U.S. customs

[Colm]

Greetings all. Here's another, "is this normal" post.
I bought a kilt from a maker in Scotland.
Fedex had to pay US customs $121 in fees to get it into the US.
Has anyone else experienced this outrageous fee?
Fedex customer service offered me no recourse, as "fee is to high" is not an acceptable grievance. I was told that importing textiles (yes I filled out the customs form a personal purchase, not for business) is considerably higher taxes.

I find this grossly overpriced. Walmart can have children making their textiles and import them into the country for pennies but if I support paying a living wage to someone in Scotland, I get charged $121.
yikes

[madmacs]

It's part of the racket that Fedex and UPS have worked out with Customs...

I'd be VERY suprised if there isnt an appeals process... What happens if they made a mistake?

Of course you will still be hit with their "brokerage fees"

[Tobus]

It's part of the racket that Fedex and UPS have worked out with Customs...

In all fairness, Customs itself was a racket long before UPS and FedEx existed. Heck, even before the continent of America was discovered, customs officers (or excisemen) were stealing from people just because they could.

And we wonder why so many of our Scottish forefathers were accomplished smugglers...

[madmacs]

In all fairness, Customs itself was a racket long before UPS and FedEx existed. Heck, even before the continent of America was discovered, customs officers (or excisemen) were stealing from people just because they could.

And we wonder why so many of our Scottish forefathers were accomplished smugglers...

Duties are one thing... Outrageous brokerage fees are something else...

[Tobus]

Duties are one thing... Outrageous brokerage fees are something else...

The "one thing" and the "something else" both equal "theft" in my book. It matters not at all whether the person holding my rightful property hostage is wearing a government uniform or a private company uniform. In either case, they claim the authority to keep something which doesn't belong to them until a ransom is paid to get it back. In any other facet of life, this would be outrageously criminal.

[madmacs]

The "one thing" and the "something else" both equal "theft" in my book. It matters not at all whether the person holding my rightful property hostage is wearing a government uniform or a private company uniform. In either case, they claim the authority to keep something which doesn't belong to them until a ransom is paid to get it back. In any other facet of life, this would be outrageously criminal.

I do recall a.case where someone on one of the watch forums I used to frequent refused to pay the brokerage fees. He quite rightly pointed out that the contract that fedex had existed with the sender not the receiver. Not quite sure how that resolved itself, but I think he had the goods without paying the fees.

The government is very up front about you owing duty on what you import, so I would say it's a part of doing business across borders as I believe Steve mentioned above. Fedex not so much...

I always advocate USPS and royal mail. A lot of the time USPS is cheaper than UPS or fedex anyway... but it's also a case of use it or lose it for me... and being a rural customer, I'd rather they were still around...

[saxandpipes]

The "one thing" and the "something else" both equal "theft" in my book. It matters not at all whether the person holding my rightful property hostage is wearing a government uniform or a private company uniform. In either case, they claim the authority to keep something which doesn't belong to them until a ransom is paid to get it back. In any other facet of life, this would be outrageously criminal.

I agree with you Tobus (Although taxes have to be paid on anything- and thus when importing something which has (theoretically) not had tax paid in the country of origin, one will have to pay that tax when the thing arrives to the destination country).

I had a situation where I was forced to pay 50 euro for a christmas package from my mother (basically the value of the contents all over again!) just to recieve it. What quite frankly @#$%ed me off was the fact that taxes had been paid on everything already when my mum purchased them in New Zealand. So of course they held my parcel until I paid the tax and the "commission" to the @#$%holes to release it.

I didn't dare to tell my mother- she would have felt guilty.

Plain and simple: it's a crime.

Michael

[creagdhubh]

In all fairness, Customs itself was a racket long before UPS and FedEx existed. Heck, even before the continent of America was discovered, customs officers (or excisemen) were stealing from people just because they could.

And we wonder why so many of our Scottish forefathers were accomplished smugglers...

Agreed. I always have my supplier(s) send my Highland attire items via Royal Mail (Small Packets)/regular postal service, or perhaps another way that isn't FedEx, UPS, or DHL. The Highland dress companies in which I have chosen to do business with over the years know me, and we have developed a rather unique relationship, so I am quite sure this is why they agreed to help me avoid ridiculous U.S. customs fees.

I sympathise with you mate,

[Downunder Kilt]

There have been a number of threads re this very topic. If you search under custom duties, Fedex or import taxes, I am sure you will get more than enough to read

eg http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...a-fedex-70296/

[rondo]

The only way these things ever get changed is to repeatedly blast your elected politicos [phone, e-mail, letter] until they get to the point that they change them just to shut you up. It isn't easy but it does work [sometimes]. I like the sweatshop angle, perhaps that has some merit. You know, something like 'Representative Dumaflitch denies a working wage to Scots to support slave labor in Outer Mongolia' type of thing.

Of course picking your battles is a good idea too. I chose US kilt makers for this reason [customs issues]. Good luck.

Rondo

P.S. Meaning no offense to anyone from Outer Mongolia...its just an example.