posted on May 19, 2006 07:39:42 AM new
this lady who purchased something from me ( she's out of the country) asked me to mark her package as a gift--and to put the value for less than what it is worth?
enjoy the day!
Billyne
"If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got"
--Jackie "Moms" Mabley (1894-1975)
posted on May 19, 2006 07:50:59 AM new
Because some countries charge enormous amounts of duty and sales tax. and even more if they think it has been brought for commercal gain.
posted on May 19, 2006 08:09:47 AM new
Because otherwise she has to pay truly absurd customs charges on the purchase.
To use the UK as an example, buyers must pay customs charges on any package marked as merchandise that has a stated value of more than ฃ18 (a little over $30). If the package is marked as a gift, that threshhold is increased to ฃ36.
Also you should know that many of the european countries add the cost of the postage of the package to the declared value to determine the total value. The best part is that, depending on what you are sending, the buyer can be charged TWICE, one is a customs charge, the other is VAT (value added tax)
There have been a number of debates on this one around here. Some are militantly strict on their insistance that they will list exact purchase price and list item as merchandise, others with mark as merchandise but list at a lower value than the actual purchase price, others will go all the way and list a gift and at a lower price.
I freely admit that I will reduce the declared value of any item to save my customers money. Many will insist that this is illegal but the fact is that our authorities do not really seem to care and as far as foreign authorites are considered, the importer (aka - your buyer) is the responsible party.
Now lets sit back and watch as wolves come to feed
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
People put their hand on the bible, and swear to uphold the constitution. They do not put their hand on the constitution, and swear to uphold the bible.
posted on May 19, 2006 09:53:13 AM new
I never cared one way or the other until I read some post here that this was illegal!!
I think I will ask my friendly postal clerk - he's very knowledgeable - has always been my go to guy.
posted on May 19, 2006 10:02:51 AM new
I do the same thing Fenix does.Since Ebay is an auction venue,how the hell does a postal clerk or a customs offical know how much the item was paid for??
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If you dont want to hear the truth....dont ask the question.
posted on May 19, 2006 10:09:35 AM new
I mark as merchandise. The clerk might not know what the item is worth, but they know that I'm not sending presents all over the globe. They don't care, but I see no reason to lie on an official form on behalf of someone who isn't a family member.
I will, at the buyer's request, list a lower valuation, but only if they agree that I will insure for only that amount and that they are responsible for any loss that exceeds that amount. Why am I willing to "lie" on this but not gift? Because value is in the eye of the beholder, and if I'm insuring for $x, the buyer might honestly feel that $x is the value, and that he overbid during the auction
posted on May 19, 2006 10:14:47 AM newhow the hell does a postal clerk or a customs offical know how much the item was paid for??
By your invoice inside.
Be very careful with what Fenix says. She also says to ship packages without customs forms, then comes here stating customers are complaining that packages are taking 3 months to deliver. No Kidding.
posted on May 19, 2006 11:04:49 AM new
Filling in misleading or false information on a Customs form is a BIG NO NO. Ever wonder why you have to sign it. Because you are making a legal statement that everything you are filling out on it is true. False information on a Customs form is a good way to get the package seized and get yourself a hefty fine. Note this statement copied directly from the reverse side of a PS Form 2976-A senders's copy:
"Complete the declaration fully and legibly; otherwise, delay and inconvience may result for the addressee. A false or misleading declaration may lead to a fine or to a seizure of the item."
It's YOU the sender that would be fined, not the addressee. And don't forget that it is also a Federal crime since you are dealing with the USPS and the Customs Department.
Best advice to tell customers that want you to lie on a Customs form is simply NO. If they don't like it, tough. If they don't like their country's customs import fee's tell them to complain to their government about it and not you.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
[ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on May 19, 2006 11:05 AM ]
posted on May 19, 2006 11:16:47 AM new
Stone-what invoice inside? I never send an invoice with any of my packages.I dont mark the customs form as "gift" either.
"Be very careful with what Fenix says. She also says to ship packages without customs forms"
How can you send an overseas packages without a customs forms-its mandatory.At least with the USPS.Here they wont send it unless you have a customs form on the outside of the package.And I dont imagine any foreign country would accept a package from overseas without a customs form on it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you dont want to hear the truth....dont ask the question.
posted on May 19, 2006 11:20:52 AM newalso says to ship packages without customs forms, then comes here stating customers are complaining that packages are taking 3 months to deliver. No Kidding.
Stone - that is a blatant lie. Sometimes I wonder if you have have ever made a correct statement on these boards.
I do not use customs forms on any shipment that does not meet the minimum weight requirement but I have NEVER had an issue with even a single package not arriving for 3 months, bmuch less multiple ones. In fact, most of my UK shipments arrive in about 7 days whether they have customs forms on them or not.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
People put their hand on the bible, and swear to uphold the constitution. They do not put their hand on the constitution, and swear to uphold the bible.
posted on May 19, 2006 11:22:08 AM new
Clasic wrote: "And I dont imagine any foreign country would accept a package from overseas without a customs form on it."
