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Old 20 February 2019, 09:58 AM   #1
SemperFi
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FedEx Bill...Is This Normal?

I recently purchased a watch from Stowa which, as you may or may not know, is only available directly from the company which is located in Germany. Shipping was included in the price of the watch.
Today I received a bill from FedEx in the amount of $17, apparently for “Customs and Duty”. Is this the normal procedure for this type of purchase from a foreign country?
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:02 AM   #2
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Yes Angelo it’s quite normal. They should have estimated what this would be for you, or at least made you aware that you’d be paying.

Recently, I bought an Everest pouch and had it shipped to me in Canada via UPS. Duty was half the price of the item ...
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:07 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brandrea View Post
Yes Angelo it’s quite normal. They should have estimated what this would be for you, or at least made you aware that you’d be paying.

Recently, I bought an Everest pouch and had it shipped to me in Canada via UPS. Duty was half the price of the item ...
Thanks Brian. It wasn’t explained to me beforehand so it came as a surprise. It’s only $17 and change so it’s no big deal but I would have liked to know that it was coming.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:09 AM   #4
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Quite normal. The shipper sorts out the duty which makes it a simpler process, but I find it odd that the watch always gets delivered before the bill.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:12 AM   #5
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Quite normal. The shipper sorts out the duty which makes it a simpler process, but I find it odd that the watch always gets delivered before the bill.
FedEx actually explained that as not wanting to delay delivery unnecessarily.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:16 AM   #6
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FedEx actually explained that as not wanting to delay delivery unnecessarily.
It just makes me wonder what they do if someone doesn't pay.

I guess they have a process for that as there's always someone who will try it.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:18 AM   #7
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It just makes me wonder what they do if someone doesn't pay.

I guess they have a process for that as there's always someone who will try it.
I don’t know but it won’t be me who tries it.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:19 AM   #8
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Quote:
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It just makes me wonder what they do if someone doesn't pay.

I guess they have a process for that as there's always someone who will try it.
Payment is due upon receipt of the package.

I would guess if you refuse to pay, the shipment is returned to sender.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:24 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SemperFi View Post
I recently purchased a watch from Stowa which, as you may or may not know, is only available directly from the company which is located in Germany. Shipping was included in the price of the watch.
Today I received a bill from FedEx in the amount of $17, apparently for “Customs and Duty”. Is this the normal procedure for this type of purchase from a foreign country?
It’s normal. I also bought a watch from Stowa in 2017 and had to pay. What kind of watch did you get?
I got the Marine automatic blue limited edition with German Durowe movement.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:25 AM   #10
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As others have said, yes it's normal. I bought a watch from Hong Kong and had it shipped to my office. My firm got the duty bill and paid it not knowing it was a personal purchase for me.

Many months later I asked the mail-room guy if any duty bills showed up ... he said he remembered my name being on something, but just sent it to AP for payment. I think it was something like $130.

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Old 20 February 2019, 10:32 AM   #11
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It’s normal. I also bought a watch from Stowa in 2017 and had to pay. What kind of watch did you get?
I got the Marine automatic blue limited edition with German Durowe movement.
I got the Stowa Flieger Classic 40 with hand winding movement. I was very interested in your blue dial MO but was late to the party. That’s a beautiful watch.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ian.thomas View Post
As others have said, yes it's normal. I bought a watch from Hong Kong and had it shipped to my office. My firm got the duty bill and paid it not knowing it was a personal purchase for me.

Many months later I asked the mail-room guy if any duty bills showed up ... he said he remembered my name being on something, but just sent it to AP for payment. I think it was something like $130.

Haha, good for you.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:42 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brandrea View Post
Payment is due upon receipt of the package.

I would guess if you refuse to pay, the shipment is returned to sender.
The times I've done it the watch gets delivered first, then several days or a week later a bill turns up. If I already have the watch, how do they enforce payment?
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:45 AM   #13
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The times I've done it the watch gets delivered first, then several days or a week later a bill turns up. If I already have the watch, how do they enforce payment?
Refer the matter to the U.S. Government for collection?
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:46 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cryten View Post
The times I've done it the watch gets delivered first, then several days or a week later a bill turns up. If I already have the watch, how do they enforce payment?
Any time I’ve ever had duty owing, I have had to pay the driver upon receipt of the package.

