Hi All,

Due to restricted shopping in Zurich i have been purchasing various items online from the UK. I noticed that when they arrive i sometimes have to pay extra to the postman for some kind of added tax/duty? Can anybody shed some light on this on what the thresholds are. If there is a certain value to which you don't have to pay extra on?

I'm looking to buy some electronic equipment online from the UK which will cost somewhere in the region of £650-700. I'm worried if i do so, customs will charge me an arm and a leg once it gets here!!

I'd really like to understand how this system works.

Many thanks

Rob

Search the forums for Amazon and you'll get some good info.

IIRC it's about £30 where you can get away without paying any VAT (UK or CH) but of course you normally pay it in the form of shipping. There doesn't appear to be much consistency in the application of rules so bit of a lottery by all accounts.

I'd also really like to know what the actual regulations say as it has always seemed to be quite random to me. Probably it also depends on the packaging and how obvious it is what's inside.

Kids toys and electronics - even DVDs I've been charged on before. And clothes sometimes yes sometimes no - and quite randomly - once I bought an expensive dress from next and it wasn't charged, but one other time I bought some relatively inexpensive kids clothes and they were.

With books I know the limit for no tax is 100CHF (or around about, I guess it also depends on exchange rate). And if you mix DVDs and books then this seems to also be OK.

But yes, would like to know what the actual laws say - must be written somewhere.... will have a google on that.

The most helpful site is actually the swiss post website (also because it's available in English).
I'm having trouble posting the link to the page itself, but start here:
www.swisspost.ch
Switch to English, go to private customers|receiving mail|postal customs clearance then on the right hand side click on FAQs for importing.

It says around 66CHF for most stuff, 209CHF for books to be imported tax free.

It´s normal because Switzerland is not EEC.

Hi all,

Thanks a lot for your responses, much appreciated.

Think i'll check out the Swiss post office and see what they have to say on the matter. Seems like a good place to start.

Found this on the Swiss post website. This kind of helps a little bit. Still seems like a bit of a 'grey' area though

http://www.post.ch/en/post-startseit...l.htm#txt32980

Enjoy the weekend

Rob