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UPS custom fees
I recently purchased clothing items from a merchant in Italy. Six tank tops for $150 (not cheap). The shipper/merchant listed the items as "free shipping." I received an email from UPS stating I would need to pay an additional $48.37 for them to release the items I already paid for. I thought the email was a scam and deleted it. When the UPS driver came to my house, he said I would need to pay in by check or money order or the items would be returned. In hindsight, I wish I would have let the driver return the items to the merchant. I then reached out to the merchant and their response was "Unfortunately, Trump has removed the minimum, so buyers are no longer exempt from duties up to $800." The merchant wouldn't even split the difference, which would have been $24 and only agreed to credit me $20. If this is the case moving forward, I will no longer be making purchases from overseas.
monroe67
Mentor1 year ago"I then reached out to the merchant and their response was "Unfortunately, Trump has removed the minimum, so buyers are no longer exempt from duties up to $800.' "
Your merchant is correct. Until or unless the Supreme Court of the United States of America makes a decision that the administration's tariffs are illegal (which several lower/appellate court have determined), we, the people in the United States who receive products from other nations -- we are legally required to pay the tariffs.
"The merchant wouldn't even split the difference, which would have been $24 and only agreed to credit me $20."
You are very fortunate. The merchant wasn't required to credit any amount to you. Essentially, the merchant is giving $20 from his/her own profit back to you. The government still has your $48.37 as tariff or "customs fees" or "import tax" or whatever else it may be called.
"If this is the case moving forward, I will no longer be making purchases from overseas."
Many other nations have already stopped allowing sales to be shipped to the United States. You are definitely helping yourself if do you not make purchases from overseas until or unless a legal solution is published.
My crafting club has already exchanged names for our Holiday Party's Gift Exchange. I wanted to buy my "giftee" a specific item from a specific British retailer. The tariffs would greatly exceed the dollar limit we've decided on for our gift exchange, so I have to think some more and maybe budget more if I decide to go ahead with that British purchase -- IF the UK would even allow it to be shipped to me in California in the first place.
It is truly a mess.
(BTW and FTR, I did not vote for any of this.)
jacbarcollectibles
Mentor1 year agoBuyers have always been responsible for any customs fees and taxes imposed on the purchase. You are warned that you may be responsible for these fees. Free shipping does not mean that they are free of customs fees or tariffs. By the way, UPS and FedEx charge a fee to move the package through customs which is not part of the sales price or any shipping charge.