Customs penalty from E-Cig.com

[Malrynn]

Just 20 minutes ago I got a phone call from the customs department at TNT shipping regarding my order from E-Cig.com, how they got my cell phone number I have no idea... I supplied them with my e-mail and I got this information from them:

I have to supply them with a receipt of the payment so they can bill me accordingly.
I also have to supply them with a detailed list of the contents of the package.

I also have to pay them before they make their delivery. Which by my estimation will take a couple of weeks... I requested E-Cig.com to lower the value to under $20 on the package as well as mark it as a gift, which I am sure they didn't bother with, and I will probably never order from them again. I have ordered around 20 times from Dealextreme and never had any problems with the customs.

My question is: Should I just offer them the receipt I got from E-Cig.com (which marks the value at around 64 US dollars, with shipping included) and how much should I be expected to pay (I live in the EU, Sweden to be specific)?

EDIT: I sent them the receipt I got from E-Cig.com and they replied by email that I didn't have to pay anything. It all worked out!

Too bad that it'll probably delay my order a couple of days...

 

[yo han]

I requested E-Cig.com to lower the value to under $20 on the package as well as mark it as a gift, which I am sure they didn't bother with, and I will probably never order from them again.

So what you're saying is that you're asking a company to lie about the actual value of a package (which could get them in trouble) and when they refuse to do that you blame them and won't order from them again? I find that a very strange attitude. When ordering from abroad you know the maximum amount which can be ordered tax and import duty free so ordering more than that amount is your own responsibility. Blaming the company for not cooperating in deceiving customs isn't very polite. But that's just my opinion

 

[Malrynn]

I requested E-Cig.com to lower the value to under $20 on the package as well as mark it as a gift, which I am sure they didn't bother with, and I will probably never order from them again.

So what you're saying is that you're asking a company to lie about the actual value of a package (which could get them in trouble) and when they refuse to do that you blame them and won't order from them again? I find that a very strange attitude. When ordering from abroad you know the maximum amount which can be ordered tax and import duty free so ordering more than that amount is your own responsibility. Blaming the company for not cooperating in deceiving customs isn't very polite. But that's just my opinion

All imports I've made except for E-cig.com have their value under $20. That also means I won't get all my money back if the shipping company looses the package, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.

Besides, they should've mailed me that they couldn't fulfil my request.

 

[yo han]

Yes, you're right about that. They should indeed have told you they couldn't fulfil your request.

But remember that when a company puts a value on a package which is lower than the actual value they're responsible if customs finds out about it and they could get a fine. Even if the customer requested it.
A lot of companies refuse to lower the value for that reason.

 

[Perfectionist]

If sellers were honest about the value of the packages they send out ..... ebay and many postal firms would go bust ! :mrgreen:

People are over-taxed enough as it is ..... companies that offer the customer an opportunity to save money will be the ones that are most successful !

 

[TropicalBob]

U.S. Customs stopped my shipment today in Boston. I was emailed a copy of what they have: a sheet saying the content is "sample of pipe", valued at $20. BS! Contents are $40 worth of e-liquid.

Look me in the eye and believe this -- I don't lie. Customs will get my receipt and I'll fill out the forms that say I'm not importing a toxic chemical. Let the chips fall where they may. I'm pretty livid over what should not be an issue.

Lying is little different from stealing when the purpose is avoiding legally due fees. That's not even the case here, so there was no need to declare it was a "pipe" valued at $20. This is not the way to establish a good relationship with a country's government. It won't take long for Customs to see a pattern from these Chinese companies. Then it hits the fan.

 

[Perfectionist]

LOL T.Bob ..... you sound as if you think Customs have only just stumbled upon the fact that Chinese Companies (and their customers!) have been avoiding Custom duties ...... it's been going on for years dude !! And long may it continue !!

 

[TropicalBob]

I find it hard to believe, although easy to believe it's common. It's still fraud.

 

[Perfectionist]

I find it hard to believe, although easy to believe it's common. It's still fraud.

It's only fraud if you genuinely believe the (present) Government Taxation Policies are sound and fair ..... otherwise it's only a legal technicality !

