This normal for internation shipments?

[Gibson486]

I mailed a package to my gf's parents in colombia. It cost $66 through USPS. Got a call from her parent's yesterday. Apparently, the Colombian post office is requesting $60 more.

????

I did not pick COD. I paid up front. However, they say they will not give them the package unless they pay $60.

Kind of a suprise considering it took 1 month to do international priority.

 

[Scouzer]

That's normal customs fees.

USPS shipments are usually the most reasonable. I've had UPS shipments from the US to Canada try to charge me $75 in fees on a $175 item.

USPS to Canada is a $7 fee + GST. Not so bad.

 

[Gibson486]

That's normal customs fees.

USPS shipments are usually the most reasonable. I've had UPS shipments from the US to Canada try to charge me $75 in fees on a $175 item.

USPS to Canada is a $7 fee + GST. Not so bad.

Isn't that stuff taken care (like built into the price) of when you ship it out?

 

[cronos]

Yes, this is what happens when you send internationally to some countries through the regular postal service. The only way to get around it is to use UPS/Fedex/etc where they probably charge double.

 

[bruceb]

That is a customs duty fee. Most countries charge something for items shipped into them.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Isn't that stuff taken care (like built into the price) of when you ship it out?

Next time mark the value less than $20 and designate it as a gift on the custom's form and they shouldn't be charged import duties.

 

[Gibson486]

Yes, this is what happens when you send internationally to some countries through the regular postal service. The only way to get around it is to use UPS/Fedex/etc where they probably charge double.

Dam....that is misleading. I mean, I know UPS and FedEx wanted something ike $200 to ship it...but the post office never said, yeah, we are a third of the price because we do not take care of customs. If I knew that, i would have just went to Fed Ex. I thought it was cheaper just because it takes forever to get there.

 

[KMc]

Welcome to doing business in South America!

 

[Gibson486]

Next time mark the value less than $20 and designate it as a gift on the custom's form and they shouldn't be charged import duties.

Thanks for the tip. I'll do that next time. My gf just wanted to insure it, so I had to put the value.

 

[Scouzer]

Dam....that is misleading. I mean, I know UPS and FedEx wanted something ike $200 to ship it...but the post office never said, yeah, we are a third of the price because we do not take care of customs. If I knew that, i would have just went to Fed Ex. I thought it was cheaper just because it takes forever to get there.

Fedex would charge way more than the post office dude.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

DHL

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Dam....that is misleading. I mean, I know UPS and FedEx wanted something ike $200 to ship it...but the post office never said, yeah, we are a third of the price because we do not take care of customs. If I knew that, i would have just went to Fed Ex. I thought it was cheaper just because it takes forever to get there.

FedEx just charges you more for shipping. Generally customs duties are payed by the receiving party but you can have FedEx bill you for those fees, which are in addition to the outrageous shipping they charge for international.

 

[Gibson486]

Fedex would charge way more than the post office dude.

Wait....I do not understand....so none of the shipping companies include customs in the price?

When i priced it out

USPS was $66
Fed Ex was around $206
UPS was $250

Price aside, I am more upset about the fact that my gf's parents thought we did this on purpose so we would not have to spend money.

 

[Gibson486]

FedEx just charges you more for shipping. Generally customs duties are payed by the receiving party but you can have FedEx bill you for those fees, which are in addition to the outrageous shipping they charge for international.

I wish i would have known that....dam....you live and you learn.

 

[Demo24]

Next time mark the value less than $20 and designate it as a gift on the custom's form and they shouldn't be charged import duties.

This, I learned about this sending a part overseas and marking it at a fair price in case it got lost. I didnt realize the person receiving the package would have to pay import fees :\

 

[cronos]

Dam....that is misleading. I mean, I know UPS and FedEx wanted something ike $200 to ship it...but the post office never said, yeah, we are a third of the price because we do not take care of customs. If I knew that, i would have just went to Fed Ex. I thought it was cheaper just because it takes forever to get there.

I can't say this is exactly what happened to you, but my experience sending packages to several countries in Asia are like that.

From my understanding, Fedex/UPS/etc have their own 'custom line' that they go through when the packages enter the country, and therefore are immune to regular (and sometimes additional) custom fees. I'm guessing this is possible because they brought in stuff in huge batches, so whatever fees there are they took care of them under some kind of contract. Using regular postal service your package is treated individually.

It's not always better to go with the premium of carriers, and sometimes it is better to go with USPS for sending stuff internationally. This will highly depend on what exactly you're sending and what country you're sending it to.

 

[Scouzer]

I can't say this is exactly what happened to you, but my experience sending packages to several countries in Asia are like that.

From my understanding, Fedex/UPS/etc have their own 'custom line' that they go through when the packages enter the country, and therefore are immune to regular (and sometimes additional) custom fees. I'm guessing this is possible because they brought in stuff in huge batches, so whatever fees there are they took care of them under some kind of contract. Using regular postal service your package is treated individually.

It's not always better to go with the premium of carriers, and sometimes it is better to go with USPS for sending stuff internationally. This will highly depend on what exactly you're sending and what country you're sending it to.

Tip for anyone reading this thread. Never. Ever. Send anything to Canada with anything other than USPS.