Custom

Lifestyle Bazaar Talk
1

My package was coming from Karachi Skynet world express via Dubai, FedEx Federal Express and their Customs Agent here is asking for custom before I get my cloths. First time there was no such demand.

This is the first time I am being asked to pay custom, does this mean if we get a package from Dubai there will be custom and if we get directly from Pakistan through Pakistan post then no custom will be applied?

I want to avoid custom in future.

Did anyone else paid custom ?

2

Re: Custom

Are you shipping it to Dubai, or to Sharjah? I've never had any customs issues on Dubai shipments, but sent a heavy box to Sharjah once. If over 50kg to Sharjah, there is some kind of customs fee.

3

Re: Custom

getting it directly does not mean that you will avoid customs......sometimes packages are picked randomly to be checked no matter where they are coming from.....

4

Re: Custom

muscat, no it was coming to europe from pak via dubai.
I think muzna is right, it was just luck that I got picked this time, otherwise never had such an issue.

5

Re: Custom

I agree guys, I've had numerous parcels from Pak and never had to pay a custom charge BUT when i ordered directly off the Gul ahmed site I got stung with a nice fee courtesy of Her Majesties Customs!

6

Re: Custom

My parcels to India always attract customs whenever I get them through Skynet/DHL. And yes, parcels from Gul Ahmed always attract customs :(

Parcels to India were earlier routed through Dubai to Mumbai/Delhi and then transferred to other cities here in India. But this time, it came directly from Karachi to Mumbai, I think this is because of the thawing trade relations between both the countries. Last week I got a call from Skynet Mumbai asking me to deposit the customs fee of INR 2400 into their bank account. My stuff was worth approx INR 15000.

I told Skynet Mumbai guys that I never did this kind of stuff before where I deposited the customs fee before receiving my goods. They sent across my stuff and asked the local Skynet office to collect the customs fees here after delivering my stuff. There was once an instance, where I received a receipt from the customs guys (delivered through Skynet) after 4 days of my goods delivery.

I tried Pak Post for the first time a few days ago, and I found it cheaper and the delivery time was just about 4 days and no customs fees. I think I am going to stick to Pak Post now for future shopping.

7

Re: Custom

Thanks honeybeez, the same happened to me, if I use Pak post, then the parcel goes to the central post office in my city, as they get thousands of packages each day, they dont care about custom for such small things, where as Skynet have their own local custom agent here, which receive the package and I kind of think they earn from the customs, like some kind of commission. first I got a call from them, later they sent me an email asking for the recipe as they don#t believe the amount written on the skynet Air Waybil, otherwise after 5 day they will send the package back to the sender. So I am waiting for my package.

8

Re: Custom

It depends on what is being declared on the customs label. The reason why you guys are getting hit with customs when ordering directly from Gul Ahmed is because they're a company and have to declare EVERYTHING to a T for their own accounting/record-keeping and technically its considered mail fraud to under value/not declare. If you order from a home based seller who sends you a $300 suit but puts on the label that it's $10 no one looks. If that home based seller puts $300 on the declaration, it will be taxed and dutied as per your countries rules.

Of course sometimes they do randomly check packages but if the seller put $10 on the customs declaration and there's no price tag, customs has to assume its $10. Also, in Canada, DHL, UPS, Fedex are notorious for obscenely high brokerage rates when importing in (not sure about other countries) but my stuff is always under declared. Pak Post (not sure if they ship outside of Pakistan) would be the equivalent of Canada Post which is a hit and miss... more often than not, they don't check unless its valued really high.

9

Re: Custom

GA guys have always put USD 10 on each suit whenever they sent me. And everybody knows that you dont get anything in that price. Packages to India from Pak are always opened up, each item chked and then repacked. They literally tear up the plastic bags inside and chk :(

10

Re: Custom

There are things that you can do to lessen the chance for your parcel to get stuck in custom. If it is sent as a 'gift' there is a possibility that you can avoid customs. Plus have the provider use their personal name instead of any business name. Except for a client in Germany, none that I know of, paid custom on parcels sent by ED.

11

Re: Custom

I sell on ebay, and a customer in Germany had to pay a high customs fee on 2 suits. After receiving the initial phone call from customs, she ignored further calls and post cards. Eventually, the package was returned to me, and I had to pay the customs fee, as well as the return shipping. I no longer ship to Germany!

I have shipped several packaged to th UK, and anything over USD$20 is subject to a customs fee. The randomly open packages. Only one (of about 50) has had to pay customs fees.

12

Re: Custom

You are right Germany has strict custom rules. Though my client did understand that though.

Not sure whats the issue with UK though. No one got back to me with any comments that they were charged custom fee (parcels are only one dress generally anyway) however, the parcel do seem to get stuck somewhere with no updates whatsoever.

13

Re: Custom

What do u sell on Ebay, PM me your ebay link pls.

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Re: Custom

I had to pay as well many times .., once when i got a package from ptoto but got the money back from them after contacting our tax office and DHL and clearing that the value of clothes were under 50 ยง and was sent as a gift ..had to scan the copy of receipt and mail em .other times i paid customs fees. because the the worth of items i ordere were over 50 .

15

Re: Custom

I have to pay 25 Euros custom ... bah I am not ordering stuff anymore.

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Re: Custom

Hum logo ka kuch nahi hosakta :D I make this resolution every time...there are still so many suits that I've ordered but haven't got them stitched...I prefer to get them stitched here in India as there are abundant tailors. Also, one more thing that I noticed is - the customs duty charged on unstitched fabrics is a lot less than stitched ones. Unstitched suits are counted as raw material but stitched suits are considered as finished goods and so the customs duty is higher...

I always think - no more new stuff till I get everything stitched and wear them a couple of times, but that never happens :) I begin drooling the minute I see new stuff here in the markets as well the online stuff of Pak! And waisey bhi, resolutions are made to be broken :)

17

Re: Custom

LOL I know ... but this time I am put off for a while :-D

But u are in India, why do you buy cloths from Pakistan ?

18

Re: Custom

I buy from all over the world Saadia :) I love to have a varied wardrobe, different from the rest! And I work, so jitney bhi kapray ho woh kamm hi parte hain :)

I've worn western outfits most of my life...but now I like dressing up in suits and sarees after I crossed my 30s. I think they look more elegant and suit my age and my body type.