U.S. customs

**ForresterModern** · 20th February 12, 03:28 PM

*** more for Steve's eloquently stated description of what many of us have been saying here for a long time.

That said, recognize that it is up to the vendor to decide on how they ship something, especially if the item(s) have a high total value. I have on at least one occasion with one vendor specified both in writing and by phone that a certain item be sent by the "free shipping" option using specifically Royal Mails or Parcel Force, and because of its relatively high value they gave me a "free upgrade" to Fedex delivery for their own tracking security purposes, which ended up not so free on my end when I had to pony up $70+US to Fedex for their charged duty and fees, totally negating any savings I was getting on purchasing the item from that vendor and increasing its cost by 35%. Get it in writing if you want it shipped by Royal Mails or Parcelforce, and if it arrives any other courier consider refusing its delivery and asking for a refund from the vendor for the purchase price. FEdex/UPS will happily return ship it if you refuse to accept it and it should not cost you a penny, as long as you have not signed for it. Usually the first time Fedex will contact you before forwarding a package to you asking you to establish an account with them for billing purposes to pay for the duty and fees, and you can refuse the package then. But if you have already established an account with them by accepting a duty-owing package thereafter the packages will come through first and you will be billed shortly thereafter for the duty plus fees. So if you are wise, refuse the first Fedex account contact, or if it is already too late, then refuse acceptance of the parcel, if you want to protest the changing of shipping preference with the vendor.

**O'Searcaigh** · 20th February 12, 03:39 PM

This comes at a particularly relevant time for me. I was wanting to have a kilt made in the Irish County Tyrone tartan -- not an "off the shelf" sort of thing. Scotweb has a good price with the XMarks discount but by the time one plays "shipping roulette" with the carrier it could turn out not to be such a good deal at all. I bought a kilt jacket and waistcoat from Scotland last year which was shipped through FedEx. It got to me quickly enough but with additional "fees" (Customs and "FedEx customs brokerage fees") of more than 30% of the cost of the purchase. If I'm facing those kinds of fees, then even at the discount Scotweb is so kind to extend to XMarkers, it would be less expensive for me to have it made "in country." This can't be good for the merchants/suppliers either!

**madmacs** · 20th February 12, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Tobus

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** · 20th February 12, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by madmacs

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:

**RockyR** · 20th February 12, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Colm

Greetings all. Here's another, "is this normal" post.
I bought a kilt from a maker in Scotland.
Fedex had to pay US customs $121 in fees to get it into the US.
Has anyone else experienced this outrageous fee?
Fedex customer service offered me no recourse, as "fee is to high" is not an acceptable grievance. I was told that importing textiles (yes I filled out the customs form a personal purchase, not for business) is considerably higher taxes.

I find this grossly overpriced. Walmart can have children making their textiles and import them into the country for pennies but if I support paying a living wage to someone in Scotland, I get charged $121.
yikes

Wool (and 'natural cloth') used for clothing and garment construction is taxed by US Customs at 25% of the declared value. FedEdx acts as their own customs agent and will tack a $25 Processing fee on to the cost of the US Customs duties. I'm guessing you bought in the neighborhood of $384 worth of textiles to accrue that much duty.

**madmacs** · 20th February 12, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by O'Searcaigh

It got to me quickly enough but with additional "fees" (Customs and it would be less expensive for me to have it made "in country."

I had this decision to deal with last year... I couldnt come up with a good reason not to use a US maker (which happened to be Bonnie), and felt that it was actually more fitting to be an expat in the US wearing a garment which essentially is created with skills that had followed the same route as I had... And just because something is scottish doesnt mean its definitely better...

**madmacs** · 20th February 12, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by artificer

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** · 20th February 12, 05:06 PM

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** · 20th February 12, 05:36 PM

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** · 20th February 12, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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