Hi all,

Not quite sure where to post this or what it actually is.. hence this question!

I recently bought a swimming costume for my wife from M&S in the UK and had it shipped out to Switzerland! I had paid extra delivery as expected to be shipped here.

It arrived today but the postman asked for 25CHF on top? I wasn't present for this so I'm not sure what it was but talking to my wife this has happened to her friends as well. But no idea what it is for?

The costume cost 40 quid so not sure if some sort of import duty?

Any suggestions would be great and if this is normal practice?

Thanks

Ed

How was it delivered from the UK ? Royal Mail or courier like DHL, FedEx etc. ?

Anne Summers + Swiss Postal MWSt tax charge!

It's normal! If you order something that is worth more than CHF60 (and that is the item(s) sale price plus the postage to get it here) then you get hit with the extra charge.

You have been switzerlanded!

Yes it's perfectly normal. The cost of the item plus the postage are above the threshhold for customs charges.
M&S send their stuff via normal post so it's pot luck whether your package gets 'pulled out' for inspection. we've had loads of things arrive without having to pay anything and therefore saved a packet overall so then we don't grumble too much when the odd ones get charged as overall we've still saved money.

I think M&S packaging somehow attracts their attention so if I ordr from them I usually keep the order low enough so as not to attract duty or place a really big order and cough up the taxes.

Search it, we have topics about that here... already explaining that if VAT is higher than 5chf (vat being 8% something, meaning purchases has to be over 65chf), then you'll get Charges.

Here its almost 60chf, I guess the delivery cost was not mentionned so, yes it looks normal.

you've been Switzerlanded as the other said!

With the costume at £40, and M&S p+p at £7.50 - yes, you are over the limit. Your total of £47.50 is approx. CHF 68.

The upper limit of the goods value (including shipping costs) for an import exempt from VAT is:

• 8% VAT (the majority of items sent): CHF 62
• 2,5% VAT (e.g. books): CHF 200

I have taken this from the Swiss Post site (there is a good section in English explaining the costs/ extras/ etc.)
As well as the tax you owe, don't forget there are often 'extras' such as CHF 13 inspection fee.....

Completely normal. My mom sent me a set of bath towels this year for Christmas from the US. I had to pay 57 CHF to the postman just to receive the package, even though the paperwork on the package clearly said "gift". Not the first time this has happened, by the way.

(Please, no one tell my mother. She would be mortified if she knew that I had to pay to receive her gift. )

Odd, back in December I got a shipment of hot chocolates, ice skates, some clothing and other gifts and there was no charge on top of what was paid in Canukia to send the package.

Got lucky!

Agree, you got lucky. Sometimes, things slip through, but, more often than not, you will have to pay.

For those of you who receive things from the US, if you have the sender check off "used goods", rather than "gift", the package will be pulled less often. But, be forewarned, the stuff inside had better look like used goods and not like new stuff.

Along the same lines as TheSpouse above... If you order something new (from anywhere), don't ask the seller to check gift. If the package gets opened up and the item is new, you will be charged accordingly - and risk a hefty fine.

This applies especially to CH business that make purchases and import them. Once you are marked for doing this... all your incoming packages will be checked. Even if you didn't ask the sender to check off gift and they did it anyway!

This has not happened to me, but know of such cases.
JC

Just out of interest, with what justification can they fine the recipient for how the seller declares the goods? We have no idea the seller plans to lie on the forms.

You don't pay VAT + custom fees on gifts under CHF 100.-- (value + shipping costs) per person.

So when people ship gifts to you, ask them to mention 2 or 3 first names on the address as it's CHF 100.- / pers. That's how we do it to receive gifts over CHF 100.-- and not have to pay VAT.