3 ms·

> This is why in some European countries, that $1 item from China with free shipping can end up costing $10, because you're paying $0.25 in VAT or import taxes,

> This is why in some European countries, that $1 item from China with free shipping can end up costing $10, because you're paying $0.25 in VAT or import taxes, and $10 to the shipping courier for doing the paperwork. Not the big China exporters, not any more. They all include taxes in the price on your country specific web site, ship to their warehouses inside the EU, handle taxes and your local courier just delivers. Now if you're talking DHL yes, they have you fill forms upon forms and charge you for the forms you didn't ask for. But if that happens, no one will have time to process all the forms so private imports from China will simply ... halt for a while. Until Temu/AliExpress/etc sort out for the US the same system they use in the EU. If in the US, I'd hold on any direct purchases from China for 3-6 months. > So it is even worse, you either pay $25 per shipment, or 30% - whichever is higher. Then later it moves up to $50 per shipment, or 30% - whichever is higher. Hah. That's DHL commission territory :) Definitely hold from direct purchases until Temu sorts it out for you.

seszett 2y ago
> Until Temu/AliExpress/etc sort out for the US the same system they use in the EU. The thing is, the EU specifically set up a structure to make this easier for sellers and transparent for customers (the "import one-stop shop") and I don't see the US government doing any effort to make importations more seamless.
- nottorp 2y ago
  Didn't know that. I'm just a stupid EU sheep. Incidentally, even Amazon US uses that facility. They charge me my local VAT plus some change ("exchange rate whatever" commission, something under 1%) and the package arrives in my hands via courier without any further interaction. Even Mouser has set up a warehouse inside the EU in the past years. They went from a pain to order from to a pleasure. Just to emphasise, this system has been set up for ages because you did need to pay VAT on imports anyway. Even without any special tariffs. And that means a visit to the post office in person.
- bgnn 2y ago
  Yeah EU doesn't have a special tariff per se, but they wanted a responsible legal entity in EU to deal with taxes and customer rights so they created this structure. US just doesn't want anything imported. Doesn't help to set up US entity. You will have to pay this amount. Though, it helps with $1 orders if they import them and process them in bulk.
  - rvba 2y ago
    Few years ago a lot of packages were marked as gifts. EU simply wants to collect taxes.
- magicalhippo 2y ago
  For reference: https://vat-one-stop-shop.ec.europa.eu/one-stop-shop_en https://vat-one-stop-shop.ec.europa.eu/one-stop-shop_en
- LadyCailin 2y ago
  Well, the point of the action in the US is to stop imports, not just tax them, so manufacturing moves into the US. The minimum fee per item is clearly punitive. Not that that matters, most manufacturing will simply never be in the US ever again, and having punitive taxes like this will simply drive up costs massively.
orloffm 2y ago
If I buy something from amazon.co.jp or Apple and it arrives from Japan or China with DHL/UPS, I don't do anything at all in Poland. It's all transparent, I just get the package for the price on the website.
- nottorp 2y ago
  From which Apple store? If it's your local store of course they have VAT built in. Interesting about amazon japan, never tried it. Have you tried amazon us? Edit: interesting, amazon.co.jp seems to be its own thing. My login works on amazon US and all european country sites, but it doesn't work on the JP site.
  - terinjokes 2y ago
    Amazon is pretty good at handling VAT and all the import paperwork if it's sold as "Fulfilled by Amazon", regardless if it's the local Amazon site, or the US or Japan sites. I've ordered from all 3. Even eBay has sorted this out now for orders from the US, with VAT and import fees baked into shipping costs. They give sellers the address for their warehouse in Chicago. eBay then forwards as the seller of record.
    - nottorp 2y ago
      > Even eBay has sorted this out now for orders from the US Shit. Telling me that can be expensive. I might check ebay US now for some retrocomputing fun...
    - Symbiote 2y ago
      Fulfilment doesn't have to go through eBay for this. If I sell a package on eBay.de to a buyer in the UK, I get a customs tracking number to show eBay has collected the required UK VAT. That goes in the form when buying the delivery label and completing the customs (export) declaration. The EU prepared for years setting this up. It meant all the national post offices updating their systems, and integrating the private parcel delivery companies. It was planned before Covid, then delayed because of the concern for possible disruption. The USA seems not to have done this planning, and certainly hasn't allowed the months it will take to prepare for it. At least they may have some of the other half of the system, having set that up for exports to the EU/UK.