Sure, they will accept it. It just won't make it to the addressee. It will end up in the Customs official's house later that day.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
posted on May 19, 2006 11:25:17 AM new
I was told that if it was airmail letter post and weighted less than 6 oz or something like that - no customs form was needed. I was told that by a USPS supervisor, who swore it to be true. This was a package to Canada but he didn't say that was why none was needed.
posted on May 19, 2006 11:27:06 AM new
fenix - I think you may want to check your USPS regulations. There is no such thing as a minimum weight for a customs form. If it is merchandise, a gift, or a sample it MUST have a customs form. Sending it without one would basically be telling the Postal services and the Customs departments that it was a letter and that would be a lie. But feel free to continue to send items without one. Just be ready for the knock on your door from the US Customs Department one day.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
posted on May 19, 2006 11:28:58 AM new
::It's YOU the sender that would be fined, not the addressee. And don't forget that it is also a Federal crime since you are dealing with the USPS and the Customs Department.::
Mike - the customs form is for the sole benefit of the the recipients country. That country has no jurisdiction to prosecute you. As for it not being the buyers responnsibility... this is from the HM revenue and Customs site for UK residents...
You should be aware that although the foreign sender may have completed the customs declaration form on the parcel you are regarded (in law) as the importer of the goods and responsible for the information on the declaration, and any customs charges that may be due. This means that if you purchase goods from these suppliers and the declaration is found to be false or misleading you may be liable to financial penalties or criminal prosecution.
Classic - on low wieght packages, you are not neccessarily required to fill out a customs form. Some clerks think that you are but I think the fact that depending on the season, I send anywhere from 30 to 100 packages a week oversees without customs and that they arrive in a timely manner would tell you that they might not be correct.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
People put their hand on the bible, and swear to uphold the constitution. They do not put their hand on the constitution, and swear to uphold the bible.
Regardless of any statement contained in this manual or the statements of any employee of the United States Postal Serviceฎ, the burden rests with the mailer to ensure that he or she has complied with the prescribed laws and regulations governing domestic and international mail, both those of the United States and those of the destination country.
Here you go fenix. And yes you are REQUIRED to fill out the form. Here's the link to the customs form requirement page. http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/immc1_002.html#vnameref_1
Scroll down to Exhibit 123.61. The only items that do not require a customs form are a few that do NOT have dutiable items in them. If they have anything worth any money in them they are required to.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
[ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on May 19, 2006 11:40 AM ]
posted on May 19, 2006 11:40:52 AM new
* I don't include an invoice inside the package, only my packing slip.
* We do NOT have to attach a customs form to a package under 1 pound! Between 1 and 4 pounds, use the little green customs form. Over 4 pounds, use the big white multi-copy form (a real pain). At least this is what our p.o. folks have told me and what I've done for 4 years now.
* Does anyone here check "other" rather than "gift" or "merchandise"? Just curious. I do that a lot and have never been challenged--and it gets to the buyer, too. Three years ago, my favorite p.o. clerk, who knows darned well that I sell on eBay, told me to mark "gift." Sometimes I've done that, sometimes not. It feels strange to do that, though; I guess I was brought up to tell the truth. On the other hand, if the buyer got an item worth $50 for $5--isn't it a gift?!!LOL
posted on May 19, 2006 12:00:47 PM new
* And sometimes it depends on the postal clerk ... I watched yesterday as someone was sending personal snapshots in a 3 oz. air mail envelope to the UK and HAD to fill out a customs form. Balderdash.
* And I recently got a 1 lb. package to Japan RETURNED to me. I had printed global priority mail on PP with the 3 or 5 part customs form as per THEIR instructions, and had to put a green sticker on and reship. That took two weeks to get back to me BTW.
* And I'm using "Other" as well -- and if I'm insuring it for $150, that's the value. In fact, "merchandise" doesn't seem to be an option or at least I don't see it when I print on line (I do like having the form filled out as I'm paying the postage though).
* My postal clerks, bless their hearts, don't care what I ship or how I declare it, as long as I'm out of their line and don't ask to have anything scanned (they don't seem to be able to scan the customs form printed on line?)
posted on May 19, 2006 01:24:09 PM new
birgittaw - Don't feel bad. You might be supprised how many PO's have no clue to their own rules and regulations. For your PO that told you you needed a customs form for the GPM package print out the page in this link and take it into them. It specifically address's us ebay users that use online printed postage/customs forms. http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2005/html/pb22167/internationmail.html#one
This also has instructions for them that THEY MUST SCAN ALL CUSTOMS FORMS!!! It is required by their change in policy due to their indemnity coverage. They may not like it, don't want to do it or are just to lazy but they are required to. If they refuse to report them to USPS headquarters. Trust me on this one, they will straighten them out, I know from experience. Your paying for the service and if they don't do it your being ripped off.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
[ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on May 19, 2006 01:27 PM ]
posted on May 19, 2006 02:52:49 PM new
I know if you ship UPS overseas,you the seller have the option of paying customs duty for the customer at the UPS store.
(So next time you can offer UPS as an aletrnative to USPS,it will clear thru customs faster and it is trackable too).
The UPS clerk will ask you for the content and look up country code and tell you how much is the customs.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
[ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on May 19, 2006 11:05 AM ]