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Subject Author Date
What is the import tax on ebay purchase? msustik 12-08-2006
Posted by msustik on December 8, 2006, 2:45 am
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 I am interested in an ebay auction item (an art glass vase).
The seller is in England. If I win this item, who will pay
the US import duty?

This is not specified or discussed in the listing at all. I
am afraid that I will be hit with the import duty on top of
the winning price and the specified shipping charge.

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Posted by Dick Adams on December 8, 2006, 3:23 pm
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 msustik@gmail.com wrote:

> I am interested in an ebay auction item (an art glass vase).
> The seller is in England. If I win this item, who will pay
> the US import duty? ....

Almost certainly based on what you paid for it. What is
humorous to me is that if you brought it back on a trip from
England, the individual customs agent makes a decision of
whether or not the taxes to be collected are worth the time
to fill out I paperwork. That is true in the US and in
England.

I have never gone to England with less than 4 times my
tobacco allowance and I never returned from England or
Argentina with less the 3 times my alcohol allowance. On
my last return from Argentina, I was $400 plus over total
allowance and the customs officer sent me right through.
On all ocassions, I was prepared to pay the duty in cash.

My hypothesis is that if you meticulously declare everything
and end every sentence with "Sir" or "Mam", you will be
treated with the maximum deference a customs agent can
ethically give you. <That's cause they are not auditors!>

Unfortuantely that does not apply to shipments.

Dick - I taught Auditing meaning I educated bastards. :)

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Stuart A. Bronstein on December 10, 2006, 8:45 pm
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> I have never gone to England with less than 4 times my
> tobacco allowance and I never returned from England or
> Argentina with less the 3 times my alcohol allowance. On
> my last return from Argentina, I was $400 plus over total
> allowance and the customs officer sent me right through.
> On all ocassions, I was prepared to pay the duty in cash.
>
> My hypothesis is that if you meticulously declare everything
> and end every sentence with "Sir" or "Mam", you will be
> treated with the maximum deference a customs agent can
> ethically give you. <That's cause they are not auditors!>

People are more lenient with people they like. If you act
like someone they'd like, they'll often treat you the way
they'd treat a friend.

Stu

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Phil Marti on December 8, 2006, 3:42 pm
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> I am interested in an ebay auction item (an art glass vase).
> The seller is in England. If I win this item, who will pay
> the US import duty?

I assume you will, if there is one due. As executor of an
estate I recently shipped some artwork to Canada. The UPS
guy explained how everything works, but after I learned it
was the recipient's problem I stopped listening.

You might try the Customs website. Yours isn't a tax
question, so there may not be anyone here who really knows
how this works.

--
Phil Marti
Clarksburg, MD

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Harlan Lunsford on December 8, 2006, 3:42 pm
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msustik@gmail.com wrote:

> I am interested in an ebay auction item (an art glass vase).
> The seller is in England. If I win this item, who will pay
> the US import duty?

You will, to U S customs. (I've paid my share on impored
Wedgewood pottery bought by wife over there.)

> This is not specified or discussed in the listing at all. I
> am afraid that I will be hit with the import duty on top of
> the winning price and the specified shipping charge.

It's of no interest to the seller what added taxes buyer
must pay.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

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