Asking doll companies to mark the value of your package down..?

B&G ships from China and I live in the US. They mark the package as 'gift'. When I ordered from B&G they did this without asking (it's their standard way).
I received my lovely Sunny very quickly and had no additional fees, nor was his box ripped open as customs often does. I was very satisfied.

 

Sure, I have plently of examples for you I live in the UK.)

From America (Although it only applies for nina and megi I am never ever using a US dealer again, even if they do speak english) :

Dollzone Nina and Megi + other dollzone accessories marked at around $600:
I was charged: £97.65 approx $200

Angell-Studio Kana marked around $450
I was charged: $68.98 approx $140

DoD Ivan marked around $660
I was charged: £88.57 approx $180

Volks Kanon marked at around $500
I was charged: £67.46 approx $135

DoD Luke Ver. 02 marked at $670
I was charged: £79.90.46 approx $160

Dollmore package: (from Korea, customs is on a role here.) marked $54
I was charged: £24.34 approx $50

So an in all so far I have lost around $765 to customs.
So you see, I'm not saying anyone who hasn't been charged doesn't know what they are talking about etc, but until you feel robbed like that and you have experienced paying as high amounts of fees like the above, then you haven't seen that 'other side of the coin' as many have put it. Yes, I love my resin kids to bits and some people have said things along the lines of ' If you loved them that much then you should be complacent with paying the fees and shouldn't complain as its all part and parcel' but its actually like someone kicking you a few times. And to me is nothing short of ludicrous.
That is my point of view based on someone who has paid such an amount to customs.

 

They charged you virtually the same as the items cost?? How can they justify that? You poor thing, that's so much money that you've lost.

 

That'll be because they charge a handling fee of £12 every time you get caught in customs so thats half of it right there and apparently don't bother working out the £ value of the $'s marked so end up charging almost double what they should.

 

While being an American, we don't get charged customs for dolls, I think asking for a markdown is just shy of illegal if not totally illegal. At least here I know it is. And it's lying. Period. Plus, if the company marks down the package at your request and it gets damaged, there is just too much stuff that can go wrong. Say the company won't compensate/replace your doll because you asked for the markdown, your claim will be as much as is marked. You could be down major amounts of money.

I also think customs isn't stupid. I'm sure they know that what's in the box isn't $40 (or however much). I'm sure there's someone there that can look at the box, do a search on the company, and see that what you've bought is worth more than that. I'm sure they know that companies are lying to help their customers, which is probably why customs is so high..

But I think Elina is right though, the coin does have two sides. For those that have to pay customs, it does suck. So, you get a break when they mark it down. Hey, I'm up for saving money too!

I've never been charged customs for anything, I don't know how it feels. It is easy for me to be on the law abiding side of this discussion. But regardless, my personal sense of morality wouldn't let me be any other way. I'd just rather have them mark the orginal price just to make everything legal and run smoothly. Plus, if you live in a country where customs are applied, you should factor that in to the cost of the doll. You know you're going to get charged..

 

Yep, I mentioned in my previous post about the handling fee and as you say it is pretty high. I got charged about £13-15 on a £20 item, most of which was the RM handling fee. I've never had a charge equal to the cost of the item, though. Thanks for explaining about their $/£ blindness, I guess that must explain what happened to poor SakuraLee. Out of curiosity, do you know if anyone has ever made a challenge about the amount they were charged? I know you can but I imagine it would take a lot of determination and paperwork to see it through.

 

I would imagine people have but I don't know of anyone personally. I know there's something in the small print about challenging fees or inquiring about them but its been a while since I had a customs letter so I can't remember off the top of my head what it actually says about it, but it really wouldn't surprise me if it was a real struggle to get anything done about it.
I guess they get away with it when it's relatively small sums because people don't bother chasing it up.

 

I have a customs fee letter on me right now actually so I could tell you. (AHAHAHAHAHAA. Not funny ) EDIT: i.e. Yes I have another one to pay.

They say:

'Parcelforce is unable to enter into disputes regarding custom charges.... queries and requests for refunds of import Excise and VAT or other charges should be made directly to HM Revenue & Customs following reciept of your parcel.'

