Buying minis from the USA to Germany and had to pay taxes!?

Glorian Underhill · Post by **Glorian Underhill** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:24 pm

Hi I just bought a painted team from an guy in the usa and when finaly the packege arrived the german "Zoll" told me that i had to pay 19% taxes on it like everything i could have bought in germany.

Needless to say i'm quite pissed, 19% of 150€s is not a small sum. So How can this be avoided?
I have heard you can declare it as an gift? How does this work? Has anyone an idea?

Meradanis · Post by **Meradanis** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:56 am

First if all, you have to know that the german custom office doesn't distinguish between private and commerical selling. You have to pay tariff (Zoll) and taxes (Mehrwertsteuer) on everything above a certain value (I've read somewhere it's 25 euro, but I don't know for sure).

As for the idea of declaring the item as a gift: Those guys at the custom office aren't dump. Even if the package has been declared as a gift, they'll check it unless you're very lucky. I've once bought something from Thailand, the seller declared it as a gift, and I didn't have to pay anything. But as I said, normally they are aware of this 'trick' and you'll have to pay anyway.

I have one question: How did they know that the team you've bought is worth 150 euros ? I guess the guy you've bought it from has placed a letter with the price and/or ebay item number into the box. If there is no such letter, they have to guess the price. So here is my idea: Ask the seller not to place any hint to ebay into the box. Instead, he should list the price (and possible item number) of those minis, with a link to the games workshop online shop. They'll have a hard time to prove that you've paid money for the paint job, or how much such a paintjob does cost. My guess is that you'll have to pay the 19% on the base price of those minis only, which should be far less.

But that's only a theory of mine, don't make me accountable if it doesn't work.

gken1 · Post by **gken1** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:28 am

the seller might have put the value of the item on the customs form.

you could ask him to put $25 value--this should only hurt you if the item is insured.

Duke Jan · Post by **Duke Jan** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:13 am

There are several ways to deal with this. First off customs offices keep a list of the value of things. Another possibility is if the slips on the package mention the value. If you're unlucky enough to have your packaged picked out VAT or import duty will be charged on anything imported into the EU over €20,- including postage. So if you have something declared for $25 and there is $5 postage on the box, you will be charged 19% of €20.50 (at the current exchange rate.

It can be declared as a sample or gift with no commercial value, but usually the customs list is referred to and it may be decided that VAT is still applicable if they think you might sell it on anyway.

Tritex · Post by **Tritex** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:18 pm

Putting value on declaration form is usually the worst culprit - I usually value all items as no more that 30 GBP as it covers insurance and replacements if needed.
If in a sensitive country and requested I dont include an invoice either as as far as I am concerned you have already paid tax buying fom me or a retailer so why should the recieving country get paid a tax again on items bought for private use.

Unfortunately though this is the risk of buying from abroad and inporting From the US or Australia carries heavy duty. Believe me I know

Digger Goreman · Post by **Digger Goreman** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:37 pm

I'll keep all of this in mind

Jamie Fameflame · Post by **Jamie Fameflame** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:04 pm

I once bought a quite expensive watch, wich was caught in the toll... Luckily, the place where I bought it from, had supplied a receipt stating the cost as being $ 100

Got a call from a guy from the customs office:

"Are you SURE you only paid $ 100 for this watch..?"

"*gulp*... Why, yes."

"Okaaay..."

Worked out a treat

kithor2002 · Post by **kithor2002** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:42 am

Most of my packages where declared as a gift. And as said before the value on the box should also be declared low (e.g. 60 Euros).

hoomin_erra · Post by **hoomin_erra** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:03 pm

Only backlash? If the item gets lost, you can't really claim the full cost can you?

lauth81 · Post by **lauth81** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:04 pm

well, I once bought unpainted miniatures from the US and they asked me to pay penalty tax duties in addition to import tax, because I was importing metal from the US ...

(it was one of the times the US and he EU has on of their little trade disputes going on)

Post by **GalakStarscraper** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:11 pm

Glorian,

Just be glad you don't live in Italy.

Those guys in customs REALLY have it in for the USA.

A normal package that Impact! sends to Italy from the USA takes 2 to 3 months to arrive (even when sent via priority delivery service for 10 day delivery). Italy also holds the record for most lost packages of any country that I ship to (although when it takes 2 months+ for the package to arrive ... its a fine line for most customers between lost and slow).

I'm very happy that to date most of my customers in Italy have been very understanding of their own postal system.

Galak

Post by **Old Man Draco** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:18 am

Meradanis wrote:I've once bought something from Thailand.

What does she look like?

Meradanis · Post by **Meradanis** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:15 am

Draco wrote:
Meradanis wrote:I've once bought something from Thailand.
What does she look like?

She's a real hotty. I'm still sorry that I haven't had enough money for the "buy 2, get 1 free" sale they've been running back then.

It's been the american version of a PC game, because most german translators seem to be some kind of automatic translation machines, like those google service to translate a website. Even with my school english, I could do a better job most of the time. Heck, even an old dutch like Draco could do it better !

Glorian Underhill · Post by **Glorian Underhill** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:00 pm

Well to solve that mystery of the price value of the items.

On the package itself where a small green paper where someone has written onto the weight and the value eg. 250$ onto it. The paper looks a lot like all the american papers you have to sing in if you want to travel into the us. Where there are questions if i have helped nazi germany in ww2 and that stuff.

There was nothing more on the inside as a recipe or something.