I’m not sure what happens in your example.
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Old 20 February 2019, 10:50 AM   #15
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Refer the matter to the U.S. Government for collection?
I suspect they have a way of getting their money. I don't want to be the one who finds out how they do it.
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:07 AM   #16
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I bought a watch. Got a bill maybe a year later for several hundred dollars. :(
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:24 AM   #17
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This is directly from the FedEx website:


Please note: As per the contract of carriage with FedEx®, the shipper is ultimately liable for any duties and taxes assessed on the shipment. If the recipient refuses the package, or the recipient or third party FedEx account holder refuses to pay for duties and taxes, the original shipper will be billed for duties and taxes.
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:31 AM   #18
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FedEx Bill...Is This Normal?

I saw your incoming a while back and looked at the Stowa site - was very impressed with them. In reading about VAT on their site, I also saw this:

Prices with or without V.A.T.

If you are living outside the European Community you will get our prices without V.A.T.
Taxes and duties will be paid by recipient by time of delivery.
Taxes and other fees variate in each country and will be charged directly by FedEx.

So in a way it was in the fine print - $17 was a good deal compared to the VAT


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Old 20 February 2019, 11:33 AM   #19
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As already stated, normal. It took them about 3 months or so to send me my bill.....just when I thought I skated by, lol.
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:34 AM   #20
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As others stated. This is normal. I paid it on my Stowa too.
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:35 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brandrea View Post
Yes Angelo it’s quite normal. They should have estimated what this would be for you, or at least made you aware that you’d be paying.



Recently, I bought an Everest pouch and had it shipped to me in Canada via UPS. Duty was half the price of the item ...


Yep, Canada has had some steep duties for US items - sounds like there was a flat rate duty on the category Everest uses in declarations. I once shipped some watch parts North and the duty seemed fair but the value was thousands so made out OK.


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Old 20 February 2019, 11:40 AM   #22
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Yep, Canada has had some steep duties for US items - sounds like there was a flat rate duty on the category Everest uses in declarations. I once shipped some watch parts North and the duty seemed fair but the value was thousands so made out OK.


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Well let’s just say the pouch was $25 and the shipping and duty was $40

Edit: nice product though
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:50 AM   #23
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I've ordered Hodinkee leather straps multiple times shipped to Canada and it costs me from $17 to $35 duties. Depends on delivery guy, sometimes you have to pay it first or bills arrive after a few weeks.
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:52 AM   #24
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Just be thankful the shipper didn't use UPS. As well as paying duty/tax, you have to pay them a $50 "Administration Fee"
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Old 20 February 2019, 11:53 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 77T View Post
I saw your incoming a while back and looked at the Stowa site - was very impressed with them. In reading about VAT on their site, I also saw this:

Prices with or without V.A.T.

If you are living outside the European Community you will get our prices without V.A.T.
Taxes and duties will be paid by recipient by time of delivery.
Taxes and other fees variate in each country and will be charged directly by FedEx.

So in a way it was in the fine print - $17 was a good deal compared to the VAT


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
At least I’ll know for any future purchases. I can’t really complain about $17.
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Old 20 February 2019, 12:01 PM   #26
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FYI, if you’re in the US and buy from other countries, anything under $800 won’t have any duties. It’s possible to not have fees on over $800 but I usually prep myself for a bill when buying something over 800.

From my experience, USPS are generally the most lax in not hitting you with fees on over $800.
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Old 20 February 2019, 01:49 PM   #27
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unfortunately yes... I've bought a few watches from overseas and got hit with a fedex bill both times.
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Old 20 February 2019, 01:59 PM   #28
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From my experience, USPS are generally the most lax in not hitting you with fees on over $800.


A lot of times the distant post authorities, or the foreign sellers, are not completing the declarations forms correctly. So when the package hits US customs, it moves through without “collect upon delivery” noted. All of this happens before USPS ever sees the package.

USPS does collect when it hits your carrier’s case/gurney with the forms correctly filled out.


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Old 20 February 2019, 02:58 PM   #29
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I didn't mind the $157 Fedex customs tax bill I got 6 weeks after my Hentschel H2 Sport arrived from Germany. It thought that was pretty reasonable. It was the nearly $800 "use tax" bill I got from the state of California a month later that I wasn't expecting.
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Old 20 February 2019, 09:27 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SemperFi View Post
I recently purchased a watch from Stowa which, as you may or may not know, is only available directly from the company which is located in Germany. Shipping was included in the price of the watch.
Today I received a bill from FedEx in the amount of $17, apparently for “Customs and Duty”. Is this the normal procedure for this type of purchase from a foreign country?
Yes
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