I sent from Australia to my girlfriend in Lausanne, a watch that I had bought there in St. Francois.
When it arrived the post demanded she pay 40CHF tax on it!
I've already payed a tax on it when I bought it, and we're only returning the thing cos it's the wrong size...

This makes the cost of the watch suck.
$15 to post it back to her, and now 40 bucks at the other end before it even gets to be given back, in which case I've paid 80CHF tax on something I don't even have any more, but is back on the shelf to be resold, and re-taxed!!

The world is going crazy.

I have to get off world, and mine asteroid belts or something.

a) you failed to mark it correctly so don't blame the post. After your blame, it would be the customs you're angry with
b) your title should be in English and you should really not swear in it. "Suisse poste de merde!" indeed

Did you include any documentation that the watch had been purchased in Switzerland and so should not be liable for value added tax on import through the post?

Pah. Of course the customs were supposed to guess that, it being a swiss watch and all.

This remembers me a case.

I bough merchandise for 70CHF from Germany.

normally when the value is low, I get a package without taxes. Sometimes they tax it. I don't know what is the criteria, but let it be. I am grateful for the times when it is not taxed.

Anyway for a 70CHF package the tax would be less than 20, 10.- are the processing fees and the tax should be 5 CHF.

The thing is the seller forgot to send the package, so I called him after a week and he apologized and then went to the post to send the package and to please me he chose to send it "express" to compensate his delay.

Results.

The Swiss Post GLS got the package, they taxed me 35 CHF for express processing fees, 10 CHF "tax provision" ( that I don't know yet what is for ), and taxed the item 14 CHF as they decided that the item was worth 150CHF and not 70 CHF ( I was buying it with 50% discount ).

so CHF 59 taxes for a 70CHF purchase. And you just have to pay it. there is no way to refuse it.

It feels like a ransom.

I had to pay that much without even have chosen to use their services.

So for me, never again GLS Post or express services.

Write "goods returned to owner" on the customs label. Then you don't have to pay tax on it.

There is no method imo that can be used to work out how these people operate. At least with express charges you didn't get stung for storage charges.

My best was a 120 CHF package with 100 CHF charges billed later via the courier firm mainly due to customs handling and storage.

I had a problem with the post (actually it's customs) and I gift sent to me from mum here
In the end, after several phone calls they agreed that I could send it back to customs for re-evaluation of the tax, provided I gave them permission to open the package (they had already opened it anyway so not sure why they then needed my permission) and there might be a small fee 5-10CHF I think.
In the end -and I have no idea how this worked out- it was sent back to me with absolutely no charges, tax or fee.
So, my advice to you would be call the number on the back of the docket from the post office. Don't listen if they tell you your only options are to pay the tax or send it back (which is free cos you can just "reject" it and it will be returned to sender). I got transferred to about 3 or 4 different people and in the end I think I was talking to poste customs at Zurich airport. Tell them you have proof you purchased it (hopefully you still do) and hopefully it will work out. Did most of this in English.
Also if it (or anything posted) is more than 6 months old and you can prove it you shouldn't have to pay the tax either.
Good luck!

How much am I gonna have to pay for that imported item?