eBay - import costs on items

[dingo]

I am considering buying a scale model (or two) on eBay from the UK and USA and remember hearing some stories about rather large taxes having to be paid when the goods arrive. :|
Have any of you bought similar items on eBay - did you have to pay import taxes or whatever they are called?
My brother recently bought a freeboard (hybrid skateboard/snowboard) from California and he didn't have to pay anything extra - so I'm not sure how it all works :?
Thanks for any info you can provide :D

[dingo]

Thanks for the tip, do you have any idea what the limit usually is?
These models won't cost more than $AU 100 each, so not too much. :)

[dingo]

Excellent, great info mate - where did you find all that?
It shouldn't be a problem to get the seller to put something under $AU 50 on the package - better start bidding then :D
Thanks again brembo :D

[gis]

ah my famous supra model gave me the import tax crap,lol....had to pay £30 at the door to get it,dam import tax.

TT sent me a couple models and he just wrote the value of the package less than what it was so i didnt have to pay the fee.

[dingo]

ah my famous supra model gave me the import tax crap,lol....had to pay £30 at the door to get it,dam import tax.

TT sent me a couple models and he just wrote the value of the package less than what it was so i didnt have to pay the fee.

Yeah I remember you telling me about the Supra story, which contributed to my 'fears' :wink:
Which models did you get from TT?



Google are you friend dingo..... :wink:

LOL.....yes google and I get along very well usually, but on this occasion he let me down :P

[gis]

hmm....TT has helped me get a few,the 996 GT2 was one of them and the integra type R was another

[dingo]

Another question guys, as it seems paypal is the prefered method of payment for most items I look into signing up for one.
During the signup process it says you can use either a credit card (which I don't have), debit card (mine isn't accepted) or a bank account. But when I fill in the details it asks for my card details - it doesn't give me the option to use my account :?
Is it actually possible to start a paypal account only using your bank account?

[dingo]

It allowed me to add one after I signed up - not sure what happens next though :?
It says on my paypal page "You do not need to add funds to your PayPal account to send money" so it seems I can by something now without actually having funds in the account yet. :)
I will just bid for something and see what happens :P

[TT]

Sometimes customs suck ass. Most of the time I ask to seller to put a lower value. But customs open some packages (quite a lot actually), and for instance the last time I bought two used DVD, a total of 10 USD, declared as "goods" but with such low value, even including shipping costs, way below the limit. but they opened it, saw two DVD and decided a DVD is worth 30 USD, so they decided the package was worth around 70 USD and I had to pay the fees! i tried to find a solution, but the procedure takes so much time and money that I prefferred to pay and shut up :bah:

Anyway most of the time I don't pay because they don't check the package out in detail

[BACR]

I had a digital camera from america and the declared value was low, but like TT said they opened it and so I had to pay more.

Dingo, you should be able to set up a paypal account with just your bank acount. However in order to verify your acount you will need a card (this will lift all the limits on the acount such as the sending limit).

[Mers]

I think if u ask the seller to wrap it up as a present, you can cheat the customs...my friend did that when he bought a videogame off ebay, and it seemed to work...

[dingo]

Dingo, you should be able to set up a paypal account with just your bank acount. However in order to verify your acount you will need a card (this will lift all the limits on the acount such as the sending limit).

The limit seems to be at $1000 to start with which is more than enough for me at the moment. I have added an account but it isn't verified yet - they will deposit two small amounts into it and then I have let them know the exact amounts.
However all I want is to transfer money from my bank to the paypal account but it won't let me - it keeps asking for a damn credit card. :?
I have sent them an email to get an explanation.......

[dingo]

I got an email back and they say you can only add a bank account to transfer funds into from your paypal account - but I can't do it the other way around :(
I actually bought a model last night on eBay but now it will be a problem as I can't pay via paypal......shit!!! :(

[RC45]

Does Oz not have any trade partners out rhere? ;)

I have never had customs hold/open/charge or otherwise increase the cost of anything ordered from companies and individuals in Germany, UK, France, SPain, Japan and - yes, even Australia :)

These items have ranged from console steering wheels, books, videos DVDs, slot cars, die cast models - amounts have ranged from $25 incl shipping to $300.

Yet another reason to live on this side of the pond.. ;)

On a serious note, import/customs and excise do nothing for the individual/hobbyist/small consumer, except take money from their pockets.

I could never figure out why, when importing plastic models to South Africa I had to pay 55% taxes - supposedly to "protect" a local industry, that didn't even exist.

[dingo]

Well I should find out soon enough if I get charged any import taxes or not since I just bought 2 die cast models through eBay - and they are coming from Austria and the UK :) I did ask the sellers to put the value below $AU 50 so lets hope they do it :D
I paid with paypal after eventually convincing my brother to let me use his credit card to setup an account :wink: