Quote Originally Posted by Nick (KiltStore.net) View Post
Dave, sadly our experience is that it's nigh-on impossible to get a definitive prediction. We do our best to state things like tariff codes to make it regular. But so much depends on the port of entry, particular member of customs staff, their spouse's mood that day, time of year, lunar phase, weather, sports results, sun spot activity, and doubtless many more factors beyond our ken. I've never heard the 3% flat rate version before - I'd say if you can get that, go for it!
I actually did a little background checking on customs for importing wool fabric or products made thereof before deciding on where to have my first kilt and a couple jackets/waistcoats made, just to compare the potential overall prices. The customs tariffs are available online but are written in such legalese, and are several hundred pages long, that they are confusing as can be imagined. After great perusing I discerned that woolen fabrics or products made thereof are subject to about a 17.5 per cent import tariff if coming from outside the NAFTA countries. And that can go up if the transporting company (read FEDEX) tacks on its own handling fees. For instance I got dinged a bit over $50 bucks in tariff plus another 10 or 15 for fedex's hand in my pocket for a kilt sent from scotland that cost right around $300 otherwise. Kind of negates the benefit of not having to pay the 17.5 % VAT on Scottish exported goods if you have to pay it on this end anyway. Best if you can keep your order small enough to allow them to send it Royal mails (under 2 kg I hear) and specifically request that your items be sent by that route if at all possible, even if it is slower or maybe even a little bit more expensive. They tend to ignore small orders under a couple hundred bucks especially if it is a mixture of fabric and other non fabric items like jewelry, etc....