Have you had to pay hefty customs fees when buying from Japan?

[wsit]

The $800 exemption rule does not apply to me.

[Dan Fromm]

I recently bought a piece of gear from an Ebay seller in Japan for ~$850.
A week or so later, I got a surprise invoice from FedEx for ~$45.
First time I'd ever been charged duty for something from Japan...but maybe all my previous purchases were under $800....

The most likely is that your previous purchases, like mine, came by mail. Couriers such as FedEx, UPS, DHL ... charge customs brokerage fees. I see this as dishonest and insist that my goods be sent by the postal service.

[Corran]

The most likely is that your previous purchases, like mine, came by mail. Couriers such as FedEx, UPS, DHL ... charge customs brokerage fees. I see this as dishonest and insist that my goods be sent by the postal service.

I got one of those brokerage fees from UPS once for like $9. I told them no. Never heard from them again. I think they know they have no leg to stand on, or at the very least it's not enough to even bother.

[TorontoBuilder]

Canadians purchasing thru ebay from japan or even the US pay exorbitant shipping fees, unavoidable huge brokerage fees, sales taxes and on photographic gear duties as well. The costs are so high that it is not worth purchasing items that cost less than $200USD.

Sadly, things like roll film backs for 4x5 cameras are not available in country so every so often I'm at the mercy of ebay and their shipping partners. I can live with sales tax and duty, but a $20 brokerage fee gouging.

The only way I buy more thru ebay is if I find the holy grail for $1

[darr]

Canadians purchasing thru ebay from japan or even the US pay exorbitant shipping fees, unavoidable huge brokerage fees, sales taxes and on photographic gear duties as well. The costs are so high that it is not worth purchasing items that cost less than $200USD.

Sadly, things like roll film backs for 4x5 cameras are not available in country so every so often I'm at the mercy of ebay and their shipping partners. I can live with sales tax and duty, but a $20 brokerage fee gouging.

The only way I buy more thru ebay is if I find the holy grail for $1

That's unfortunate.
Some of those charges may be used as a tax that funds services benefiting citizens, like healthcare, which individuals such as myself (an American) have to pay for directly.
We pay either now or later.

[TorontoBuilder]

That's unfortunate.
Some of those charges may be used as a tax that funds services benefiting citizens, like healthcare, which individuals such as myself (an American) have to pay for directly.
We pay either now or later.

to be clear my gripe is not with the taxes, but rather the ebays obscene shipping fees for the slowest shipping on earth and UPS's brokerage fees

[Andrew O'Neill]

Canadians purchasing thru ebay from japan or even the US pay exorbitant shipping fees, unavoidable huge brokerage fees, sales taxes and on photographic gear duties as well. The costs are so high that it is not worth purchasing items that cost less than $200USD.

Sadly, things like roll film backs for 4x5 cameras are not available in country so every so often I'm at the mercy of ebay and their shipping partners. I can live with sales tax and duty, but a $20 brokerage fee gouging.

The only way I buy more thru ebay is if I find the holy grail for $1

I've found fees to be reasonable, over the many years I've dealt with Japan sellers, even for stuff under $200. My Fujinon W 180 just arrived. $40 FedEx, and $11 dollars tax. I don't mind paying $40 to FedEx, as the lens arrived in two days... and they don't leave it for porch pirates.

[Andrew O'Neill]

But... (I forgot to mention this...) I will not buy an item if the only way is DHL, or UPS. They are crooks...especially the latter.

[Drew Wiley]

I got my last new camera shipped FedEx Express from Tokyo, and had it on my doorstep in less than 24 hrs! - with no extra fee. The shipping itself was only $35. But I am only 10 minutes away from a huge West Coast shipping hub, where all the major parcel carriers have huge warehouse distribution centers - FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, even Amazon Prime. The airport itself is 30 min away from those, and the carrier planes have their own runways.

In terms of the opposite direction, shipping things yourself, we had direct accounts with UPS and Fedex where I worked before retirement, with their trucks automatically showing up every day at our Shipping and Receiving Depts. So it was very economical for me to simply use that myself. But if you go to a Fedex or UPS store as an individual, expect to be skinned alive. The ordinary Post Office is a lot more fair, but clumsier in terms of tracking orders.

[Greg Y]

I've bought many items from Japan. Shipping is always reasonable and fast. Often cheaper than shipping from eastern Canada, and certainly cheaper than from the USA. I've also had exceptional service from DHL from the UK...less than 5 days for a guitar case...& by comparison, cheaper than Canada Post from Toronto.