 

[TropicalBob]

I don't think you're being ill-temperated here, but nobody made me judge. Except with their vote, citizens don't have any right to decide for themselves which laws and regulations to obey or disobey. Fraud is theft. Theft is criminal. I hear little children try to reconcile bad behavior with all manner of excuses. But it's still bad behavior -- and deserving of fair punishment. Follow your conscience; I'll follow mine.

 

[Perfectionist]

Government is supposed to be of the people, by the people, for the people ..... by this standard there is no real Democracy anywhere in the World !

Laws and Taxes are meant to be for the benefit of Society ..... if I believe a certain Law does not follow this holy duty then I feel no guilt in breaking that Law and indeed will attempt to do so at every opportunity ..... tell me T.Bob, if they made cigarettes/e-cigs/nicotine illegal in America, would you (become a Criminal!) and try your best to obtain them ? I'm sure you would !

 

[TropicalBob]

Wow. Very bad ethic, I'm sorry to say.

 

[Perfectionist]

You didn't answer my question Bob ..... would you become a Criminal and try to get "illegal" Nicotine ..... admit it, you would !

PS - Ethics are not based on following Government Laws

 

[TropicalBob]

No, I would not. But I don't consider the scenario likely in my lifetime, given economic realities and 46 million craving addicts turned loose at once!

Laws are from people, to serve common needs. If people don't support one, work to change it. Don't defy it.

Breaking laws does not fit any definition of ethical conduct I've ever encountered.

 

[Perfectionist]

No, I would not.

Pants on fire ! (Actually you could "pretend" Nicotine is illegal and kick the addiction once and for all !)

But I don't consider the scenario likely in my lifetime, given economic realities and 46 million craving addicts turned loose at once!

Smokers = Tax Revenue !

Laws are from people, to serve common needs.

Did you vote to have Customs Duties implemented ? Have you ever been given the choice to decide if they serve any common need ? Do you truly believe they are necessary and that there are no other alternatives ?

If people don't support one, work to change it. Don't defy it.

Quite often, the best/only way to change laws is by defying them !

Anyway I'm looking forward to seeing you change the Customs laws of America in the very near future ..... go for it T.Bob !

Breaking laws does not fit any definition of ethical conduct I've ever encountered.

If it wasn't for people breaking laws ..... your Country would still be a Colony of mine !

 

[TropicalBob]

This is fun.

And we'd still have second class citizen status for blacks and women. So, yes, some laws deserve our civil disobedience.

I find it intersting that a second order from E-Cig -- sent by regular mail -- arrived today. Basically the same stuff. No Customs interference, etc. The order that is being held up was sent "express" for extra money. So much for the notion that we're stopping dangerous stuff from entering the country. Just use the good ole' U.S. Post Office.

You see, I am cynical about some things. I'm not really a goody-two-shoes, but the exporter (not E-Cig, I note) didn't need to lie for me by branding the shipment a "plastic pipe."

You might catch me on the 6 o'clock news, picketing outside Customs.

 

[TropicalBob]

Picked up my order from the Post Office yesterday and it was stamped "Sample" and supposedly had a value of $10.

Keep this up, exporter, and we can kiss away ordering items from China and getting them imported without Customs' involvement. Whatever we think of Customs, the word "stupid" does NOT come to mind. It's asking for trouble to fraudulently mislabel shipments.

 

[Perfectionist]

The old "sample" trick has been in use for a decade now T.Bob ..... and will be used for many decades to come too !

Technically, there is no obligation for the buyer/seller to "prove" to the Government that the package is NOT a sample worth only a negligible value ..... therefore this loophole is eminently effective ..... and would probably cost far more time and expense to change (and more importantly to enforce!) than it would actually save in lost revenue !

You are the first (and probably only!) person to complain about a company that is trying to save you money and hassle !

 

[TropicalBob]

Complain I did. If no one in or out of government cares, so be it.

 

[markab]

Hi TB,
Your quite right. I've recieved two orders from e-cig.com for e-liquid. Both came mislabeled "plastic pipe" with a value of $2. No one is a big fan of having to pay more than they have to purchase merchandise, but this practice is both unethical and deviant. Unfortunatly if e-cig continues its deception it will come around to hurt them.

Mark

Complain I did. If no one in or out of government cares, so be it.