Advice/tax Info On An E-bay Purchase

[SeanD]

Hi guys,

I'd like to know if anybody has bought a camera or similar electronics goods off E-bay (or had it sent by friends abroad), and if so if there is any advice you could give me about tax etc when clearing this from the post office? Is it possible to mark it as gift or something and send it that way?

Thanks

[rangerover]

I have used ebay to mainly buy scale die cast models and car detailing stuff. Based on my experience the larger the box the more chance of it getting picked for customs checks. And since something like a camera comes in a decent size it will be checked and then taxed accordingly + postal handling charges. Some electronic stuff in my opinion are charged irrespective of being named as a gift! But the biggest issues is the hassle you have to go through

[terrabytetango]

Stupid 3G hiccuped, double post :/

Edited November 29, 2009 by terrabytetango

[terrabytetango]

They take into consideration the size, weight and declared value of the item. All items do get charged some kind of duty, its only very rarely that I've been able to avoid duty for my R/C parts. But usually they won't try to extort you, unless you lie about the value and get caught in the process. I bought my netbook on ebay and got it sent through EMS, and I only paid something like LKR1800 to get it cleared. It depends on a lot on how humble you are (I kid you not), just smile and answer their questions but don't say too much. Also I wouldn't advice on getting down a camera or any other fragile item like that, because the packing is going to be huge, and it's going to cost you a mint to bring it down here. Limit electronics to small, cheap items. For anything else, get a mate to send it to you from abroad.

P.S. Declaring a lower value and/or marking the item as a gift will be irrelevant if you're asked to come down to the parcels section; they *will* open the package and slap a duty on it, especially if they figure out there's been deliberate undervaluing.

[Bugatti]

Duty is charged based on the CIF value of the item. Try and avoid buying expensive stuff off e-bay.

[fuzzo]

and on an item like a camera etc.. make sure you have insurance. i have lost 2 items that i ordered from ebay..

[shanX]

I bought my netbook on ebay and got it sent through EMS, and I only paid something like LKR1800 to get it cleared. It depends on a lot on how humble you are (I kid you not), just smile and answer their questions but don't say too much.

Msi Wind here, I told them, it's a children's toy laptop and they belived it, 800/= LOL

[SeanD]

Thanks guys for the info. e-Bay is out then. I guess a friend via courier service like FEDEX or something would work, but I assume they're not going to be of any help in avoiding unnecessary taxes.

And I've heard that business of declaring it a toy before, but guess that might not work with a camera And they probably catch on to that anyway.

Anybody have any experience with Aramex and their delivery to the US address system?

[shanX]

Anybody have any experience with Aramex and their delivery to the US address system?

Like a year or two back, tried contacting Aramex about their Shop n Ship service, but their people weren't aware about it at the time, don't know how it is now

Anyways collecting ebay stuff at the post office is like a random hit or miss, if it's your lucky day, you'll get a small amount as tax

[jehan80]

Thanks guys for the info. e-Bay is out then. I guess a friend via courier service like FEDEX or something would work, but I assume they're not going to be of any help in avoiding unnecessary taxes.

And I've heard that business of declaring it a toy before, but guess that might not work with a camera And they probably catch on to that anyway.

Anybody have any experience with Aramex and their delivery to the US address system?

For expensive items or large items probably the best thing is to get someone to bring it for you...but for posted items, if the packaging is small they usually wont open it.

Edited November 29, 2009 by jehan80

[DevakaC]

and on an item like a camera etc.. make sure you have insurance. i have lost 2 items that i ordered from ebay..

Buddy e-bay is a very tricky place with lotsa scammers around. Specially when its international shipping you have to make sure the guy really ships it out. Because over here if you dont receive your item you can file a dispute and Paypal will return the money. (Insurance is for if the post office misplaces it) Some people just sell items and say they shipped it but they really dont. I know EMS is the more practical way since FEDEX, UPS have some ridiculous charges. To send a chillie paste from SL to US they wanted some 4000 or 5000.

But as for the camera goes, i would just wait until somebody I know go abroad and buy it from the dutyfree or whatever. Might save you more money.

