Post by addictedtoyouleesungmin on Mar 1, 2014 0:19:10 GMT
How To Fill Out a Customs Form
I've noticed a few questions on how to fill out customs forms, so I'm going to include a short how-to. I've used a sample customs form from the United States. Customs forms will vary in appearance between countries, but the basic information included on them are usually the same.
Different Mailing Options
There are A LOT of different mailing options out there. I'm just going to name a few, mostly ones that everyone has encountered at some point when looking at merchandise on the internet. Further down, there is an IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ON POSTAL INSURANCE that I ask you all to read.[/div]
Mailing through the Post Office
This is generally the cheapest way to mail things, and most post offices offer a variety of shipping options. Some options USPS offers are: First Class International, First Class International with Registered Mail feature, and International Express and International Priority Shipping. I generally send via First Class International, which is trackable. Registered Mail for the US is about $15 USD on top of other postage costs (stamps), so I never offer it. Especially since First Class is trackable anyways.
All post offices offer similar services. Most people call them "unregistered" and "registered" mail.
Unregistered isn't trackable, and is cheaper, while registered is trackable, albeit, more expensive.
Unregistered typically takes 2-4 weeks, while registered takes 2-3 weeks (times can vary between countries and at different times of the year; mail is generally slower during the Christmas holidays because of the sheer volume of mail being sent). Personally, I've found that my unregistered mail arrives faster than registered, oddly enough.
BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS HAVE WEIGHT LIMITS THAT VARY BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
EMS is a service that is ALWAYS offered through a local post office. It is a fast, trackable shipping method, but can be very costly for some countries (some prices I've seen for US Express Mail International are upwards of $50 USD just for photocards). Shipments sent via EMS typically take 3-7 business days to arrive, some times faster.
Items that are too heavy for Unregistered/Registered shipping are usually sent via EMS.
Some times post offices will charge you "broker fees" in addition to customs fees/VATs/GSTs. Please contact your local post office or customs for details on this. (USPS has never charged me customs fees or broker fees.)
Mailing through Courier Services
Courier Services (UPS, FedEx, DHL) are also shipping options that you can encounter on eBay, YesAsia, DVDHeaven, CDJapan, and other sites. These services are more expensive than post office mailing services (typically, but there are exceptions), but typically arrive within a week of an item being shipped. The average delivery time seems to be 2-5 business days, so slightly faster than EMS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT THESE COURIER SERVICES ARE THE BROKER FEES THEY SOME TIMES CHARGE. This is discussed further in the Customs Fees Guide, but keep in mind that if you use these services, you will generally accrue some sort of customs brokerage fees, on top of the price you paid to have the item shipped to you (and also on top of any customs fees you may owe). THESE FEES ARE ALWAYS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUYER, although the seller may arrange to pay them for you. But generally, they will not, so you will have to pay them. If you don't pay them, you don't get your item.
Mail Insurance and the Declared Value Box
This section is really important for those of you who purchase insurance on any of the packages you mail.
When mailing things, some times you may choose to insure the package. This is generally a good idea if you sold something very expensive or valuable, like a genuinely autographed piece of merchandise. When insured, your money is protected in case the item arrives and the buyer sees that it was damaged during transit, or if it's lost completely, and the buyer wants a refund. Insurance typically costs a lot, so only use it for super valuable items.
NOW. When a package is lost and you refund the buyer, you can file an insurance claim to get the money back (that way you have your money and the buyer has theirs, too). Here is where the declared value box on the customs form comes in to play: you can only insure up to the amount you write in the declared value box. This is why writing the true value (meaning, what the buyer paid for the item) in the box is important. If the buyer paid $150 USD, and you write $10 USD in the box, THEN YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO GET $10 USD BACK FROM YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM. NO MORE. So, if you're buying insurance, PLEASE write the true value of the item in the box in case something happens to it. Otherwise, you risk ending up with nothing money-wise, and a lost/damaged item.
Shipping costs ARE NOT TO BE INCLUDED in the declared value box. So don't add them into the cost there.
Generally, lying on a customs form is illegal, and is considered customs fraud/tax evasion. You, the buyer, will be subject to penalties and fines if a seller lied on a customs form. HOWEVER, I cannot find a documented case of this happening, and there is a lot of Internet debate on what the term "value" means on the customs form. Is it the price you paid? Is it how much the seller/sender thinks the item is worth? Is it how much you think the item is worth? These are all different definitions of the term "value" that I have found on the Internet through my researching.
