Unecessary import duties on international shipping
Import duties can add up quick. Package forwarding will save you money by letting you shop at online stores in the U.S. for lower retail prices than in your home country. But what happens when you import your purchases? In some cases, you may be responsible for duties assessed by your country’s customs authority. Here’s how to avoid unnecessary taxes when using package forwarding services.
Value on import duties
When you make a shipping request, you have to declare the value of your shipment. The value you enter on your request form is declared at customs, so you must declare accurately. If you declare too high a value, you may pay more taxes than you want! On the other hand, if you declare too low a value, your declared value may be considered unreasonable and adjusted upward.
Quality on import duties
Your items may be assessed differently by your country’s customs authority, depending on how they were made. For example, the taxed leather is more than vinyl, and new goods may be taxed more than used or repaired goods. To avoid unnecessary taxes, make sure to describe your item as accurately as possible on your shipping request form.
Country of import duties
Different countries have different regulations regarding the import of goods. For example, the European Union has particular guidelines for imports from the United States, and Australia does not tax the import of any hand-made goods! Therefore, when filling out your shipping request form, check your country’s import regulations to see if any special allowances apply to your items.
The value you enter on your request form is the value that will be declared at customs and may affect the taxes you pay. Therefore, declaring your items precisely will help you avoid unnecessary taxes to enjoy shopping even more!
Are there any special allowances made for imports to your country? Let us know if this guide to helping you avoid unnecessary import duties has been helpful!
Hi David, thanks for emailing your inquiry!
If you are able to get the weight and size of the box that she wants to ship to you, you could input the information into our shipping calculator here: https://my.opas.com/shipping_calculator.php, and then get an idea of what your shipping would cost and then see if you think its worth it. Please let me know if you have anything else I can assist you with! Stay safe and healthy, David!