Buying from Switzerland
Hello,
I wanted to buy a collectible item, rather expensive (>1000€), from Switzerland and have it shipped to Italy.
Before now, I’ve bought several times from non-EU countries (USA, UK, Australia) without any problems, paying the import taxes all together at the time of payment, in a single transaction.
Is it possible to do the same thing for a shipment from Switzerland?
Let me explain better: can I ask the Swiss seller to calculate the import taxes himself so I can pay everything in one go with electronic payment?
Because at the moment he is not offering me this option: I’d like to understand whether it’s because he can’t do it or because he doesn’t want to do it.
Because the alternative, if I understood correctly, is having to pay cash upon delivery, which I absolutely want to avoid (I want to have the package delivered to my workplace, and obviously the receptionist can’t fork over the money to the courier herself!).
Thanks.
heavenwelkin
·3 years agoGood evening
The procedures are standardized and you can't make major changes.
The seller must fill out a customs declaration and attach an ID document.
Then they must fill out a free export declaration
Then they must attach proof of purchase (a sales invoice), and usually the PayPal invoice or the eBay one is attached.
Based on that price, the relevant import taxes are paid.
Import taxes that amount to 22% VAT and another 4% or so in customs duties.
On 1000 euros, calculate about 260/280 euros that you have to pay the courier upon delivery, or if you use UPS or DHL or some other SERIOUS courier you can also pay online right after customs clearance.
Kind regards.
muniz_of_the_universe
OP3 years agoOk, so it's not that the seller doesn't want to, it's just because these are the rules.
But can I ask why?
I mean, why is it that if I buy from the USA everything is easier than if I buy from Switzerland, which is right next door to me?
They're both non-EU countries, right? And Switzerland is even inside Schengen!
heavenwelkin
·3 years agoUSA or UK sellers have the option of using an INTERMEDIARY service for international shipments.
This is a service offered by eBay called GSP (GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM)
Basically, the American or English seller ships the item to this intermediary service, which will take care of handling all the bureaucratic/customs formalities and will deliver the item to the recipient.
The Italian buyer, when paying for the item purchased on eBay, ALSO pays VAT and duties and receives the package with no additional expenses to bear.
Then another thing.....
eBay usually takes care of collecting VAT for items valued up to a maximum of 150 euros.
In your specific case, the item you need to buy exceeds 150 euros in value, so you will have to pay VAT and customs duties to the courier upon delivery.
Best regards.