Hi guys!

I'm getting quite a bit confused with ordering something through the internet and customs/ post fees.

I want to order a piece of furniture from Italy which, including mailing fees, would be around 1100 CHF. It's a offical replica from a Bauhaus piece, which I have a hard time finding in here, and since it's "official replica" shouldn't fall for the counterfeit pieces... Hopefully... Right?

Which extra fees would I incur? I checked on the post office because I got burnt after ordering something from Germany for 32 EUR and then had to pay 80CHF extra to the Post office (which left the lady in the counter quite shocked today). Is it just 10% zoll for importing something (which is quite ok)? Are there extra hidden fees for unware citizens? Should I count on them saying the value of the piece in Switzerland is 3 times higher, therefore I have to pay the Swiss price?

Thank you for your help! Last time I tried to contact the zoll with a similar problem I was juggled from department to department like Asterix... I almost ate the pink form one of the guys gave me in the Airport Zoll.

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Fighting for Pluto's liberation from the Dwarf League since 2006 @(°.°)=@)x.X)' ' '

If it is a piece of furniture you should employ a "Spedition" to organise the paperwork, they will include a copy of the invoice.

You will pay a fee for the transport, a fee for the paperwork, and the 8% sales tax on the value TVA. The Italian sales tax should be removed.

Can you hire a small van and go and collect it yourself?

Hi Ittigen, thank you for answering!

I have no idea what a Spedition is I am not totally sure I would be able to use a 3rd party (would you mind explaining what it is? )

That is actually one of my doubts. It's actually a quite known designer online shop, and they do export to most countries around the world. They have included on the price 20% VAT (OUCH! Italy!). The only problem is, when I check on the "Shipping fees to Switzerland" the only thing they have is "For shopping between 1500 EURO and 9.999 EURO sending costs= 49 euro". I tried to contact them to get to know how is their experience with shipping to CH, but I am just afraid the Zoll will find a way to put an extra fee just because it's me...

At the moment it's not possible for me to travel to Italy to pick it up

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Fighting for Pluto's liberation from the Dwarf League since 2006 @(°.°)=@)x.X)' ' '

When I have ordered large quantites of motorcyce parts from Italy (between CHF 1000 and CHF 10000), I have gone through an expeditor (actually arranged by the seller.

Expeditor fees were about CHF 100 (regardless of the value), on top of that there was just 8% VAT (other charges were included in the expiditor fee).

Tom

I just checked what an expeditor is

Did you buy your pieces online, Tom? I'm not totally sure how to use an expeditor when using an online site (do I contact the expeditor "hei, bring me this item" or "hei site, this expeditor is bringing it to me"?).

Would you mind sharing the name of your expeditor? I guess you have good experiences with them?

Thank you!

I bought a set of designer chairs from an Italian shop about 18 months ago. It had an on-line web shop through which we ordered. Italian VAT was deducted, and we had to pay Swiss VAT (8% on the total cost including shipping) and a relatively small customsadministration fee (less than 100CHF if I remember well). The Italian shop organised the shipping.

Thank you so much for the input, GenevaSculler! You really gave me the last push to just do it!

I think I'm going to lose my head in this shop. I just found out an awesome Arco lamp, and a bunch of my favourite designer chairs for 3 times less the price in stores here in Zürich.

oh... my wallet is not going to enjoy this...

No problem Which shop is it out of interest?

yeah, I want to know too!

http://homeconcept24.com/index.php?page=index

The shop itself is English, I believe, but the piece I want is being shipped out of Italy (it's written in the specifications, hence my original post ). It has been referred by already 3 designer magazines we get in the office, that is why I built a bit of trust in it.

The piece I want I only saw it once in Zürich, in a designer shop in Rapperswil, for the triple of the price (I have been saving for a while for it... like since I'm 16 lol). That's why I got quite ecstatic when I found it cheaper

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Fighting for Pluto's liberation from the Dwarf League since 2006 @(°.°)=@)x.X)' ' '

Basically, anything from Italy over EUR 600 must be done via an expediter, even if you transport it yourself (and if you do transport it yourself, you have to pass through the commercial customs, which is why you need the expediter).

Got away with it once, but the Italian guy told me "never again". I had EUR 4k of motorcycle parts, which they didn't believe, so had to show them each and every piece of mainly carbon-fiber bodywork to compare against the invoice. The Swiss of course had no problem, and were happy to take my money!

Tom