The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hey guys,
I was thinking of buying a watch from a guy for a pretty good deal, yet he is in Canada and someone breifly mentioned to me about "getting hit by customs"...Can someone explain to me what I need to consider in regards to Customs.
I was just going to do the sale through Paypal as usual, I have a friend in CAN that would check the watch out prior to the sale, but now I'm hearing about "customs" issues...
I appreciate your help!
Chris

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Cheers,
Christopher

Currently...
Blackbird, Black Hercules, PAM 000
Down to a humble three...

Don't know about US customs but if you have a friend in Canada, better solution would be that your friend make a deal face to face and send you the watch.

But don't I still have to pay customs or something to have my friend send me the watch?
My friend was just going to give me the thumbs up and then I could send over the money, but another buddie of mine mentioned something about customs when the watch was being sent over here..about it being held up and stuff...he was trying to dissuade me from doing the deal in CAN...

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Cheers,
Christopher

Currently...
Blackbird, Black Hercules, PAM 000
Down to a humble three...

It's normal to pay customs when you import the watch from abroad.
I'm just saying that it would be safer to get that watch posted from your friend.

If a package is shipped internationally then there has to be a customs declaration on the outside describing the goods and their value.

This is then subject to a number of fees:

1) Import duty which is at different rates depending on the type of product - Ithink that it's 4% for watches imported to the US right now, but check.

2) Sales taxes in your local jurisdiction - so Florida for you. You'll need to check what those rules are - it may be exempt, it may be taxable, no idea

3) Handling fees charged by the shipping company

4) Taxes on the handling fees

If you don't want to pay those fees then you have two choices - both of which are illegal

1) You can have the shipper put a lower value and / or misdescribe the goods on the customs declaration - that's a criminal offence for the seller, and you if you had any part in it being done (i.e. you asked for it)

2) You can have the piece 'walked' (driven, flown, etc) across the border, often with the box / papers shipped separately as 'printed matter' with a $0 value. That's an offence for the person doing it and you if you knew about it.

Roff,
So if I come to an agreement to buy the watch for $2k shipped and paypalled, once my friend ok's the watch...when do I see the fees you talk about? Does customs hold the package and send me a bill to release it?

_________________
Cheers,
Christopher

Currently...
Blackbird, Black Hercules, PAM 000
Down to a humble three...

It won't be held, what usually happens is that the shipping company will present you with a bill and you have to pay that to get the item. That's where their handling fee comes in - they act as a broker for US Customs / tax authorities. On occacion I have had a package delivered without any fees and thought that the parcel had just slipped through without being checked but then got a bill in the mail a couple of weeks later - that hasn't happened in a while though.

I had a watch arrive yesterday from canada and got a £21 customs charge at the door from UPS

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Hi Christopher,

I've sold over 100 watches to US buyers, and I've never been told of any tax or duty that was paid on their end. I usually mark the item as a gift and let the buyer decide what value and insurance they want me to declare, and I specify that it is at THEIR risk if they decide to undervalue. But in my exerience it seems that watch travelling from Canada to US rarely get tagged with tax or duty, that I know . But going the other way, US to Canada, I get hit 95% of the time for whatever value is declared on the customs form, with the exception of the $65 gift exemption.

I'd like to hear from other US residents that have bought watches from me or other Canadian sellers... did you pay tax/duty?

For what its worth, I ship by Canada Post Express most of the time.

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If they hand you a package without letting you know there are fees due, then you do not have to pay them. Because you didn't have the opportunity to refuse the package based on the fees assesed or amount due, they can not simply charge you after the fact. They will try and send you a bill, but if you fight it, you'll win. I know this from experience with UPS especially. The theory here is that if someone you don't know sends you a box with a value of $500 on it, you accept it, open it, say WTF? and throw away the packaging. You can not be held financially responsible for something you didn't request, without the right to know the cost up front.

Seriously, fight it and you'll win.

Now if they have a COD invoice for you at the door, then you are obligated to review the costs and either pay the invoice and accept the package, or refuse the package.

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I think that's why they don't invoice later anymore. It's always COD with a courier and because I have an RR address I don't get Canada Post parcel delivery anyway so you have to pay before you can collect.

They do still invoice later... my wife just fought a bill and won and the UPS lady admitted that they have to put a cod tag on the box so the driver knows he has to collect. The next day I got a watch from MAH by UPS and guess what, no COD tag and no payment requested, just a "have a nice day" from the driver. Well a week later the invoice showed up in the mail. I'll be calling tomorrow to tell them what to do with the invoice.

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