Importing liquid sucks...

[darkpoet]

...but it's still cheaper than paying Korean premium prices.

In the past, I've almost always ordered my juice with hardware... and it's almost always slipped through customs untaxed. This time, I ordered only the juice (I've seriously got too much hardware at this point)... and oh, man, am I getting nailed.

I ordered 7 bottles, each 30mL... and only 20mL is exempt from import tax. At the rate of 400won per 1mL, I have to cough up 76,000won for the tax and an additional 38,000won for education tax (calculated at 50% of the first tax). Urgh. I only paid about 60,000won for the juice to begin with...

Anyway, it works out to about 19,000won per 30mL. That's still much cheaper than Korean suppliers... but for the added cost, I'm thinking I might as well make my next orders only 3 bottles and throw some hardware in there... But my co-teacher said it's just in the summer that customs always gets strict and comes down hard on imports.

By the way, for interest sake here is the process:
1. EMS tracking reported that my package was stopped for inspection;
2. Three days later, I got an EMS letter with a notice from the International Post Office;
3. I had to fillout and fax one of the pages to the IPO (needed a Korean to help translate) (you could also send it back by e-mail or call them or mail back, but fax is quick and painless);
4. The IPO called me to get my e-mail address (next time, I'll include it on the fax, she didn't speak much English so communication sucked);
5. The IPO sent me an e-mail with a tax receipt, which I have to take down to Nonghyup Bank where I can pay the tax (no online banking available, that sucks);​

---I can't confirm the next steps since it's a long weekend and the Banks don't re-open until Tuesday

6. I assume they'll send the package to me but if I understand correctly, I might be required to pay a pick-up fee (a few bucks?) which I hope is payable upon delivery... if I'm home, no problem.​

All in all, my package has spent over a week in customs waiting...

 

[Ande]

Thank sucks. Really.

But you're right- sucks less than paying 35,000 to 40,000 for a 20ml bottle, which seems to be about the norm round here.

Was your package clearly labeled as what it was, or did it get opened for random customs inspection? What was the declared value when it was shipped?

I'm just back from the US, and am juiced up for a while. But there will come a time...

Hang in there,
Ande

 

[darkpoet]

Alright, I finally got my package. A bit of revision is needed to the above:

6. After 10 minutes of phoning around, the teller at Nonghyup Bank sent me to the local Post Office and I paid the customs tax through the Post Bank (Everrich Bank). Perhaps some NH Banks can handle it but NH is technically a fragmented company and perhaps only NH Incheon Banks can do it.
7. As a courtesy, the lady at the Post Bank faxed my receipt to the IPO and my package was released for delivery within an hour. The fax, as I said, seemed a courtesy... might have to do it on my own next time. The IPO might also accept a scanned copy of the tax receipt by e-mail or a phone call so they can verify their account. I was carrying a copy of the e-mail from the IPO and the IPO fax number is right there... Koreans can be so nice sometimes. I don't think this courtesy would happen outside Asia.
8. The next day, the Postman called me (thank God my Korean co-teacher was nearby) and I was required to pay an extra delivery fee and show my National ID card and since I wasn't home at the time, I had to go later to the post office to pick it up. The extra fee was almost 15,000 won. Ouch again... still not sure why such a high delivery fee (the e-mail said 3,500) but I suspect it's an IPO or customs fee.​

And no, the package was not clearly marked. e-cigarette-china.com has always marked "Electric fitting" on the declaration form and that's probably why I escaped customs fees before with orders of assorted e-cig hardware with 2-3 bottles of liquid. The official company name, "ShenZhen Express Delivery Company" gives no clue to the contents, either. I probably could have lied and claimed I had ordered "fine skateboard bearing oil" and gotten off with no tax... lol, but better on the safe side than have it confiscated and a visit from a government official.

Anyway, happy to be vaping on my mint-apple-marlboro mix again...

 

[Valsacar]

Did you by chance get a copy of the law showing that it is 400won/ml? I have gone through their import tax law, tobacco tax law, etc and there is nothing in there (that is available on their website). That would be really steep seeing as 1 pack doesn't have much more than 400won of tax on it.

 

[dclee78]

Damn. Those are some crazy prices. I'll be sure to take some with me when I go on my vacation next year. Theoretically, couldn't you bring as much as you wanted in your luggage?

 

[Ande]

If it's just a vacation here, you can bring plenty to get you through. If you're here long term...harder.

I was in the states this summer, and brought back quite a lot. Hoping to make it to Christmas!

BUT you never know when customs may have a snoop through your luggage and decide to come up with something to charge you for. There's nothing specifically about e-liquid in any of the personal allowance for travellers to import. Remember that when they determine the "value" of something for import duty purposes, they use local prices. So 100 ml of Eliquid is...probably 175,000won, maybe? And if you bring several bottles...it wouldn't be hard to get over their limits on value for imported personal goods, even without a specific eliquid policy.

If they limit you to 200 cigarettes or two bottles of booze, it's only a matter of time before they put a tax on carrying eliquid in with you in any significant quantities.

Best,
Ande

 

[dclee78]

If I remember correctly, the conversion is about 800-1000 won for $1 USD right?? Around here it's around $12 for 18ml or $35 for 60ml. That's a huge price difference. That sucks. I'm gonna have to hook up my fellow vapers if/when I hit up the motherland.

 

[Ande]

LAst time I looked, it was about 1100 won to the dollar. But if you're in the US, even the prices you're listing are pretty "premium." Check out freedomsmoke USA's website- good juice, 30ml for $15 or 60ml for $25.

Best,

Justin

 

[dclee78]

LAst time I looked, it was about 1100 won to the dollar. But if you're in the US, even the prices you're listing are pretty "premium." Check out freedomsmoke USA's website- good juice, 30ml for $15 or 60ml for $25.

Best,

Justin

The prices I listed are for organic juices from Vaperite. Since I got turned onto them, that's the only brand I'll smoke.

Pretty good exchange rate. Time to go party in Korea!!

 

[Ande]

Pretty good exchange rate for you. ;-) Try earning won for a while. :-(

But it's a pretty good time to be in Korea...

Ande