well the good news for you is that, if you send them proof of purchase, they'll destroy the fake.

if you don't, they may charge you the import duty on the real model it's copied from.

I would tell them that you don't have proof of payment because it is a gift, or just let the whole thing pass and give up the thought of getting the bag. Customs fines on fake bags can be killer.

I had a friend who had to pay 2000CHF in a violations/VAT fee for a bag he bought in China. Ended up being a real bag, which was verified by Prada, but they STILL made him pay the 2000. You can't win even if you buy legit.

Generally in CH you have 30 days to appeal any official decision, if you don't appeal in time you wont get a refund.

A real prada bag is worth well more than that. You'll be done for all import charges. A fake one will be confiscated and you will be fined.

If I was as silly as you as to think that a fake prada bag would impress my friends, then I'd now take the opportunity to do nothing, hope the post office sends it back, and don't instead give it to customs to inspect for authenticity.

Is it legal in Switzerland to buy a fake Prada bag, knowing it to be a fake?

They are referring to my friend's case, where they were charged 2000CHF fine on a 7000CHF bag. The reason why they actually didn't get their money back is because they didn't declare the purchase at customs. Because they didn't declare the value they purchased the real bag at, they were charged VAT on the new price of the bag.

Be careful folks.

The importing is the issue, however the bag was 'genuine' or so we are told.
If it just looks like but does not claim to be a Prada bag or it's spelt wrong then it's not a fake!

Thank you everyone for your advices. I've learned my lesson well. 

Except that she says 'I bought online a fake Prada bag', from which I deduce that she bought a fake Prada bag online

I was answering diomandscan who said a friend had been charged 2000 to import a real bag, thats why I mentioned 30 days to appeal. As it was a fine for not declairing thats another matter.

I am buying a new £100 furniture item and postage will be £30. What kind of extortion costs would I get hit by on the Swiss side?

The same furniture item in Switzerland costs £300-£350. Should I go for it?

8% vat & a handling charge upto 35 CHF.

I wished I had read this thread before placing my mail order.

Anyway... received package sent through FedEx with value of goods being CHF210.

Is it correct that tax is levied against the worth of the goods PLUS the shipping?? This seems wrong but could be that different country, different rules.

And could anyone explain what this "Zollabgaben" is? Looks like, in addition to the 8% charged on worth + postage, I am also being charged CHF3 for "Abgaben gemäss separater Veranlagungsverfügung Zoll" which translates to "customs duties in accordance with separate dispositional disposal". CHF3 is nothing but I also want to understand what I am being charged for.

I was going to ask whether CHF20 admin fee was taking the p*** until I read previous contributions. Seems it is very normal.

Lastly, are Swiss citizens exempt from paying customs?? My partner received her package through DHL (value about CHF160) and has not been charged!

I have found DHL to be very inconsistent. Sometimes no charge, sometimes a charge at delivery, sometimes a bill after the fact. Your status as a permit holder, citizen, whatever doesn't matter.

That's correct. The tax is calculated on the cost of the goods plus the cost of shipping.

I think that this is the duty, which is charged separately from the 8% MWST/VAT. The duty, if I remember correctly, is charged only on the price of the item (not including shipping charges) and varies depending on the category of goods.

No, everyone pays duty and VAT. Some companies have arrangements to ship goods to Switzerland tax-paid, which surprised me. My wife bought some clothes a few weeks ago from one company advertising this, and despite my skepticism, the clothes arrived just as promised, with no further invoice for tax or admin chargse. Perhaps this is what happened with your partner?

I have completely resolved this situation by getting an account with a handler across the border in Germany. They email me when the package arrives and I have 2 weeks to collect it. Mine is in Weil am Rhein. If you want more info, PM me. Don't want to have my post deleted for promoting a businesses.
If customs is due, you pay it at the border. There is another thread that covers the process in detail. Even renting a mobility car and paying the handler, I save plenty of money on shipping, fees, and aggravation.

Yes, we also have such a set up in Konstanz. The problem was, we ordered clothes and there is a 7-day return policy so we did not want to take the chance that we could not collect it in good time.

I just have to learn the hard way and get the timing right next time.

CHF20 for admin fee... I'm still fuming over this

Remember, though, that if your goods are coming from outside the EU, you'll still pay tax (19.6%) and duty at German rates when the package enters Germany. If the goods cost more than CHF300-, you'll still have to pay additional taxes and duty when you import the goods to Switzerland, and getting back the German taxes is a bureaucratic exercise I've never had the courage for.

I discovered this the hard way when I ordered some electronic goods from Hong Kong and ended up getting whacked with German tax.

Incidentally, there's no problem with recommending a commercial service on here if you don't have any connection to them. I suspect the delivery service you're referring to is the one the I, among others, have recommended in the past:

A legal solution to avoid customs charges ( DE, FR, IT, AT delivery addresses )