U.S. customs

[Tobus]

Duties are one thing... Outrageous brokerage fees are something else...

The "one thing" and the "something else" both equal "theft" in my book. It matters not at all whether the person holding my rightful property hostage is wearing a government uniform or a private company uniform. In either case, they claim the authority to keep something which doesn't belong to them until a ransom is paid to get it back. In any other facet of life, this would be outrageously criminal.

[madmacs]

The "one thing" and the "something else" both equal "theft" in my book. It matters not at all whether the person holding my rightful property hostage is wearing a government uniform or a private company uniform. In either case, they claim the authority to keep something which doesn't belong to them until a ransom is paid to get it back. In any other facet of life, this would be outrageously criminal.

I do recall a.case where someone on one of the watch forums I used to frequent refused to pay the brokerage fees. He quite rightly pointed out that the contract that fedex had existed with the sender not the receiver. Not quite sure how that resolved itself, but I think he had the goods without paying the fees.

The government is very up front about you owing duty on what you import, so I would say it's a part of doing business across borders as I believe Steve mentioned above. Fedex not so much...

I always advocate USPS and royal mail. A lot of the time USPS is cheaper than UPS or fedex anyway... but it's also a case of use it or lose it for me... and being a rural customer, I'd rather they were still around...

[artificer]

I always advocate USPS and royal mail. A lot of the time USPS is cheaper than UPS or fedex anyway... but it's also a case of use it or lose it for me... and being a rural customer, I'd rather they were still around...

This is VERY true. One package I priced out to go overseas with a fairly high amount of insurance would have cost $142US for FedEx, I paid $45US to get it there fully insured with USPS.

ith:

[madmacs]

This is VERY true. One package I priced out to go overseas with a fairly high amount of insurance would have cost $142US for FedEx, I paid $45US to get it there fully insured with USPS.

ith:

I sent a VERY expensive watch to Norway once, insured through UPS was silly money... I ended up about the same $$$ as you for USPS and had the peace of mind of a signature at every handover of the parcel

[unixken]

I cringe, wondering how much I'll be paying in import duty, on what amounted to an over $4000-dollar order. I budgeted a worst-case 25%, when I went in.

I don't want so pricey an order sitting on a dock somewhere, untracked, for days/weeks. I've no comfort for less than expedited shipping and a tracking number.

[tundramanq]

Thanks for the heads up guys. I just fired off an email to Heratage of Scotland regarding my $80 order specifying Royal Mail. And explaining the Fedex/UPS rape scam. A $25 dollar "handling" fee on small stuff is excessive and encourages scamming by the carriers. A PV kilt and hose should be customs free but you never know if there is profit to be made by the brokers.

[madmacs]

I cringe, wondering how much I'll be paying in import duty, on what amounted to an over $4000-dollar order. I budgeted a worst-case 25%, when I went in.

I don't want so pricey an order sitting on a dock somewhere, untracked, for days/weeks. I've no comfort for less than expedited shipping and a tracking number.

At that price you'd be as cheap picking it up...

[ForresterModern]

At that price you'd be as cheap picking it up...

Actually not, unless you are also in the EU somewhere. Goods shipped outside the UK/EU are discounted by 20% as you do not have to pay the EU VAT of that percentage on finished goods. So even if you flew there to pick the outfit up, they would then have to charge you the sales price plus the VAT, and then you would still have to technically declare the goods when you entered into the US, and with that amount being over the typical daily allowance for a US citizen you would probably have to then pay the duty due on top of that. Double whammy that way.

It can really be a wash when ordering something like a kilt or jacket set or even bigger package. US vendors have to pay duty if they source the items from the UK, even on the raw tartan material if they sew it up themselves, although they avoid VAT. UK vendors give US buyers the VAT break compared to UK buyers, but then you have the issue of paying the duty yourself when it comes to the US, unless, as Steve pointed out, you can get it imported via Royal Mails or ParcelForce and it happens to pass through their system without getting dinged by duty, usually best for lower value items, although a single kilt or jacket set can be small enough package and valuation to sneak though. Just remember before you buy from whoever you decide to shop with to factor all the potential costs into the deal. Generally less hidden cost potential from a US vendor for a US buyer, but you can still find a deal from a UK vendor if you shop smart and insure that shipping is via Royal Mails. But it can really all be a wash in the end. Working directly with your kiltmaker is IMHO the best way to work, especially if you find one you like whose products meet your needs and whose prices fit your budget. If you work with one local, the added benefit of personal service, accurate measurement, and easier fix with any problems with the final product.

[saxandpipes]

The "one thing" and the "something else" both equal "theft" in my book. It matters not at all whether the person holding my rightful property hostage is wearing a government uniform or a private company uniform. In either case, they claim the authority to keep something which doesn't belong to them until a ransom is paid to get it back. In any other facet of life, this would be outrageously criminal.

I agree with you Tobus (Although taxes have to be paid on anything- and thus when importing something which has (theoretically) not had tax paid in the country of origin, one will have to pay that tax when the thing arrives to the destination country).

I had a situation where I was forced to pay 50 euro for a christmas package from my mother (basically the value of the contents all over again!) just to recieve it. What quite frankly @#$%ed me off was the fact that taxes had been paid on everything already when my mum purchased them in New Zealand. So of course they held my parcel until I paid the tax and the "commission" to the @#$%holes to release it.

I didn't dare to tell my mother- she would have felt guilty.

Plain and simple: it's a crime.

Michael