriate.
To ensure the DHL courier can deliver your goods in shortest possible time after entering your country or customs union, DHL pays the customs authority on your behalf for any duties and taxes that are due on the goods.
Once the duties and taxes are fully repaid to DHL the goods will be delivered to you
What is payable, if anything, depends on where the goods are sent from, the type of goods, their transactional value and the weight of the package
When buying goods online, you should always check whether they are either being sent to your address from:
Your country
Another country
Outside your customs union country
Note: Different rules apply when buying goods for commercial use.

Seanachai

rob316 wrote: »

All couriers charge and admin charge of about €12. Any import over €22 is liable for vat. Neighbour of mine works in the duty department of the revenue and said their has been a massive crackdown on collecting vat and duty on non-eu imports.

Is this massive clampdown at the behest of civil servants so that the tax returns look better for the government by any chance?

vandriver

Seanachai wrote: »

This is from DHL's website, what I don't understand is why An Post don't apply these charges like the other companies do? I used to use DHL for their speed but I got fed up of their extra charges.

Goods Purchased Online for Personal Use

You may be charged customs duties and taxes for something purchased online because:
Duties and taxes are most typically not included in the price of the goods you purchase online, and might not be included in the overall shipping costs you pay to the online retailer.
When purchasing goods online, some or all of these goods may not originate in the country you reside in, therefore are subject to a customs duty, which is a tariff or tax imposed on goods when transported across international borders.
When goods are not shipped domestically (within your country) or within a single customs union, such as the European Union, you are liable to pay any inbound duties and taxes which your local customs authority deems appropriate.
To ensure the DHL courier can deliver your goods in shortest possible time after entering your country or customs union, DHL pays the customs authority on your behalf for any duties and taxes that are due on the goods.
Once the duties and taxes are fully repaid to DHL the goods will be delivered to you
What is payable, if anything, depends on where the goods are sent from, the type of goods, their transactional value and the weight of the package
When buying goods online, you should always check whether they are either being sent to your address from:
Your country
Another country
Outside your customs union country
Note: Different rules apply when buying goods for commercial use.

Simple answer,An Post do impose the same charges.

Esel

vandriver wrote: »

Simple answer,An Post do impose the same charges.

Parcels are less likely to be stopped by An Post in my experience.

vandriver

Esel wrote: »

Parcels are less likely to be stopped by An Post in my experience.

I must be unlucky then because I've always had to pay.
(Provided the parcel is over ~€26,when charges kick in)

gerard2210

Larger volume of parcels/packets coming through an post so more stuff will escape charges. An post add 7 euro to the charges.

namloc1980

I've never had to pay duty on anything that came via An Post from outside the EU. Always got charged when it came via UPS and the likes though.

cloudsurfer

Thanks guys!

I ended up having to pay the €26 anyway.

Will be avoiding UPS like the plague from now on! Robbers!

The palette ended up costing me €80 in the end between the customs and shipping (its only worth €37.50)

Lesson learned!

Seanachai

vandriver wrote: »

Simple answer,An Post do impose the same charges.

I buy products from a US supplement site and I had to stop using DHL as they were stinging me with crazy charges. I haven't been charged once with An Post and I'm buying the same amounts. It seems like DHL and other companies want their slice of the pie, one of their drivers acknowledged this without openly saying it.

Seanachai

Esel wrote: »

Parcels are less likely to be stopped by An Post in my experience.

I hope they aren't monitoring this and we've jinxed it

the beer revolu

cloudsurfer wrote: »

Thanks guys!

I ended up having to pay the €26 anyway.

Will be avoiding UPS like the plague from now on! Robbers!

The palette ended up costing me €80 in the end between the customs and shipping (its only worth €37.50)

Lesson learned!

If you think about it, an Irish retailer has to pay delivery costs, any import duties and then charge VAT on the selling value (which, obviously includes the above).
Seems fair that an online shopper would pay the same.

Seanachai

the beer revolu wrote: »

If you think about it, an Irish retailer has to pay delivery costs, any import duties and then charge VAT on the selling value (which, obviously includes the above).
Seems fair that an online shopper would pay the same.

Is that not why a lot of people shop online, to get big savings? There's a lot of products that Irish retailers just don't stock, especially supplements. In the case of hard to find supplements the prices are often extortionate.