Did anybody of you have to pay custom duties
for express.com orders (value about $ 90) through the last weeks?

Replies by GERMAN members would be very helpful. Thanks.

$90? OUCH! Must be like 5-6 DVD's. Huge chance they will catch you!

Today I received 2 dvd's from Express.com for a total of $45.83, I did not have to pay tax for them this time. Usually when you buy 3 or more they will tax you in Holland.
Always stick to 2 dvd's at a time or try Amazon USA, because they put a return adress in Amsterdam on the box and the customs usually think that the package is shipped out of Europe!

Same here in Switzerland stick with 2 dvd's per order. I've notice that a value of 50USD or less will have no custom duties

Well at least there is no tax fear in Japan. We dont get any taxes or custom duties, just got my order from Express for $110 written on the customs decleration paper and the customs don't even care and it was delived in 6 day's time.
http://talk.dvdtalk.com/ubb/smile.gif

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My slow growing collectionhttp://www.dvdtracker.com/~kumarav

Robbert:

Customs don't THINK it's from Amsterdam, it IS from Amsterdam 'cause Amazon has an European distribution Centre in Amsterdam.

The guys at customs are smarter than you think, even with gifts: if my mother-in-law sends me DVD's from New York, marked as a gift, sometimes customs intercepts it and charges me tax!

OUCH! http://talk.dvdtalk.com/ubb/frown.gif

Anybody some Reel coupons left btw?

exm: I think you're wrong, everything Amazon sends comes from USA, returns are handled in Amsterdam. Maybe Amsterdam also distributes packages, i.e. from USA they don't send thousands small packages but few very large ones. Anyway, DVDs are put in cardboard box in USA, not in Amsterdam.

As far as I know (but what do I know? <g>), Amazon ships all the European packages to Amsterdam and they are distributed from there. You're right that they're packed in the USA.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by exm:
Robbert:

Customs don't THINK it's from Amsterdam, it IS from Amsterdam 'cause Amazon has an European distribution Centre in Amsterdam.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

WRONG!!!! Amazon do not have a distribution center in Amsterdam. Amazon use DHL Worldmail for international orders, and they have distribution hub in Amsterdam.

Technically you are still liable for the customs taxes/duties as the goods are only in transit through another EU country. The reason that you get away with it is that customs are probably just not resourced enough to properly check packages arriving in the UK from the EU for revenue purposes.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by haggis:
The reason that you get away with it is that customs are probably just not resourced enough to properly check packages arriving in the UK from the EU for revenue purposes.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What a shame. Let’s all send money to UK customs so they can properly correct this tragic miscarriage!

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<font color="red">More human, than Human</font><font size="1" color="#f7f7f7">

I live in Korea, where customs office levy tax on the item priced over U$100 (including shipping & handling fee). Accordingly, 3 dvds will be fine.

I got hammered for an extra £5 from customs. The value of the DVD was about £19, robocop criterion, ordered from express.com. Needless to say I was highly amused.

I asked express if they would consider a DHL Worldmail option for shipping. I received a non-committal reply.

If more people would ask for this ( typically *) duty free option then they _might_ take action.

* I only got caught once using Worlmail and Reel by UK customs.