Hi team,

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience. I ordered some cosmetics online with a combined total of 60.22 CHF (including shipping). I ordered this specific amount because I knew 62 CHF is the limit for importing without customs duty. However today, the post guy tried to charge me 25 CHF in import tax!!! How is this possible? Has the limit changed?

I sent the goods back with him as I told him I wasn't paying it. I also have researched on a few websites and it seems the 62CHF limit is still in place.

So what should I do now? I want to fight this because I find it totally unfair. The customs duties in Switzerland are already absolutely crazy, and now they are trying to charge me even when I'm under the limit??

Thanks for your help!

Have you, you know, called them to ask and explain?

Maybe the papers were not in order?
Maybe it was selected for random inspection by customs?
Maybe customs uses an other exchange rate as you did? (See here http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_fir...x.html?lang=en)

As you did not check what is wrong with the actual bill we do not know more than you.

Fight the power! Get Gloria Allred on the phone! Take it all the way to city hall! ...........or just go to the Post office and kindly inquire as to why they wish to charge you 25 CHF.

The goods were purchased in CHF so there should be no confusion with the exchange rate. And when I looked at the packaging document it clearly stated the goods worth as 60 CHF. Unfortunately I had to give the document back and didn't have my phone on me to take a photo. I have sent an email to the post and am waiting for a reply. While my German is ok, I do struggle to have these types of conversations over the phone. I was just wondering if anyone has ever had a similar issue and how they resolved it.

Wasn´t it CHF 62 including postage?

The post speak English, it's a language on their website.

No, they are usually 0.

VAT is 8%.

Processing charges on the other hand...

But processing charges are NOT customs duties.

And it's the value that counts, NOT the price paid. If they decide that the value should be higher than declared, that's what counts.

Tom

It was 60.22 CHF including postage. So definitely under the 62CHF limit. And you're right, it's the administration fees charged by Swiss Post and DHL and other carriers that are absolutely crazy, not so much the VAT.

Tom, you're right again. But the value of 60CHF (so even 0.22 under what I actually paid) was listed on the document stating the charges. So I "assume" that's what they assessed the value as? Or could this potentially be stated elsewhere? It's a bit of a pain i didn't take a photo of the document so I could upload a copy. Thanks for all your help but I suppose I'll just have to see what the reply from Swiss Post is. I'll keep you all updated.

They probably assumed CHF 60 without postage. As mentioned by others, next time simply ask at the post office

That sounds weird. Pity you didn't take a photo. Perhaps they calculated an addition shipping charge to add the the CHF value of the goods, I've heard of that happening.

Tom

If the cost of the items was close to 60Fr, and it wasn't made very clear that postage was included (or was free) then they will add on a notional postage amount (which will take it over 62Fr) and bill you appropriately.

If there's an invoice inside that clearly shows free or included postage (English is fine) you can go back to the post office and show them the invoice. Once convinced it's all OK you won't have to pay the VAT. However, if you refused the item it's probably on its way back to where it came from now, so it's too late.

If customs opens your package, you're also screwed. I ordered something last week, it was chf 57 including shipping, but because customs had to inspect it, I also paid chf 13 for their amusement. Nothing post can do about that. I just paid.

Iherb does not incur a charge because those items are usually taxed at 2.5%

Not if the value is below CHF 62.

I've had them checked, if no VAT is due, there is no inspection charge to pay.

Tom

Update on my situation: I've sent my invoice to them to show everything itemized but they want to go back and check all of the original shipping documents. If the shipping isn't listed on these documents, I have to pay. This seems a bit unfair. I have no control over how the documents are filled out, as I'm not the one shipping the parcel. Fingers crossed it's listed in the docs and it was all just a big misunderstanding.

This is good to know! It seems a bit rough to pay the fee when everything is in order!

You got lucky. They can charge 13chf if they decide to randomly inspect a package even if the value is below the VAT limit. You pay for the privilege of having been chosen for inspection.

Yep, that's what I end up doing too ... For 99% of my packages, Swiss customs will open the package, even if the declaration states that it is less than CHF 60.

And then they charge me because they had to open the package. Worse is when they are "busy" and I have to pay a storage fee until they can get around to inspecting my package.

After years of being frustrated with this process, I now ignore it and just pay the invoices.

You must be on some kind of list. Checking my email, I've had to fill in three Unvollstaendige Verzollungsunterlagen over hundreds of packages. And these were shipments from China where just holding the rather weighty and substantial package made it obvious that the declaration was somewhat 'optimistic' (most Chinese packages are tiny, big ones always raise eyebrows).

For stuff that's over the limit, I prefer to buy from vendors that handle the Swiss VAT at source, so there are no extra costs. iHerb/Wiggle/Gear4music cover a lot of my needs...