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Import Fees of $175 seemes excessive
Hello, I am trying to understand how import fees work. Everyone seems to have a variety of fees, not one set percentage. I won an item for $591 plus $35 shipping plus tax. I am being ask to pay $175 in import fees. I understood there may be some import fees if the seller declares over $800 but I never expect $175. Is that amount normal? I have reached out to the seller to ask questions and they wont respond to me. I just want clarification to break it down. Is this amount excessive?
2 comments
ten_o_nine
Mentor5 months agoContact the shipping carrier (e.g., UPS, DHL, FedEx) directly. Ask for the "Customs Entry" or "7501 form". This will show the exact HTS code used and separate the government taxes from the carrier's service fees.
Why the Seller Isn't Responding:
Import fees are legally the responsibility of the buyer (importer of record) unless the listing explicitly stated "Duty Paid" or "DDP". Because these fees are charged by the government and the shipping carrier—not the seller—the seller may feel they have no control over the amount or have nothing further to add.
jacbarcollectibles
Mentor5 months agoThe old $800 exemption went away with the present administration when they decided to tariff every country. Customs and tariff fees are a complex issue and will depend on many factors so the fee can be very high. The tariff is based on the country of manufacture not on the country that the sale was made from. So if the item was manufactured in a high tariff country but sold from a lower tariff country the high tariff still applies.