From the desk of a customs broker

[Marie13]

I bought my Santi drysuit and undergarment while traveling in Europe because, all totaled, it was half the price of buying it here in the US! The exchange rate was good, and the base price was lower even apart from the exchange rate. Add to that the VAT refund I received when I left Europe, and the price was half what it would have cost me from a US dealer.

When I returned to the US, I duly declared my purchase at Customs. The Customs agent seemed surprised at my honesty. I got the impression that many people buy stuff abroad and don't bother to declare it. The agent asked me what the thing was that I had bought, searched on her computer for a few minutes, factored in the $800 exemption, and then told me what I owed. It wasn't that much--under 100 USD--so I had clearly come out ahead. But now, for the coup de grace, when I tried to pay, their payment system wouldn't take my credit card due to some malfunction on their end, and the agent said, "Never mind. Thanks for your honesty. Have a nice day."

Your experience was different because you brought it back to the US yourself. Many people think bringing back something and ordering from overseas are the same thing. They are totally different. And I can’t stress that enough.

 

[guruboy]

I have also ordered Santi gear from Europe before. As others have mentioned, it’s much cheaper. Fees were minimal. It was shipped FedEx and FedEx sent me a bill for clearing customs.

that was an online order direct to customer, so I guess not covered by Marie’s work.

@Marie13 did the trade war decrease your business traffic from people importing less and “buying American”?

 

[Marie13]

I have also ordered Santi gear from Europe before. As others have mentioned, it’s much cheaper. Fees were minimal. It was shipped FedEx and FedEx sent me a bill for clearing customs.

that was an online order direct to customer, so I guess not covered by Marie’s work.

@Marie13 did the trade war decrease your business traffic from people importing less and “buying American”?

Not really. It only applies to China, not anywhere else.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Your experience was different because you brought it back to the US yourself. Many people think bringing back something and ordering from overseas are the same thing. They are totally different. And I can’t stress that enough.

I agree with what you said in your previous post.

I wouldn't go so far as to never order from overseas, but if I did, I would make a reasonable effort to pay the customs duty rather than actively attempt to avoid it (for example, by shipping via post). But I'm one of those weirdos who just generally believes in following rules, regardless of whether I may disagree with them or the likelihood of not getting caught breaking them--and I disagree with plenty of my government's rules. I hardly drive over the speed limit.

 

[Wookie]

I don’t care what the cost difference is. I deal with enough bureaucratic BS on the job that I do NOT order from overseas and actively encourage people to not do so. If you do so, the hassles in many cases are not worth it.

The very highest quality boat parts in Stainless Steel are made in Europe, either UK or Norway. I had ordered 2 door locks for external doors from Trioving before the tariffs ($800 each) and was surprised to have DHL charge me an extra $100 on the third one when I needed another. A week later.

But nothing made in the US even comes close in quality. At least with Santi I can choose to buy from an American dealer or switch to DUI....

I was very happy the $54,000 heat exchanger for the main engine was purchased before tariffs were even considered.

 

[Marie13]

I agree with what you said in your previous post.

I wouldn't go so far as to never order from overseas, but if I did, I would make a reasonable effort to pay the customs duty rather than actively attempt to avoid it (for example, by shipping via post). But I'm one of those weirdos who just generally believes in following rules, regardless of whether I may disagree with them or the likelihood of not getting caught breaking them--and I disagree with plenty of my government's rules. I hardly drive over the speed limit.

It’s not evading duties. There really appears to be a different clearance method. If you go with the express couriers, you get a bill for clearance fees (for them actually doing the clearance). That doesn’t happen on shipments via the postal service. I’ve tried to get a better handle on how the post office handles international clearances and such, but no one I’ve asked has been able to tell me.

 

[Marie13]

The very highest quality boat parts in Stainless Steel are made in Europe, either UK or Norway. I had ordered 2 door locks for external doors from Trioving before the tariffs ($800 each) and was surprised to have DHL charge me an extra $100 on the third one when I needed another. A week later.

But nothing made in the US even comes close in quality. At least with Santi I can choose to buy from an American dealer or switch to DUI....

I was very happy the $54,000 heat exchanger for the main engine was purchased before tariffs were even considered.

Then you’re stuck.

 

[Wookie]

Then you’re stuck.

I was indeed.

 

[Marie13]

I’m waiting to see how the corona virus thing is going to affect int’l shipping. The CNY holiday was extended three days to Sunday. I. Addition, Shanghai businesses are being told not to reopen until Feb. 10. A lot of the stuff I handle comes out of Shanghai.

 

[StefinSB]

There is no method for self reporting to Customs. The express courier (Fedex, etc.) would send you an invoice for clearance fees and duties.

A lot of people confuse shipments coming direct to them from overseas with bringing stuff back as a traveler. Totally different.

NOTE: I am NOT an expert on stuff ordered from overseas direct to a consumer. I only know what I have been told by others here and read in posts.

I don’t care what the cost difference is. I deal with enough bureaucratic BS on the job that I do NOT order from overseas and actively encourage people to not do so. If you do so, the hassles in many cases are not worth it.

I order things from Europe for the last 20 years. Never had any more burocratic BS to deal with than eg the DMV.