seszett 2y ago

> Until Temu/AliExpress/etc sort out for the US the same system they use in the EU. The thing is, the EU specifically set up a structure to make this easier for sellers and transparent for customers (the "import one-stop shop") and I don't see the US government doing any effort to make importations more seamless.

nottorp 2y ago
Didn't know that. I'm just a stupid EU sheep. Incidentally, even Amazon US uses that facility. They charge me my local VAT plus some change ("exchange rate whatever" commission, something under 1%) and the package arrives in my hands via courier without any further interaction. Even Mouser has set up a warehouse inside the EU in the past years. They went from a pain to order from to a pleasure. Just to emphasise, this system has been set up for ages because you did need to pay VAT on imports anyway. Even without any special tariffs. And that means a visit to the post office in person.
bgnn 2y ago
Yeah EU doesn't have a special tariff per se, but they wanted a responsible legal entity in EU to deal with taxes and customer rights so they created this structure. US just doesn't want anything imported. Doesn't help to set up US entity. You will have to pay this amount. Though, it helps with $1 orders if they import them and process them in bulk.
- rvba 2y ago
  Few years ago a lot of packages were marked as gifts. EU simply wants to collect taxes.
magicalhippo 2y ago
For reference: https://vat-one-stop-shop.ec.europa.eu/one-stop-shop_en https://vat-one-stop-shop.ec.europa.eu/one-stop-shop_en
LadyCailin 2y ago
Well, the point of the action in the US is to stop imports, not just tax them, so manufacturing moves into the US. The minimum fee per item is clearly punitive. Not that that matters, most manufacturing will simply never be in the US ever again, and having punitive taxes like this will simply drive up costs massively.

orloffm 2y ago

If I buy something from amazon.co.jp or Apple and it arrives from Japan or China with DHL/UPS, I don't do anything at all in Poland. It's all transparent, I just get the package for the price on the website.

nottorp 2y ago
From which Apple store? If it's your local store of course they have VAT built in. Interesting about amazon japan, never tried it. Have you tried amazon us? Edit: interesting, amazon.co.jp seems to be its own thing. My login works on amazon US and all european country sites, but it doesn't work on the JP site.
- terinjokes 2y ago
  Amazon is pretty good at handling VAT and all the import paperwork if it's sold as "Fulfilled by Amazon", regardless if it's the local Amazon site, or the US or Japan sites. I've ordered from all 3. Even eBay has sorted this out now for orders from the US, with VAT and import fees baked into shipping costs. They give sellers the address for their warehouse in Chicago. eBay then forwards as the seller of record.
  - nottorp 2y ago
    > Even eBay has sorted this out now for orders from the US Shit. Telling me that can be expensive. I might check ebay US now for some retrocomputing fun...
  - Symbiote 2y ago
    Fulfilment doesn't have to go through eBay for this. If I sell a package on eBay.de to a buyer in the UK, I get a customs tracking number to show eBay has collected the required UK VAT. That goes in the form when buying the delivery label and completing the customs (export) declaration. The EU prepared for years setting this up. It meant all the national post offices updating their systems, and integrating the private parcel delivery companies. It was planned before Covid, then delayed because of the concern for possible disruption. The USA seems not to have done this planning, and certainly hasn't allowed the months it will take to prepare for it. At least they may have some of the other half of the system, having set that up for exports to the EU/UK.