Screwed by import tax

[snowbender 3]

I recently got some ski boots sent over to me from the UK. They were sent Parcelforce but when they arrived here, I had to hand over 8000 yen to the post office before I could get them - import taxes or something.

 

Apart from the fact that seems way expensive, I don't understand why I have to pay some tax on this but not other things. I never have with Amazon purchases.

 

Does anyone know or able to shed any light on this before I start asking around to try and understand why I forked over the cash.

 

I hate not knowing.

[Kumapix 0]

what was the price listed for the boots? I hope they were new.

8000 is quite the rip off! Most I got charged was 3000 yen. but it all depends on the goods and their cost, and what the customs dudes think they're worth. I've had some really strange calculations shown to me.

btw I think that once you've paid you cannot make a claim. this is ridiculous since you cannot see what's in the box first.

[SerreChe 2]

8000 yen? impossible. Are your boot solid gold or something? Yeah I think 2-3000 would be the max really. Something really dodgy happened there! You may not get your money back but I would still enquire!

[JPchucky 0]

I bought a pair of microphones that were valued at 1500 USD and only had to pay like 3500yen. That seems like a lot.

[indosnm 0]

It depends on the materials as to what the taxes are.

I paid Y3,500 for a wetsuit valued at $400 AUD (after the pricks at the shop put the full value on the form when I asked em not to!) But 8,000 for boots seems way over the top.

 

Usually things under 10,000 are generally left alone.. It's the bigger things that attract the taxes.

[sunrise 0]

I wonder if they thought there was leather in them. They tend to jack up the taxes on leather shoes.

 

 

Motherhucker, are you an engineer/musician buying paired mics at that price?

[KRUSTY 2]

There will probably be different import duties depending not only from the materials but also the finished product and if similar products are made in Japan then the import duty will probably be higher.

Last year I sent two buses to New Zealand and on one bus I had to pay 12.5% but on the other I had to pay 12.5% plus an additional 17% as it was set up for camping(bed,sink,toilet etc). The 17% is there to try to protect the local motorhome industry so the country isnt flooded with cheaper imports. The rate of duty also changes depending on where the item is being sent from as your country may have a trade agreement with them and you may not have to pay as much tax.

[snowbender 3]

Thanks for the info, interesting that Krusty.

 

In the end I just got too busy to call them (and heard from other people that they were very stict on not moving if you have already paid it).

 

Very annoying though.

[JPchucky 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by sunrise:
Motherhucker, are you an engineer/musician buying paired mics at that price?

Nope, it's just a (expensive) hobby of mine to record concerts.

[sunrise 0]

Ah, you're a stealther! What do you record onto?

[2pints-mate 0]

Pleaase tell us more mh, thats interesting.

 

A friend of mine records concerts but he doesn't have anything like that expensive equipment... very amateur.