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$500 fee for import from the UK

#21
BigBigGuy44 said:
Several years ago I purchased a Fender Custom Shop bass from Canada. The dealer shipped it UPS. I received a customs bill for around $600 from them on a $3,500 purchase. No details were provided. I still have no idea how they calculated it but the bass was within NAFTA rules at the time so there shouldn't have been a charge at all except for UPS's import fees that were like $50. Took some time dealing with UPS but they eventually waived the fee. I would definitely call them and ask for a detailed invoice and maybe even contact customs to confirm the amount is correct.
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I bought a pre CBS Jazz Bass from Canada in the 90s that was shipped and brokered by UPS (to California) and was initially charged import fees but was able to get it reversed once it was clarified that it was produced in the US (despite being bought from Canada). Was told if doing the same in the future to specify that it was "US goods being returned" (to the US rather than a new purchase return/exchange). I did buy another, had the forms so marked and had no fees charged IIRC (maybe just UPS's flat brokerage fee). Obviously does not apply in the OP's case though.
 
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#22
attackz said:
Upfront disclaimer: this is explicitly not a political thread, I am just trying to understand the facts of this situation and verify UPS's calculation.

Hoping someone here can help me make sense of this.

I recently bought a made in the UK bass from the Bass Gallery in London and had it shipped to California. The total cost was £2400, around $3300. UPS sent me an invoice for a $525 import fee! $15 of that was their brokerage fee, the rest of it passed on from the govt.

There isn't any info on how they calculated the fee and I'm finding mixed messages online about how the fee should be calculated. Obviously, the recent changes mean that any search results older than a few months aren't useful. The charge seems high, I was expecting around 5% of the total value, but this is closer to 15%.

Can anyone make this make sense?
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Several years ago, I shipped some electronics to a guy who had a boat anchored in the Camden Islands. Had to use UPS and the only way they would ship was UPS air which was 2-3 days delivery.
16lb of electronics and $250.00 shipping. That was about 12 years ago. I'd hate to see what it would be today. Btw, there was no itemization for the billing then, as well
 
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#23
At this time there's very little conclusive information that anybody-retailers, distributors, importers, shippers and manufacturers-can rely upon for international trade. It just is what it is.
I would agree with a few posts that your fees are an amalgamation of set costs and let's not charge too little because we don't know costs.
If anybody is counting penny's on an import purchase it might be wise to wait and see for the time being.
 
#24
Import a unique item from such distant place seems to be easy according the online shopping but it demands a lot of logistic resources that are a bit expensive when dealing a unique item to a individual customer.

To ship transatlantic, from other hemispheres or continent makes sense when is a container full of products to a shop store deposit. To purchase one unit of the product is better purchase the ones available at the shops of your cit, if budget is not the problem is better travel to the shop that have unique item you want to purchase it personaly. .
 
#25
txhawaii said:
A few years ago, I purchased two of the same cameras off ebay from two sellers in Japan. One camera import fee was $60 and the other was over $500. Fed Ex charged the fees. The cameras were about $3500 ea. I contested the $500 fee and won. So you should be able to contest the fee or at least get a proper explanation. It took them over a year to do it and I didn't pay during that time.
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I'm surprised they didn't raise the $60 fee up to $500.
 
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#26
attackz said:
Upfront disclaimer: this is explicitly not a political thread, I am just trying to understand the facts of this situation and verify UPS's calculation.

Hoping someone here can help me make sense of this.

I recently bought a made in the UK bass from the Bass Gallery in London and had it shipped to California. The total cost was £2400, around $3300. UPS sent me an invoice for a $525 import fee! $15 of that was their brokerage fee, the rest of it passed on from the govt.

There isn't any info on how they calculated the fee and I'm finding mixed messages online about how the fee should be calculated. Obviously, the recent changes mean that any search results older than a few months aren't useful. The charge seems high, I was expecting around 5% of the total value, but this is closer to 15%.

Can anyone make this make sense?
Click to expand...
If you check with your local Customs office they can give you current info. You know how much the brokerage fee was and the Customs charge for it coming in the country. I used to deal with a few Customs offices back in the early 2000's when I was arranging wingshooting trips in Africa by train. They'd travel by train during the night; arrive at the hunting location and wingshoot all day (typically driven hunts); get back on the train for dinner, and move on to the next location overnight. Bird-hunters love their shotguns, especially if they are vintage or pre-war (WWII). They always wanted to take them with them and we had to make sure they could get them back in the US.

I'd send them a form to fill out and they'd take it to the customs office along with their shotgun. They would examine it; stamp the form and sign it; and as long as they presented the validated form upon reentry that proved that it wasn't bought and imported back into the US. At the time many of the African countries would also accept that form as a gun license. I always found Customs surprisingly helpful when I called. So I'd say, check with Customs.
 
