bigears Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 thinking of purchasing a luggage box for my scooter from usa. It is no more than 25 cm by 25 by 25 and costs 80$. If its posted to france will the customs people stop it and want some import tax? In the uk sometimes they do sometimes they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 We buy lots of stuff from the US. Same seems to apply here as in the UK - pot luck! Go for it - with the dollar rate being what it is there's huge value to be had buying things there.Edit : Naturally, having just said that, we've been stung for 46 euros for the latest parcel which arrived 5 minutes ago, just after I had typed the above! However, it's the first time for ages that this has happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Motorcycle accessories purchased in the US are subject to 3.7% customs duty and 19.6% TVA. The TVA is calculated on the purchase price of the goods plus the postage plus any insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Is it true that computer bits from the US are exempt?I fancy importing personal stuff from the US too!How about second hand stuff off ebay? Antiques - for instance.A guitar would be nice, tax free, but I'm pretty sure the shape would give it away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 My o/h buys a lot of model railway stuff (much of it second hand) from the US. Although in theory there are import charges, in fact probably 4 out of 5 just get delivered without our having to pay. Over time, with the dollar so low in value - it's still a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 If they are real antiques (over 100 years old) I don't think there is any duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigears Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 I've been sent an invoice to pay for the item. I have a french paypal account, can I use this to pay in dollars, the money comes out of a credit agricole euro account. SD are you saying I will definately be charged? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 What about if they're 99 years old? [8-)]What the hey, I feel an ebay sesh coming on [:)]The paypal thing is interesting, I mean don't you lose something on the funds transfer anyway?How do you pay cooperlola?ps. that ugly dog in my avatar is called lola too. I'm not implying anything by that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 BigearsIf you are buying goods outside the EU, then they are subject to import duty and VAT. The duty varies according to what the goods are.In your case, the US seller charges you the retail US price (probably without US state sales tax) which you pay by credit card. When he dispatches the goods to an address outside the US, he has to put a customs label on the parcel declaring what the contents are and the value. When it arrives in France, La Poste calculates the duty and VAT if applicable and collects it from you, then remits it to the Douanes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 [quote user="Bones"]What about if they're 99 years old? [8-)]What the hey, I feel an ebay sesh coming on [:)]The paypal thing is interesting, I mean don't you lose something on the funds transfer anyway?How do you pay cooperlola?ps. that ugly dog in my avatar is called lola too. I'm not implying anything by that![/quote]What Lola wants, Lola gets...Yes, you lose a fee using paypal, but not that much, and it's only the seller who pays, I think (I'm sure that the PayPal site has a current list of exchange rates). S/D is perfectly correct as to the amounts etc (natch) but in our own case most things just don't get processed. Out of around 20 deliveries from the US (all theoretically subject to such charges), in fact we've only had to pay 3 times in the last year. The remainder have just by-passed the system. We may of course, just have been lucky.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigears Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 thanks for all replies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Ditto.Thanks for all the info. I read one bloke's comments on ebay stating that he would not be willing to declare the item he was selling as some sort of gift to help overseas bidders avoid some fees or other: that sounds intriguing and, er, illegal in roughly equal amounts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigears Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 hi againjust to say received goods today without any charge to be paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 That's good news ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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