Author Topic: Buying & Selling/Taxes & Customs  (Read 14428 times)

Offline Paradoxium

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Buying & Selling/Taxes & Customs
« on: September 15, 2008, 12:57:05 PM »
I see questions arise all the time on international customs charges and taxes of bike parts, so I'll give a few tips that will hopefully eliminate or reduce your charges. Customs the world over like to put charges on as much imports as possible. This will vary slightly from country to country, but in the end, they want some of your money.

This is for buying OR selling. If you buy some bike parts, ask the seller to do this. If you sell some bike parts, do it for the buyers sake. Here are some tips....

1. Declare the value way under actual costs. Some countries have a limit of between $70 to 100, so the less you put, the better. I would recommend $60 or less on small parcels, and $99 on some bigger/heavier parcels. However, if the real value is like $1000 or more, you may get in more trouble if customs think its worth more than you declared,  and charge you what they think is the value. So keeping it proportionate is safer. Customs have the right to x ray and/or open any parcel they choose.

2. Write GIFT on the declaration form. Far less likely to be taxed with a gift.

3. Write childs bicycle parts. They are less likely to charge taxes on childrens bikes than adults bikes.

4. If possible, use the regular postal service. Using private delivery/courier companies increases the odds of customs examining/holding your parcel. Customs are less interested in the regular postal service. The advantage with private delivery services, {DHL, Fed-X, TNT, Toll, etc} is faster and safer deliveries with tracking. Tracking can be available with standard postal services, but does not do much, {yes I've had stuff go missing like this}.

5. If you are really worried about getting stung STILL after all these precautions, make the items look really dirty and old. This way, if customs open up your parcel, they will just see rubbish and let you off. If you do this , make sure you arrange it with the buyer/seller so no confusion/upsets occur. Its easy to clean up dirt with some cloths.


If you get stung still, it is most likely going to be for items over $100 and a percentage of the total. I once got stung approximately 25% of the value. This was like 15% and various other taxes. A total of around $260 more or less on close to a $1000.

Hopefully this helps. Good luck.  :mellow:
« Last Edit: April 21, 2020, 08:53:17 AM by khe killah »

Offline muer-d

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Re: Buying and selling/taxes and customs.
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2008, 02:04:44 PM »
hi  useful tip
good job karl !!!!

some people save money because you
el dolor es pasajero la gloria para siempre
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Offline johnu773

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Re: Buying and selling/taxes and customs.
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2009, 11:37:28 PM »
This is good advise however keep in mind also you can't claim the value as being under 60.00 then try to insure it for 500.00 that will raise red flags for sure.

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Buying and selling/taxes and customs.
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2009, 03:51:44 PM »
This is good advise however keep in mind also you can't claim the value as being under 60.00 then try to insure it for 500.00 that will raise red flags for sure.


Excellent tip John, thanx.  :mellow:
There's definately alot more things that can be added, so everyone feel free to contribute. I tried to include the important details, but there's always more that can be added.  

I'd like to add Australian customs can charge between 10% - 25% taxes total of an item/s, but in Peru, they charge 50% taxes on every item they can. Its extremely important when sending stuff to Peru to declare very little value.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2009, 04:10:16 PM by Paradoxium »

Offline misterpola

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Re: Buying and selling/taxes and customs.
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2009, 05:05:59 PM »
if the item you're shipping is new, take off all the stickers. Ppl at customs search what is written on these stickers on the internet to find it's real price

g-man

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Re: Buying and selling/taxes and customs.
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2010, 01:00:44 AM »
I just took it on the chin :P

BEWARE CANADIAN ebay users bidding on U.S. stuff. I bought an FBM Equilibrium on ebay for $80.00 U.S.(great deal), he said shipping would be 50.00 thru fed ex, I said cool(still a good deal)

This was before Christmas 2009.

Today Feb 11/2010, I received a bill for $31.00 from fed ex for duty and taxes because the seller marked the frames value at 150.00. Im sure he did it for replacement value, but make sure you guys iron out the details on shipping, like Karl already mentioned or you too will take it on the chin :P

Offline Hugo @ Portugal

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Re: Buying and selling/taxes and customs.
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2010, 10:58:36 PM »
My personal experiences have been considerable positive until now.

Ordered thrice, one inside EU the other two overseas.

The one time I ordered from Germany (EU) I didn't pay anything extra besides the value I'd already payed to the store. Nice!

The second time, from FF, I had to pay the VAT Portugal practices currently (20%) plus the shipping costs (no idea what they consider this to be).

Still both times from FF were worth it.