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#27
Arthr1986 said:
Import a unique item from such distant place seems to be easy according the online shopping but it demands a lot of logistic resources that are a bit expensive when dealing a unique item to a individual customer.

To ship transatlantic, from other hemispheres or continent makes sense when is a container full of products to a shop store deposit. To purchase one unit of the product is better purchase the ones available at the shops of your cit, if budget is not the problem is better travel to the shop that have unique item you want to purchase it personaly. .
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With respect, all of the costs you've mentioned are wrapped up in the shipping cost paid at checkout. This extra fee is not connected to the logistics of shipping.

If I travelled to the UK to pick up the bass I should still pay these costs on the way back in to the US.
 
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#30
attackz said:
There isn't any info on how they calculated the fee and I'm finding mixed messages online about how the fee should be calculated.
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Sellers might not even be sure. I contacted Thomann because I have lined up a potential order around $750, which I 'd heard would probably not be hit with surcharges, but I wanted to make sure. Thomann replied:

Based on our understanding, the potential duties and taxes for orders [of goods made in China] will be an additional 55% that will need to be paid to the courier before delivery can be made....

If the order does not include items made in China, and is below 800 USD, you will most likely not be asked to pay import tax upon delivery, however, since we specialize in the exportation of goods rather than importation, we are not experts in the policies and procedures for the calculation and collection of import fees in the US. We would recommend that you check the US CBP website or contact your local UPS office and they will be able to provide you with detailed information.

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases#
 
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#31
That's a bad vision of the world commerce and logistic, but shipping around the world should not be a monopoly. UPS and DHL are big world wide companies. But sometimes diferent brands of logistic companies means more people trying to use, or at least rent a smal space on the same hyper-carriers, ships, airplanes, and trucks to distribute the products to shops and final consumers. Similarr to a company that provide cars to drivers, but there are 2000 drivers to each car.
 
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#34
Hectobar said:
similar experience. Do your due diligence prior. I didn't. Trying to buy a cheap bass.
Thomann 111
Shipping 92
Import fees 190 something.
Yep. 4 bills for a hundred $ bass.
I like the bass so Not all lost.
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I was going to make my Thomann order but I don't want to get hit with as much as $1160 on a $750 order. Thomann is a retail colossus in Europe so they'll survive a collapse of sales to the US, but once US music related companies like pedalmakers use up their (hastily built up) inventory sales will crater as prices jump and it's going to get bloody

guitar.com

“Prices will rise and we may be facing mass layoffs”: why boutique pedal makers fear tariffs will destroy the entire US pedal industry

We've spoken to some of major players in the US pedal and MI industry about the impact the tariffs are having on their businesses – and the outlook is dire.
guitar.com guitar.com
 
#35
I was interested in a ski shell jacket from a certain company I've been following. Once the season was over I thought I'd check their website to see if there were any deals to be had. Here's what I found in my shopping cart.

1750990810022.png
 
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#36
I get many of my tuning machines custom made in Italy. I used to have them all shipped in a single $3000 box, zero issues with DHL. Then they got shipped via UPS and I was getting heavy additional charges. Even after I paid the charges, had receipts, and the product in hand, UPS would hassle and threaten me for a year or so after the transaction about once every six weeks.

There is a base level where they do not charge you, so now instead of one big package, I get 8 or 10 small ones with less declared value, each with half the tuning machine set; problem solved. For bolt on necks, ship the neck, the body, and the electronics separate.
 
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#39
I ordered a new Dingwall NG3 from a dealer in Canada. The price was excellent and he told me I'd pay sales tax for my state and between $70 & $95 in customs/tariffs,
all total between $200 and $225.
The bass will be here on Monday. Today I received an invoice for taxes and tariffs that total $704.
I also received an email from the dealer saying not to pay it, that it is incorrect and assured me they will get it straightened out. They said this has happened to them before and theywere able to get those corrected. If they can't it's going back.
I'll update as soon as I know something.
 
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#40
Pep said:
I ordered a new Dingwall NG3 from a dealer in Canada. The price was excellent and he told me I'd pay sales tax for my state and between $70 & $95 in customs/tariffs,
all total between $200 and $225.
The bass will be here on Monday. Today I received an invoice for taxes and tariffs that total $704.
I also received an email from the dealer saying not to pay it, that it is incorrect and assured me they will get it straightened out. They said this has happened to them before and theywere able to get those corrected.
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U.S. Customs looks at the country of origin, not where they were merely shipped from, but if completed production in Canada results in "substantial transformation" (e.g., final assembly, finishing, quality control), the guitar may legally be considered "Made in Canada"—and thus subject to the 25% Canadian tariff rate when imported to the U.S.

Unless Canadian tariffs have been halted again you would be subject to a 25% tariff, which you discussed in an earlier thread in April. But $95 seems low for a 25% tariff on a Dingwall.
 
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