Most likely, if customs thinks your package is worth more than the declared value, they will generally contact you and ask you for an invoice for that purchase, and then charge fees based off of that invoice. I think they (customs) tend to understand that we, as buyers, cannot control what sellers in different countries put on customs forms (however, if you come back from visiting a country and lie when you declare goods you bought, or conspire with a seller--in other words, tell them to lie on the form--those are entirely different stories). But again, there's no instances of this ever happening (from what I can find). More than likely, customs will only come after you if you try to import a prohibited or dangerous good (for god's sake, don't try to import drugs or narcotics...not that I think any of you guys will, but you wouldn't believe how many people try that...), which CDs and photocards are not prohibited or dangerous goods. XD
I've noticed a few questions on how to fill out customs forms, so I'm going to include a short how-to. I've used a sample customs form from the United States. Customs forms will vary in appearance between countries, but the basic information included on them are usually the same.
Basic Information found on a customs (CN 22) form (NOTE--this is an older USPS form; I can't seem to find a good enough image for the newer form they use):
1. Tracking barcode - allows the package to be tracked online if the various offices the package travels through on its way to the buyer scans the barcode. (NOT ALL CUSTOMS FORMS HAVE THIS BARCODE.)
2. Merchandise Description Box - where you write down all the information regarding the item(s) in your package, and where you sign that all the information you provided is correct. This is what customs officials use to determine if there are any applicable taxes/fees to be applied to the shipment.
3. Sender's Address Box - where the sender writes their information; this part is usually kept by the post office.
4. Receiver's Address Box - where the sender writes the information of whoever is receiving the package (addressee); this part is usually kept by the post office.
Customs forms are pretty self-explanatory, but a lot of people get confused on what to write in the description box. Here's an example of the kind of stuff I put in my customs forms when I ship them:
Generally, it is against the law to lie on a customs form, but there has never been an instance of anyone in the United States getting in trouble for inaccurate information on a customs form. If a customs official doubts the amount you paid for an item, they will usually contact you and ask you to send them an invoice for the package. They'll base taxes off of that invoice. (NOTE: I've never had this happen to me, and I've been buying from overseas for 2 years. *knock on wood*) This will be discussed more in the customs fees section.
1. Tracking barcode - allows the package to be tracked online if the various offices the package travels through on its way to the buyer scans the barcode. (NOT ALL CUSTOMS FORMS HAVE THIS BARCODE.)
2. Merchandise Description Box - where you write down all the information regarding the item(s) in your package, and where you sign that all the information you provided is correct. This is what customs officials use to determine if there are any applicable taxes/fees to be applied to the shipment.
3. Sender's Address Box - where the sender writes their information; this part is usually kept by the post office.
4. Receiver's Address Box - where the sender writes the information of whoever is receiving the package (addressee); this part is usually kept by the post office.
Customs forms are pretty self-explanatory, but a lot of people get confused on what to write in the description box. Here's an example of the kind of stuff I put in my customs forms when I ship them:
- I mark my items as "other" and write "merchandise" in the blank. The new customs forms do include a checkbox for Merchandise, but this is the older form. If I'm sending a gift to someone, I obviously mark the item as "gift". It's generally recommended that you mark items you sold as merchandise rather than gift, even though the customs thresholds in some countries are higher for items marked gift. Obviously, I can't control what you put on the form.
- For the merchandise description, I generally put "trading card" or "photocard" for photocards. If it's an album, "CD" would work. If the album has been opened, you may write "USED CD" in the box, which may affect the taxes charged on the item (sometimes, not always; some countries do not charge taxes on used items--this will be discussed in the customs fees section). The package quantity is pretty self-explanatory, and the weight is usually written in by the postal worker. For the declared value, I typically put what the buyer paid for the item (ex., buyer paid $15 USD, I write $15 USD), though a lot of people put a LOWER VALUE here (ex., buyer paid $15 USD and you write $5 USD in the box). There's a lot of debate on what should go in this box, which will be discussed in further in the customs fees section; this box is also REALLY IMPORTANT if you purchased insurance, which will be discussed below in the different mailing options section. If the item is a gift, I usually put a lower value on there, since a value IS REQUIRED, but the addressee didn't pay anything for it; I do the same for trades. I never fill out the "HS Tariff #" and the post office usually doesn't require me to. **NOTE: YOU DO NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING COSTS IN THE DECLARED VALUE SECTION. EVER. IT IS STRICTLY MEANT FOR THE VALUE OF THE ITEM, NOT THE COST TO SHIP IT.**
- Sender's and Buyer's Information Boxes are pretty self-explanatory--I put my information in the sender box, and the buyer/recipient's information in the other.
Generally, it is against the law to lie on a customs form, but there has never been an instance of anyone in the United States getting in trouble for inaccurate information on a customs form. If a customs official doubts the amount you paid for an item, they will usually contact you and ask you to send them an invoice for the package. They'll base taxes off of that invoice. (NOTE: I've never had this happen to me, and I've been buying from overseas for 2 years. *knock on wood*) This will be discussed more in the customs fees section.
