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

[r.e.]

If you want to be honest about it, and cover yourself in any case, in NYS you can pay the use tax for an entire year covering all purchases under $1000...[/url]

Check out the prices of Eizo ColorEdge monitors

Until quite recently, the whole US sales tax system, as a practical matter, was analogous to someone in London evading VAT by ordering from Cardiff or Edinburgh. It took US governments about 20 years to discover that the internet and online sales are a "thing". It was great for companies like Amazon, B&H, and the B&H of the music gear world, Sweetwater.

[Alan Klein]

Check out the prices of Eizo ColorEdge monitors

Until quite recently, the whole US sales tax system, as a practical matter, was analogous to someone in London evading VAT by ordering from Cardiff or Edinburgh. It took US governments about 20 years to discover that the internet and online sales are a "thing". It was great for companies like Amazon, B&H, and the B&H of the music gear world, Sweetwater.

Worse than monitors is when you have to pay sales tax on a car.

[r.e.]

Worse than monitors is when you have to pay sales tax on a car.

Or a Hasselblad. But B&H let me put one on my Wish List, so I'm halfway there.

[Alan Klein]

This is better known as the system that made it possible for Americans to circumvent paying sales tax on new goods, let alone used, by the simple expedient of "importing", aka ordering, the goods from a vendor in another state There was no effective way to collect the tax or prosecute people for failing to declare and pay, so Americans just decided not to pay it. In the last few years, the states have gotten their act together and corrected this, although there are still some states that I can order goods from where vendors don't charge sales tax to NY residents, and the lucky residents of Delaware don't pay sales tax to anybody. That's why it's helpful to have friends at Rehoboth Beach. One can spend a delightful weekend at Rehoboth and receive that new, expensive Eizo monitor from B&H at the same time, without paying a nickel in tax.

Buyers of used cars from out of state wind up paying sales tax even if they're a private sale. Cars have to be registered to get them licensed. So you have to present a sales slip and title for the car when you get the car registered in the state you live in. So the DVM will charge you their state's sales tax when you register it.

Some people try to get around that by getting a bill of sale less than they actually paid. So the sales tax winds up being somewhat less. But the DVM's aren't stupid. If the sales price seems too low, they'll apply a book value to the car and charge sales tax on that basis. Of course, you can claim the car has a lot of repairs issues so that's why there's a low price. So I'm not sure how this is finally arbitrated.

[paulbarden]

Aaaaaand, we're in the weeds again.

I've bought the camera, so this subject is no longer in need of discussion. Thanks, folks.

[Alan Klein]

Enjoy the camera, Paul. Anyone want to buy a car?

[Drew Wiley]

What if you find a camera in the trunk of the car?

[wsit]

Hi guys

Exactly where in the custom rules where it says that used photographic lens aren’t subjected to import tax. I can use it tomorrow when battling with the custom agent

Leon

[darr]

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-impo...rnet-purchases

“ … for personal shipments, there are exemptions. For example, if the value of the item is less than $800, it generally can be imported duty-free under the de minimis value rule. This rule allows most shipments below this value to enter the country without paying duties or taxes. Yet, the final determination of duty applicability is made by CBP at the time of entry into the United States”

Read at the weblink to figure out whatever you are looking an answer for. I have never paid customs fees from Japan for used gear, but my purchases were under $800.00.

[Dugan]

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....