i'm aware of that site. it's not the common list i was after.

No. The final sale from the retailer to you is outside the country, which is what you declare on the little form thingy when you export it. It doesn't make a stop at an address in country. The retailer is the one who has to refund your taxes and he can't because he sold it to someone in Germany.

NO.


What are "high admin fees"? So you save CHF250(+/-) instead of CHF300. if you don't want the extra CHF200 chump change you can send it to me.

Oh well. I just bought a fancy bag. Even with the VAT, it was cheaper to ship to France where I happen to be visiting than to buy it in store here. Shipping without VAT was a possibility, but there is too much risk with duty and/or processing fees.

Oh no, should have thought about this. My father bought my daughter some GHD's for christmas from Amazon UK (he is in the UK). When we got back here, the GHD's didn't work. We sent the back and now he has sent us another set in the post. Today I have a abholunseinladung asking me to pay 46.10 for them. He did put that it was a gift on the label, is there any way around me paying this. Otherwise I'm going to tell them to send it back to him, for him to get a refund from Amazon and put the money in my account.

I did get a letter last week asking me how much it was worth, I put £75 and that it was a christmas present. Now I'm being stung this cost. :-(

Paid ~86SFr for online purchase of stone necklace.
Delivery charged ~40SFr for 7 day delivery (I needed it ok, prior organisor didn't get their &^#$ togeather on time)

2 months later! DHL's bill arrive for 35SFr!
Argh!

Yes, we now use a drop box in Germany. HAHAHAHA

CK

I always check the shipping company used before purchase. If DHL, I avoid completely. All but one of my DHL shipments got stopped for duty. Far more than any others in my experience.

I don't buy anything from Germany (DHL national post) if shipping to Switzerland. Items sent by most other couriers (eg UK Royal mail) can be refused on arrival at the post office, at no cost. I did this with a 99 pence ebay purchase which was second hand but shipped with original tags, there were no nasty bills and I counted myself lucky.

Am I right that there's no threshold below which shipments are extempt of import duties / VAT? Or is there?

(I'm considering shopping at strawberrynet.com)

Yes there is. Chf70, including shipping cost if it's written on the package ( ridiculous).

The question is, does this apply to DHL shipment as well?

Am trying to order something (not available in CH) from an ebay seller in Germany. Seller has agreed to take off German VAT, but insists that they can only ship via DHL and not via German National Post!? The cost of the item (incl. VAT) is 35 EUR. What do you think? will I get hit with nasty duties, admin fees with DHL?

It's the same rules with DHL, but different admin charges. They tend to bill you by post later.

I think 35 EUR should be just under the 5 CHF limit, so you might get away with it.

If the amount were more, and the sender could be bothered, then they could ship the parcel DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) via DHL. This would eliminate the extra admin charge (though I'm not sure what admin charges there would be on the sending side).


E.T.A. - Duty on 35 EUR is well under 5 CHF. The Euro's not worth much these days, is it?

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Nothing of value kept in this post overnight.

To be precise, the cost would be even lower than 35EUR since 35EUR includes the German VAT which the seller has agreed to deduct.

However, I thought the "value" being taxed is always value of goods PLUS postage, no? and isn't the limit CHF 70.- value of goods PLUS postage?

But, I kept on reading how courier servies will charge you regardless

I expect you will. 18 to 20 CHF to have the package 'inspected' and 5 CHF for the import tax.
DHL must be ROTFL charging this THIS 'admin fee'.. how many parcels could a person process a month and that person being paid as little as 2,800 to 3,000 CHF a month?! Ok that salary figure is low as there would be a large incentive to steal... but you get the idea.

CK

I would offer to pay the €35, at least you know how much it will cost, and DHL are not going to be very much cheaper are they? Anyway I thingk Deutschepost use DHL.

huh? paying 35EUR including German VAT does not relief you in any way of the Swiss VAT or customs or duties or fees....

For what it's worth, TNT just told me over the phone that they don't pass on any costs on electronics with a total value of under CHF50.

Will see how that works out in practice...

Hi there!

Just finished reading the whole internet shopping tax thread.

I want to buy a pair of studio monitors in Thomman. http://www.thomann.de/de/yamaha_hs50m_bundle.htm

Cost is 311euro including 19% tax. Thomman told me they dont charge germany vat 19% if I buy it from Switzerland.

To make myself clear, what else do I expect to pay?

According to this... http://xtares.admin.ch/tares/details...sApplying=true

+8% Swiss vat

+15 % vom Nettogewicht - Weight is around 12kg so that would make..?? 12CHF?? I feel like I dunno how to calculate % over weight and transform to CHF... hehe

+ Simplified or Regular Custom clearance: 18CHF or 30CHF (35 CHF if express courier). Whats the difference between Simplified or regular?

+(Maybe) inspection & storage... 16CHF

Anything else should I be aware of?

And the last question, if I buy something worthing more that 500CHF, what applies?

Thank you for your time!

From Import: Customs/VAT

What is the difference between simplified and standard customs clearance?

• Simplified customs clearance:
  • Letters which are not subject to any non-customs regulations
  • Parcels with values of up to CHF 500 which are not subject to any non-customs regulations
• Standard customs clearance:
  • Letters which are subject to non-customs regulations
  • Parcels with values of more than CHF 500 and items which are subject to non-customs regulations.
  • All EMS courier consignments

I've never been charged the "inspection & storage fee". If the customs form isn't correctly filled in they do sometimes add an extra fee for inspection but that is only 10CHF. I also haven't heard of (or every bee charged) the "15 % vom Nettogewicht".

Only difference for over 500CHF is the 18CHF vs 30CHF (35CHF for courier regardless I think) admin fee.

hello all,

I just bought a headboard in France and got it delivered to me in Lausanne. I paid the French TVA and then Swiss TVA when it was delivered by TNT. The douane actually called me to tell me it was on the way and all the documents were taken from the package. Question is, how do I now reclaim my overpaid TVA - is it from the shop where I bought it. Do I have to fill in a form or is it done automatically?

Thanks for any help!
LMG

Wait wait... so if I have my purchases made through US companies sent to a German P.O. Box then I can avoid some Swiss taxes? What about German taxes?

I'm currently experimenting as I just made a $50 purchase through a drug store, and am having it sent to my US mail forwarder and then having it forwarded again to me.

Too bad we can't get APO mailing addresses at the military bases!

I guess you need to find yourself some military friends....

For a $50 purchase, there may be no tax, especially if delivered via Swiss Post. If the item plus shipping is worth less than about CHF 60, maybe 66, then there's no import tax...unless they've changed the rules. I think CHF 60 is where it begins to become worth charging tax. And it's about CHF 200 for books (taxed at 2.5%). Stuff from a drugstore might be taxed at a lower rate also, I don't know.

I have purchased things from iherb.com in the US and have not paid any import if the total was less than about CHF 200.

Oh, and I think some things are always taxed. For example, I get beading and jewelry making supplies from the US - sometimes ebay or a few bead stores. I always have the vendors send stuff via Swiss Post, and I usually try to do small orders (like $50 or so at a time). But the post guy told me that some things, if they're classed as jewelry are always taxed. I think it depends on the customs declaration. For me at least, even with the cost of shipping and all the other crap it's still worth it to get it from the US.

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"Pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked" ---- Jane Austen