 

Except that Luts did get caught going through Canadian customs--there was a thread about it awhile back. Somehow they caught on and from what I remember it caused a bit of a hassle.

 

I'm in the US and have never had to pay any custom fees to receive my packages, but I have noticed that some doll Companies mark a lower price on the package vs what I really paid.

 

Why does everyone keep bringing up "what if the package gets lost or damaged?" The price marked on customs DOES NOT have to match the insured value, and if there is loss or damage, it is the SHIPPER'S responsibility to claim the insured amount and refund or replace the item for you, not yours. Them marking the package full price will not help you in that case in any way.

 

Thanks you for that list, SakuraLee. Those are some...harsh fees
Will have to see what happens after the weekends up. My boys being held in customs UK over the weekend

 

since you are waiting for a luts doll , they mark the package down a lot without asking so I'm sure he will slide right through customs. ^^ They marked my Cherry Dreaming and extras at $40 when worth $500 or so without saying anything. ^^

 

I would never ask a company to mark down an item, however I think that the swedish import fees are evil.

First they put the shipping fee and cost of the item together and for a doll they calculate 4,7% of that price. (the fee is between 0% and 20%)
Then they add the taxes, 25% on most items but food.

So if I'd like to buy a doll costing slightly more than 300 dollars I'd have to pay an additional 100+ dollars to the customs.

When it comes to gifts I needn't pay fees if the gift is worth less than 80 dollars

 

I never would ask for it to be marked down....
I've heard too many customs horror stories and my Father worked for customs once.

 

personally, I always ask for things to be marked as 'gift' but with the proper value- this means that it is ensured for the proper amount, and, though it gets taxed, it does so at a lesser rate
I get very annoyed by people marking stuff down without me asking- I've been ripped off that way one one occasion (it was a deliberate act, too- I was shipped a cheaper item than I actually payed for , it took a month to sort out, and I still only got half my actual purchase price, without postage back, though I wanted the rediculously high postage they charged refunded too) >_<

The only time i'd be angry at the company over import tax is in the cases where they say 'australian company. From australia. Item is, right now, in australia' then i get a bill for the fee for importing somthing from china or germany or korea or wherever- triple the anger when I email them to ask why, and get someone who is obviosly using babelfish to translate from korean...

 

Just recieved a Volks MDD after being held captive at HMRC for two days.

Breakdown of costs.

£206 for MDD including delivery

Now when they calculate the JPY value they do it based on the current exchange rate. NOT on what you paid on the day. As it turns out the exchange rate when they held my parcel was around £216. A tenner more or less.

Now to what they charged me broken down.

£39 VAT
£10 import duty

Parcelfarce charged £13.50 as a 'clearance' fee then had the gall to force me to collect it from their local depot! They *NEVER* seem to deliver to your door once Customs have had the parcel. Reason? So they can hold your parcel to ransom in lien of payment (Which is illegal according to the 2000 postal act sections 83, 84, 104, and 105. But people don't know this and thus are not challenging it).

Here is a thread with at least one person who *IS* trying to challenge it and good for him!

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/COMMUNITY/forums/t/parcelforce-clearance-ransom-charge-10938.aspx

Well worth the read.

 

DoD marked my Luke down to 290$ which is way lower than the 700 something he costs. I didn't ask for it though. But I ended up lucky cause he slipped through customs unnoticed somehow eventhough Dutch customs is very strict on import (33% import tax on everything over 75$). I doubt I'll be that lucky next time though xD

 

They're talking about the insurance that the sender is buying on the package, not the customs' duty value. If the company buys insufficient insurance for your package without asking you, and it gets lost/damaged, then it IS an issue. You have to recoup those costs from the company, which I hear is like pulling teeth.

The customs duty value is another, but equally painful, can of worms. Then, if you mark it insufficiently & get caught... loss or damage may not be an issue, but fees, and Customs holding your doll hostage, sure will be.

 

I've just had a delivery from a dollfie supplier in a HUGE and HEAVY box (Metal seat for my Mirai plus some clothing items). Value'd at $30 lol. Not complaining though.