Extremely and Tax abusive prices

[tathe_4557]

I hope I can get some answer and hopefully draw eBay attention to this situation.

I am sure many of you noticed this.

I live in Japan. 

I bought many stuffs for all over the world, even recently from Israel and Ukraine that are not in their best shape. 

shipping was under 20USD for shoes / clothes 

Now that I found many interesting shoes from the US, their price ranger from 20 to 50 USD (used ones). 

When I look to the shipping prices it starts from 60 USD and over, plus there is exporting taxes ranging from 7 to 15 USD. 

I do not understand this, I bought stuffs from the US before and I never had these abusive shipping prices + this tax. 

I tried to find my stuffs elsewhere but many different shops have this pattern.

Can someone explain to me please. 

[kensgiftshop]

Shipping from the US to Japan is expensive.

The taxes you pay to Japan, you need to ask your country why they are so high.

[marnotom!]

You're probably encountering US sellers who are having their merchandise forwarded to Japan (and other countries) through "eBay International Shipping," or "eIS" for short.  What you're paying for shipping the item is the price the seller charges for shipping to a forwarding hub, plus eIS's own charges for shipping from the hub to Japan.

eIS will also sometimes require the payment of taxes (and duties, if they apply) at the time of purchase.  Items sent through the mail will often get through customs without being assessed these charges, but eIS can't get away with this.

As @kensgiftshop suggests, the cost of shipping internationally from the United States has increased significantly in the past few years, but unfortunately eIS can add even more to that cost.

You may find this eBay help page useful:

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/postage-delivery/changing-delivery-address-method/international-pur...

[bonanza125]

"I tried to find my stuffs elsewhere but many different shops have this pattern."

You will be paying the same shipping cost on other platforms as well. Whatever you are thinking of purchasing from US sellers do it now cause the cost is just going to go up more due to the constant increases.

[tathe_4557]

Guys thanks for the replies. 

Actually in the past (last year) the shipping was not so abusive 60USD+

And in Japan you pay only takes when the marchandise is declared over 150USD which is not the case.

The shoes range between 15 to 50 USD. 

Seems like the shipping is done twice as suggested, from one location to the US then from the US to me. 

[marnotom! · Accepted solution]

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@tathe_4557 wrote:

And in Japan you pay only takes when the marchandise is declared over 150USD which is not the case.

That’s interesting.  The information I’ve found suggests that Japan’s tax and duty-free limit for the value of personal imports sent by mail is 10 000 yen, or about US$67 at current exchange rates:

https://www.customs.go.jp/english/c-answer_e/imtsukan/1006_e.htm

[wpt05]

@tathe_4557 

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[tathe_4557]

I buy monthly from iherb supplements and the limit is 150 USD, above that I have to pay the tax

[carlmarxx]

The Japanese Yen is taking  a   beating  in the businesses market currently   ,which great for U.S. buyers since the  dollar  is  worth more then the yen .

[marnotom!]

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@tathe_4557 wrote:

I buy monthly from iherb supplements and the limit is 150 USD, above that I have to pay the tax

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I’ve heard that there’s sometimes a difference between Japan Customs’ official tax-free limit for personal imports sent by mail or courier and what actually applies in practice, @tathe_4557.

Here in Canada, there’s a US$15 tax/duty-free limit for items sent by mail but our customs office rarely enforces that low limit because it would cost more to collect the taxes and duty due than the amount due.  As a result, a lot of Canadian buyers are surprised to be hit with tax, duty, and customs processing charges for low-priced items shipped by other methods.

[tathe_4557]

Seems like Canada start running after the cents in the pocket of honest citizens. 

In Japan it is not like that hopefully, they are strict of course but they do not go beyond the laws. 

150 USD is the limit when receiving. 

it is the same in South Korea as well. 

[marnotom!]

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@tathe_4557 wrote:

150 USD is the limit when receiving. 

it is the same in South Korea as well. 

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The English version of the Japan Customs website states a lower limit (see my earlier post) and I suspect it's that lower limit that's being used by the carriers eBay uses for its International Shipping service, @tathe_4557.  Do you have any official information (preferably in English) from Japan Customs that states that the tax/duty-free limit for personal imports sent by mail or courier to Japan is US$150?