(RANT) I hate Customs...

I HATE the customs over here.
I got some cheap Saturn games came to around $96 with shipping. You know how much the customs want from me to receive it? $127. Almost 125% of the original value! Just because It was send by EMS they think Im rich and charge whatahell they fell like... XP

 

Did the seller not mark the value down, and send it as a "gift"?

 

He did, but theres no arguing with the customs here.

 

I already heard that customs in Brazil was a rape fest, but that is an outrage!

 

thats ridiculous, they are basically holding your stuff ransom

 

They usually tax them in 60%. But because it was an EMS they must though it wasnt enough XP

 

Aw man, that sucks!

So gift does jack all? Would sending an item not by EMS change anything though?

 

I was the one who sent the parcel and here is the F*ing stupid thing. EMS should pass straight through customs while SAL or Surface mail will be checked more often than not. Just ask Importaku. I've sent him at least 50 odd parcels via EMS to the UK and not once have they been stopped. same with other countries as well.

It seems to me that Brazil will rape you no matter what service you use. Oh, and get this. It was cheaper to send the parcel to Brazil via EMS than it was by SAL mail!! how the fuck is that? Well, I wonder if it isn't some sort of bullshit set up by the Brazilian government. I can't think of any other country that I send parcels to where EMS is cheaper than SAL.

Yakumo

 

At least for EMS they gift option is useless, from what I read they will stop to tax every EMS/FEDEX arrived in the country, no mater the value. I very rarely had problems with other shipping methods. ( withtax, if they dont have a tracking its about 30% of chance they will just disappear on the way from my experience)

I read on the federal police site today that most packages may as usual be checked and pay 60% of tax. BUT if it is by EMS they can charge up to 100%. Even so I guess 100% wasnt good enough.
So EMS its the other way around.
If you buy anything and use the fastest option of shippment, they think your rich and f**k you up. Try using FEDEX and youre really f*ked.
Another thing is that they tax based on the contents plus the shipping price. WTH! They want to make money even from the shipping company.

I know Yakumo had the best intentions, this is just a fu*ed up country.

Them i just got back from the post office again, and they said they cant ship it back right away just because I refused, they need to wait 10 working days, and if no one reclaims it, them they ship it back...

I have been geting so much bull**t from this country lately that Im really thinking of moving to another place.

 

Well, Express services are more prone to tax. Courier services like Fedex, UPS, DHL are always taxed. If you have the payment receipt and the auction / store pricing you can fill a form to contest that value. If i'm not mistaken it takes about 2 weeks for respond. But be aware. It can be lower, yes, but i've read of cases of getting even higher.

The Import Tax is 60% of the declared value. In some states there's also ICMS that is usually 18%.

Best way to try avoid these taxes is using regular mail services like Priority International or Surface. But even on those cases you can be taxed.

It's pratically a gambling situation. I've seen people with small packages being taxed, while others with big ones weren't. There's no standard. Also if the package has any store logo / info the product is taxed. Only stuff sent from real people can get away.

Some people even say some addressess are being "blacklisted" because received too much import packages and them start getting being taxed on anything they imported afterwards.

Since i don't import much (actually rarely these days), i can't say much about the current situation.

EDITED: Here's a good import tax calculator. http://fergonez.net/variados/impostos.php

 

This is one of those things I obviously wouldn't enjoy (no offense to people who *seek* to toss away money), but can't relate direct with. Our government handles customs and gaming alike too different than others.

I've yet to be charged a cent in import fees at the post office. Ever. And I bought stuff like Urusei Yatsura Complete Music Box. Been too long to recall paying for insufficient postage either.

For that matter we don't have federal games rating. ESRB is "officially" voluntary and non-governmental in operation.

 

Unfortunaly we dont have much options here, Everything that its made or enter this country its heavily taxed.

A brand new release, officialy released here usually costs between $105~130

Add to that our wage floor its around $360, depending on the state you live.

 

What a bunch of twats. OK, I'll keep an eye open for the parcel and resend it to you. Next time shall we send it as two Small Packet SAL parcels or one normal SAL parcel with tracking?

You did the right thing having it sent back to me. I wouldn't pay that much tax either.

Here's a funny story for you about the bastards in Osaka customs (where all my imports go through). I buy my BluRays from Amazon US because they are 50% cheaper than buying them in Japan even with shipping. Anyway, the last set I wanted fast so I paid for express shipping service. The discs arrived in Japan just two days later but those bastards at Osaka customs kept them for over a week. Then they wanted me to pay holding fees or some shit. I told them to stick their fee up their arse since I had paid for express service yet they kept my parcel for a week. The backed down right away. :thumbsup:

The last parcel I paid for normal shipping and guess what? Three days after Amazon sending me a mail to tell me the BluRays had shipped, they arrived at my home. I'm always going for standard shipping from now on. So much faster.

Yakumo

 

Yeah, no way I was going to pay that much.

One normal SAL with tracking will do just fine, maybe mark the value a little down. I not using anything that doesnt have tracking..


They must think along the lines: If he wants to receive it fast, them he NEEDS THIS SOON, lets charge him whatever we fell like, otherwise he will have to wait a long time XP

 

I would recommend using an address of a mate or family next time, as you are probably on the radar now.

 

Dude that sucks! Go and start a revolution or something!

 

We REALLY do need one.

 

I rarely had to pick up SAL or surface packages from the customs office, maybe about 10 times in my life (out of several times that amount of packages). Then again every EMS package I had to pay for, simply because they assume there's something valuable in it and of course because it doesn't make much sense to buy insurance and write 5$ on it, so usually there's the real value right on the label (100$+).

I just recently got some 10kg packages (surface) without any complications.

Taxes here in British Columbia are a lot cheaper, only 12%. Everybody still complains about the high taxes, but I was used to 19% GST in Germany... back in Alberta where my family lives it's even as little as 5% iirc!! 14% less than in Germany, how can the government afford this generous fiscal policy!?

That customs ripoff sucks. And I thought it was bad back at home in Germany where they charge you 19% GST on BOTH, shipping fees AND item value (if the item value exceeds 22 Euros)! Because shipping is a service and counts as import, hmpf. Sometimes I had to pay 19% on a $40 item (fake) and $125 shipping, so 19% of $165. Still a bargain compared to that deal of the century they offered you.

 

Honestly I never had to deal with customs prices, then again are postal system is top notch for the most part never had a package not show up either. In the states the only thing they will tax you on is something huge and heavy like a car. But games and movies or any misc entertainment they don't care. Lol Yakumo did you use free shipping? Even when I choose the free shipping option with amazon mostly comes in 3 days, sometimes comes in 2 days or next depending on what it is. Last thing I bought from ebay I choose ems so I am going to see how much its worth over regular airmail.

 

atleast you got as far as customs....

the lovely finnish postal service just told me that a device sent to me via standard mail absolutely can't be sent to it's new owner at all because it contains a battery -.-
well, how nice of them to deliver it to me before telling me there's no way to deliver it by post.