Customs Duty Tax Charged For CD Japan Order

Well, this is a new one for me:

Today I received a bill from FedEx for a "customs duty" charge ($9.56) and "advancement fee" ($6.50) related to a recent order I received from CD Japan. I've always used FedEx for my many orders from CD Japan and I've never received a subsequent bill from FedEx or anybody else.

Am I missing something here? Is there a new law in effect or something? I'm perplexed.

Can anyone shed light on this?

 

Check the Marketplace Discussions forum. I vaguely remember reading a thread there in the last year or so with a similar discussion about CdJapan & customs problems/Fedex. I've ordered a bunch of times from CDJapan and never had this happen to me though. Of course as soon as I say that it will happen to me (I am expecting an order from them soon btw).

 

I have never had this happen with FedEx - yet

Not in the past 3 years I have been buying from CD Japan.

I have been ordering some pretty big shipments, too.

 

I have purchased many items that were actually subject to Customs duties over the years, but due to the random nature of collection, I have only paid duty on a few items. I get a lot of "gifts". I did get burned years ago on a big $ purchase of an item that was over $700.00.

Was the value of the shipment over $200.00?

 

Rules may also be different if Customs interprets your purchase as items for resale.

 

The first time this happens to me will also be the last.
I can get these at comparable prices stateside most of the time after a 2 to 3 week delay.
I have to say that I have zero complaints on CDJapan sales or service.

 

Nope ... $132.32.
I find this very odd and am not going to pay it right away ... Gonna sit back and see if they hit me with a second invoice ...

 

I don't think CD Japan had anything whatsoever to do with this freak invoice I received,

 

Amazon narc'd on you

 

Fed Ex would have paid for the customs charges on your behalf and are now sending you the bill to repay them plus their admin fee...I assure you that they aren't going to go away.

 

That was my first thought, but I don't think a purchase of $132.00 should be subject to any duty to begin with.

 

All of you complainers are sure lucky you don't live in the UK where virtually every incoming package gets snagged and duty assessed. The "gift" dodge can't work with a proper business and they cannot mis-state a sale or they will expose themselves to fines and even prosecution.
I expect this to happen more often as shipping databases from one country to another are shared more and more. Like most escapes from taxation, nice while they last and better enjoy them while you can .

 

I don't think it is appropriate to call people discussing this issue as "complainers".

A customs fee was assessed which is not something that routinely happens when ordering from CDJapan in most of our experiences. A mistake could have been made that explains this. Or maybe it is some kind of change to US customs/importing that is happening now. We do not know for sure (do you???).

The OP is just trying to figure out if something has changed in customs/importing laws, why this is being charged now (is it going to happen all the time in the future?), is it something related only to Fedex (?), etc etc.

You want to hear complaining go read my posts on a heart valve replacement forum concerning multiple bad advice from health care "professionals"/lack of followup/incorrect medical procedures/doctor confusion & shortcomings/you name it, that is indicative of how bad health care is here in the USA. On second thought - don't; it is pretty pathetic!

I don't think anyone in this thread is complaining at all. Just trying to figure something out.

 

I just placed an order last week, but I didn't pick Fed Ex for the shipper. I guess I'll see what happens.

 

The "complaint" is about a duty that probably should not have been taken to begin with. The "gift" dodge is an easy way out for sellers that don't know the rules and assume that they are doing you a favor. In most cases it is unnecessary for the U.S.(and illegal on part of the shipper).

 

Cust

Most custom duties are such a octopus of conflicting rules that are so open to interpretation that the agent or inspector can almost do what they want because the reality is they know no one is going to challenge back unless its a substantial amount. As a "head rule" you should just assume any regular goods you have sent to you potentially may have a 3-10% duty assessed and a fee collection admin. charge from the carrier. And the the possibility of this assessment happening is ever increasing as the government looks for new revenue streams, has to find something for layoff proof government workers to do and needs turn agencies into profit centers.

 

It was all CD's I take it? How many items? Just curious.

 

Yep you may get an additional gift of a extra service charge if you don't pay the first time.

 

I'm definitely gonna drop FedEx if this happens again.

 

[CD] Yes / Songs From Tsongas - The 35th Anniversary Concert - Extended Edition

[CD] Deep Purple / Graz 1975

[Blu-ray] Yes / Songs From Tsongas - The 35th Anniversary Concert - Extended Edition [Blu-ray+3CD]

 

Can you request (from FedEx) a copy of the official customs/duty report that shows details of how the fees were calculated and proof that FedEx actually paid it for you?

 

Too bad we don't get a "why" when this happens. Is it random? Are one of those pieces of media the one that triggered the duty? Would be nice to know.

 

Random, we experience this all the time in Canada with mail, courier.

 

The situation is not comparable as european countries have 15-25% VAT, so it's perfectly normal that you have to pay a certain sum for each shipment over a certain value (22€).

 

It is random. Just like going through Customs at a U.S. airport after an international flight? It works the same way.