Customs charges on Amazon

suzzi2704

Hi guys

Just looking for some thoughts really.
Its my OH 21st coming up and so I bought him a really nice watch on Amazon from the USA. The watch itself cost £160 (but I figured he was worth it :P) plus £25 for P+P - as this is pretty expensive for P+P I assumed this included taxes and customs charges or that there may not be any as it is a gift (?? not sure).
Anyway the watch arrived last week, and I am very chuffed, he will love it. Today however, I recieved an invoice from Fed-Ex for £40!!! The invoice claims this is for shipping, handling and charges. I'm really confused and annoyed that what was already an expensive present may end up costing even more (not to mention I couldn't really afford it to begin with - its all on credit!!).
I appreciate that there may have been a customs charge to pay on the item, but I DON'T expect the customs charge to be a good 30% of the cost of the item!!
Help!! What should I do... or do I have no option but to cough up?? I mean, I've got the watch :P

Thanks guys
Love sooz

Cute_'n'_Quirky

You have no choice - customs is not levied by Amazon it is levied by HMRC

FedEx will have paid the fees on your behalf inc a handling charge - as do RM etc too.

Just one of those things we have to take into account when buying from abroad.

I am surprised that FedEx didn't want the money before handing over the goods, though, as that is what the handlers usually do

suzzi2704

Sigh thought as much. I think £40 is a bit extortionate though!!

Cute_'n'_Quirky

suzzi2704 wrote: »

Sigh thought as much. I think £40 is a bit extortionate though!!

Parcel Force handling fee is now £12

Then there's the VAT and the duty

It all adds up

custardy

Cute_n_Quirky wrote: »

Parcel Force handling fee is now £12

Then there's the VAT and the duty

It all adds up

but its fedex?
as said though its down to HMRC and anything coming via courier is 99% to get charged

ArmitageShanks

We bought a camera from HK which cost £250, shipped with FedEx and the customs bill was £28.

I think it depends what the seller put the value down as on the customs document.

You can question it, we got invoiced £60 for two samples from India by TNT, phoned them said the items were of no commercial value and they charges were waived.

You do have to pay duty on anything over £17'ish but if its a gift that has some bearing.......ring them??

wigglebeena

are you sure it's legit? (not just a Fedex employee chancing their arm or something?) Have you checked with HMRC? What's normal procedure with customs charges anyway? it does seem odd that they bring it up now. How would they enforce it? It's not as if you entered into a contract with them?

ArmitageShanks

wigglebeena wrote: »

are you sure it's legit? (not just a Fedex employee chancing their arm or something?) Have you checked with HMRC? What's normal procedure with customs charges anyway? it does seem odd that they bring it up now. How would they enforce it? It's not as if you entered into a contract with them?

Like any tax bill.

Thats how must couriers do it. you get the goods with out delay, then get invoiced for the relevant duties and charges.

Cute_'n'_Quirky

RM and PF plus UPS all charge before you have the goods delivered

Cute_'n'_Quirky

ArmitageShanks wrote: »

We bought a camera from HK which cost £250, shipped with FedEx and the customs bill was £28.

I think it depends what the seller put the value down as on the customs document.

You can question it, we got invoiced £60 for two samples from India by TNT, phoned them said the items were of no commercial value and they charges were waived.

You do have to pay duty on anything over £17'ish but if its a gift that has some bearing.......ring them??

The if it is a gift has to be marked as the Sender as being a gift to the recipient and even then has a £ figure on it as a maximum. It is not if the item is being bought as a gift for someone.

jayok

You should have been aware of the rules for importing outside the EU. I would ask Fed Ex for a break down of the £40 charge. The tax would have been on the total value of £185.