[SeanD]

Buddy e-bay is a very tricky place with lotsa scammers around. Specially when its international shipping you have to make sure the guy really ships it out. Because over here if you dont receive your item you can file a dispute and Paypal will return the money. (Insurance is for if the post office misplaces it) Some people just sell items and say they shipped it but they really dont. I know EMS is the more practical way since FEDEX, UPS have some ridiculous charges. To send a chillie paste from SL to US they wanted some 4000 or 5000.

But as for the camera goes, i would just wait until somebody I know go abroad and buy it from the dutyfree or whatever. Might save you more money.

Thanks. eBay definitely out. Was looking in to having somebody abroad send it via EMS/USPS, will look into that, thanks!

Edited November 30, 2009 by SeanD

[Ruslan]

Thanks. eBay definitely out. Was looking in to having somebody abroad send it via EMS/USPS, will look into that, thanks!

Don't even think importing stuff through DHL Fedex too (Items like Cameras and phones). i ran into serious trouble with a phone. custom fellas wants me to get import export license and a permission from TRC and security clearance from Defense ministry since the Phone that i import got GPS in it. managed to re export it back and get it through a friend of mine from US when he's visiting SL. and i had to pay re-export charges for the courier.

[CARBON]

Msi Wind here, I told them, it's a children's toy laptop and they belived it, 800/= LOL

Guys as far as I know computers and laptops are duty free or taxed at a very low rate. Same goes for phones.

I got down some stuff from Amozon and got it delivered through Trico, hardly paid any duty but the hassel is just too much to do it again.

[shanX]

Guys as far as I know computers and laptops are duty free or taxed at a very low rate. Same goes for phones.

I got down some stuff from Amozon and got it delivered through Trico, hardly paid any duty but the hassel is just too much to do it again.

but they made big scene when i told it's a laptop so am not that sure about low duty part.

[Ruslan]

but they made big scene when i told it's a laptop so am not that sure about low duty part.

i think laptops coming under luxury items. but not the desktops and their parts. maybe that's why laptops in SL skyrocketed. and not the desktops. in US you can get Dell entry level notebook under $500/-

[Bugatti]

Thanks. eBay definitely out. Was looking in to having somebody abroad send it via EMS/USPS, will look into that, thanks!

Dude, it's the same thing as e-bay.... any item coming via USPS, Fedex or DHL will be detained by customs if the package is large. I bought a K & N box type filter and that too was detained. Import tax was LKR 2500/-

Only option is to have it hand carried.. i get most of my items that way.

[SeanD]

Dude, it's the same thing as e-bay.... any item coming via USPS, Fedex or DHL will be detained by customs if the package is large. I bought a K & N box type filter and that too was detained. Import tax was LKR 2500/-

Only option is to have it hand carried.. i get most of my items that way.

I hear you man...only thing is, the same camera is LKR 30k more in SL than in the USA...so even if the duty is 5 thousand that would have been worth it (assuming the shipping didn't run hundreds of bucks). Actually this is not for me but for a friend, and will hold off on the item for now.

Thanks again all!

[DevakaC]

I hear you man...only thing is, the same camera is LKR 30k more in SL than in the USA...so even if the duty is 5 thousand that would have been worth it (assuming the shipping didn't run hundreds of bucks). Actually this is not for me but for a friend, and will hold off on the item for now.

Thanks again all!

Quite possibly 30k or even more in SL compared to USA but could lesser or equal in countries like Singapore, Dubai, taiwan etc.

If its some bad-ass model that your looking for an its only available in the US you could try getting it shipped through USPS. They have small international flat rate boxes for about 50 bucks which could hold a camera. But then again you have the risk of damage in transit and the duty issue. (but even paying 10000 on duty would save you 15000). But my opinion is getting it down through somebody if its not too much trouble for them. will save you on duty+shipping+secured

[NRX]

Guys! I was thinking of purchasing an SSD off ebay. The seller is a reputed one I had done purchases before.

Does anyone have recent experience with importing electronics/computer parts ? Any experience with taxes ?

Edited July 13, 2015 by NRX

[luckey007]

I bought a DSLR from Ebay. I posted it to my friends place in states and he sent me via EMS. For shipping and insuranse it cost me around 10k. In discription he was asked to put used dslr camera and gift is checked. It came home within 10days by postman's bicycle.