Different Mailing Options
There are A LOT of different mailing options out there. I'm just going to name a few, mostly ones that everyone has encountered at some point when looking at merchandise on the internet. Further down, there is an IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ON POSTAL INSURANCE that I ask you all to read.[/div]
Mailing through the Post Office
This is generally the cheapest way to mail things, and most post offices offer a variety of shipping options. Some options USPS offers are: First Class International, First Class International with Registered Mail feature, and International Express and International Priority Shipping. I generally send via First Class International, which is trackable. Registered Mail for the US is about $15 USD on top of other postage costs (stamps), so I never offer it. Especially since First Class is trackable anyways.
All post offices offer similar services. Most people call them "unregistered" and "registered" mail.
Unregistered isn't trackable, and is cheaper, while registered is trackable, albeit, more expensive.
Unregistered typically takes 2-4 weeks, while registered takes 2-3 weeks (times can vary between countries and at different times of the year; mail is generally slower during the Christmas holidays because of the sheer volume of mail being sent). Personally, I've found that my unregistered mail arrives faster than registered, oddly enough.
BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS HAVE WEIGHT LIMITS THAT VARY BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
EMS is a service that is ALWAYS offered through a local post office. It is a fast, trackable shipping method, but can be very costly for some countries (some prices I've seen for US Express Mail International are upwards of $50 USD just for photocards). Shipments sent via EMS typically take 3-7 business days to arrive, some times faster.
Items that are too heavy for Unregistered/Registered shipping are usually sent via EMS.
Some times post offices will charge you "broker fees" in addition to customs fees/VATs/GSTs. Please contact your local post office or customs for details on this. (USPS has never charged me customs fees or broker fees.)
Mailing through Courier Services
Courier Services (UPS, FedEx, DHL) are also shipping options that you can encounter on eBay, YesAsia, DVDHeaven, CDJapan, and other sites. These services are more expensive than post office mailing services (typically, but there are exceptions), but typically arrive within a week of an item being shipped. The average delivery time seems to be 2-5 business days, so slightly faster than EMS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT THESE COURIER SERVICES ARE THE BROKER FEES THEY SOME TIMES CHARGE. This is discussed further in the Customs Fees Guide, but keep in mind that if you use these services, you will generally accrue some sort of customs brokerage fees, on top of the price you paid to have the item shipped to you (and also on top of any customs fees you may owe). THESE FEES ARE ALWAYS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUYER, although the seller may arrange to pay them for you. But generally, they will not, so you will have to pay them. If you don't pay them, you don't get your item.
Mail Insurance and the Declared Value Box
This section is really important for those of you who purchase insurance on any of the packages you mail.
When mailing things, some times you may choose to insure the package. This is generally a good idea if you sold something very expensive or valuable, like a genuinely autographed piece of merchandise. When insured, your money is protected in case the item arrives and the buyer sees that it was damaged during transit, or if it's lost completely, and the buyer wants a refund. Insurance typically costs a lot, so only use it for super valuable items.
NOW. When a package is lost and you refund the buyer, you can file an insurance claim to get the money back (that way you have your money and the buyer has theirs, too). Here is where the declared value box on the customs form comes in to play: you can only insure up to the amount you write in the declared value box. This is why writing the true value (meaning, what the buyer paid for the item) in the box is important. If the buyer paid $150 USD, and you write $10 USD in the box, THEN YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO GET $10 USD BACK FROM YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM. NO MORE. So, if you're buying insurance, PLEASE write the true value of the item in the box in case something happens to it. Otherwise, you risk ending up with nothing money-wise, and a lost/damaged item.
Shipping costs ARE NOT TO BE INCLUDED in the declared value box. So don't add them into the cost there.
Generally, lying on a customs form is illegal, and is considered customs fraud/tax evasion. You, the buyer, will be subject to penalties and fines if a seller lied on a customs form. HOWEVER, I cannot find a documented case of this happening, and there is a lot of Internet debate on what the term "value" means on the customs form. Is it the price you paid? Is it how much the seller/sender thinks the item is worth? Is it how much you think the item is worth? These are all different definitions of the term "value" that I have found on the Internet through my researching.
Most likely, if customs thinks your package is worth more than the declared value, they will generally contact you and ask you for an invoice for that purchase, and then charge fees based off of that invoice. I think they (customs) tend to understand that we, as buyers, cannot control what sellers in different countries put on customs forms (however, if you come back from visiting a country and lie when you declare goods you bought, or conspire with a seller--in other words, tell them to lie on the form--those are entirely different stories). But again, there's no instances of this ever happening (from what I can find). More than likely, customs will only come after you if you try to import a prohibited or dangerous good (for god's sake, don't try to import drugs or narcotics...not that I think any of you guys will, but you wouldn't believe how many people try that...), which CDs and photocards are not prohibited or dangerous goods. XD