Customs Duties?

[JLvatron]

I think in recent years when I've ordered from US Amazon.com, there was a duty fee I paid with my original order.
It was minimal, and my friend told me it guaranteed no extra duty/tax fees.

Last year I ordered pants for 17 Cdn$ shipped from US. No duty fee, and Amazon said there might be taxes, but luckily there was none.

I never order more than 100$ anyway.

[RavageX-9]

I was looking into DHL recently.
Apparently they charge $15 on top of tax and high shipping prices. I can't tell if there are circumstances where they charge more than that.

While this information is useless during the lockdown, apparently you can avoid the $15 by properly filing the customs paperwork. Your mileage may vary. (I would suspect they're very strict on the paperwork. Maybe just printing off the receipt from an online order would cause problems. I don't know.)
https://borderbee.com/2014/01/13/how...-with-customs/
and don't bother with their linked alternative broker. They wanted to charge $64 fees + $4 tax for an $80 item.

[evenstaves]

I don't have a high opinion of DHL

Read an article a while back about them charging "hidden/undeclared" fees after they already have your package in-hand

Then later, it happened to me!

Ordered an item from Mandarake, DHL shipping only (to Canada)
Figured I'd give it a spin see how it goes

shipping almost doubled the cost of the item upfront (grumble)
But it ships, and I follow the tracking as it clears JPN and arrives NA
Later on get an email from DHL "u have to pay us $34 as well"
Like what? Grinds my gears that they only say that once they have it, so you got (what) no choice but pay?

Their emails say it for "customs/duties", but read the article man:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/gopublic/dhl...fees-1.5935236

[nuropa]

they all charge customs clearance fees . Canada Post will charge you $10 for customs declaration but there is a chance your item won't be checked by customs if value is on the low side. all others will declare on your behalf and charge the clearance fee + tax & duty. if you order small value items, make sure it's using EMS or post service instead. you will get dinged otherwise. nothing shocking about that article but someone who didn't research international shipping and costs beforehand.

[evenstaves]

Yeah I usually go EMS or SAL from Mandy orders, only ever paid extra for a higher/better shipper that one time when I got an LG-EX Metroplex

Everything else has always arrived eventually, never lost a fig yet
That why this (Japan Post mandating to Mandy only DHL to Canada) is so frustrating, I would never have used them otherwise
It's just what I get though, I suppose, for not waiting until Japan Post lifts their restrictions

[nuropa]

I used AliExpress dhl service for a robot vacuum once. Item delivered quick and bill a month later but fully expected it. Otherwise amazon Japan use dhl but all fees are shown before hand and no extra cost

[RavageX-9]

Originally Posted by evenstaves

I don't have a high opinion of DHL
Read an article a while back about them charging "hidden/undeclared" fees after they already have your package in-hand

Then later, it happened to me!

Ordered an item from Mandarake, DHL shipping only (to Canada)
Figured I'd give it a spin see how it goes

shipping almost doubled the cost of the item upfront (grumble)
But it ships, and I follow the tracking as it clears JPN and arrives NA
Later on get an email from DHL "u have to pay us $34 as well"
Like what? Grinds my gears that they only say that once they have it, so you got (what) no choice but pay?

Their emails say it for "customs/duties", but read the article man:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/gopublic/dhl...fees-1.5935236

I just want to know how MUCH so I can make a decision. How much of that $34 was tax? How much of it was a % of your item value?

Originally Posted by nuropa

they all charge customs clearance fees . Canada Post will charge you $10 for customs declaration but there is a chance your item won't be checked by customs if value is on the low side. all others will declare on your behalf and charge the clearance fee + tax & duty. if you order small value items, make sure it's using EMS or post service instead. you will get dinged otherwise. nothing shocking about that article but someone who didn't research international shipping and costs beforehand.

You already admit that they DON'T all charge customs clearance fees, because as you say, they don't always check.
My understanding was that the non-governmental shipping services like UPS, FedEx, and DHL ALWAYS charged this, but now I'm not sure.

Also currently during the pandemic we have fewer shipping options, so it's not always a choice. I just wish I could always be informed on what the final amount would be.

Originally Posted by evenstaves

Yeah I usually go EMS or SAL from Mandy orders, only ever paid extra for a higher/better shipper that one time when I got an LG-EX Metroplex

Everything else has always arrived eventually, never lost a fig yet
That why this (Japan Post mandating to Mandy only DHL to Canada) is so frustrating, I would never have used them otherwise
It's just what I get though, I suppose, for not waiting until Japan Post lifts their restrictions

Very strange, since I recently bought from amiami and HobbySearch which are both in Japan, and while they had limited shipping options, they weren't DHL.
I want things to go back to normal.

[evenstaves]

Originally Posted by RavageX-9

I just want to know how MUCH so I can make a decision. How much of that $34 was tax? How much of it was a % of your item value?

Item was 10K yen, so ~$114 CAD
DHL shipping put the cost up over $200 (WTF) -> ~$208

And then, an extra $34 mid-shipment

I seen this item for $200 sealed at cons, but passed on it then (can do Mandy for cheaper, I thought)
Well, maybe not during a pandemic, it turns out! Now I'm overpaying for a used copy
(I don't have a problem with used if it aint broken; just saying if it gonna cost this f*ckin much, may as well have bought a sealed copy, FFS)

[Tiffster]

Originally Posted by Tekkamanraiden

Oh, I though it was a lot longer ago than that. My mistake.

I've ordered multiple things from Amazon and Zavvi with no import fees beyond what they state at time of order. Are these inspections by customs random?

[nuropa]

Originally Posted by evenstaves

Item was 10K yen, so ~$114 CAD
DHL shipping put the cost up over $200 (WTF) -> ~$208

And then, an extra $34 mid-shipment

I seen this item for $200 sealed at cons, but passed on it then (can do Mandy for cheaper, I thought)
Well, maybe not during a pandemic, it turns out! Now I'm overpaying for a used copy
(I don't have a problem with used if it aint broken; just saying if it gonna cost this f*ckin much, may as well have bought a sealed copy, FFS)

was it the sender declare value at $200? DHL wouldn't make up that number.