From: Alan Adler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Under-Declaration of Value on International Shipments
To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 10:34 PM
I need to address the "trick" word - I may have
used it in a way that
appears to have misled some folks.
The trick I mentioned was not a trick to get out of doing
what was
requested by law.
I have killed several deals because I did not want to break
the law -
however odd it might be - if it even is a law to fully
declare value.
But I have heard for instance if you are sending books in
an order and
books are noted - or used material is noted -
It does not go through customs - (this is true of Brazil, I
think).
One buyer from Germany a couple of years ago gave me some
word in
German (forgot it now) that printed on the invoice somehow
did not
send it through customs!
.
But it is obvious just from the few posts we've seen -
There appears to be few common sense elements in this area
of
international shipping.
I am merely searching for legitimate and legal protocols to
make the
system work for my buyers and stay within the rules.
While at the same time fully declaring the value of the
item.
Alan
On Oct 14, 2008, at 10:05 PM, MotionPictureArt.com wrote:
> Wait a minute here, this is what Alan wrote:
> "Also, there are evidently some trick words -
like magic - that you
> can
> write on the outside of certain Intl. packages or on
their customs
> forms - and voila, they evidently slip through customs
more readily"
>
> I probably misunderstood this because of the language
barrier. I
> always thought that tricking someone (as he used in
trick words)
> meant something else.
>
> I just gave this info. Also, only the first suggestion
of the gift
> with a low value is against the law.
> All the other suggestions are just ways to describe
the products,
> but with the full value. I believe these are some of
the magic words
> he was asking for.
> I respect every seller and how he/she works.
>
> Also, in the Netherlands Customs has to prove the
value of the
> package. So it's easier for them if the value is
already on it.
> However, if the value is not on it they sometimes
bluff and put an
> estimated value on it.
> If you reply to them and tell them there is no real
value because
> the package contains used posters they actually drop
the extra taxes.
>
> I also want to add that I have never had any poster or
lobby card
> packages opened by customs in the past 10 years. This
usually only
> happens when there are other goods involved.
> So I personally don't see a problem with the high
value in that
> perspective.
>
> Ron
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "lobby card
invasion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> To: <MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 12:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Under-Declaration of Value on
International
> Shipments
>
>
>> My apologies, Wim. My post addressed your
compatriot, Ron, as
>> well, who wrote:
>> "There are indeed a few ways that usually
trick customs".
>> Sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate anything. I
do agree with your
>> point regarding the dangers facing packages with
expensive
>> contents, and posted as much in my sunsequent
email.
>>
>> Zeev
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From:
"bqjansen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> To: "lobby card invasion"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> Cc: <MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU>
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 5:51 PM
>> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Under-Declaration of Value on
International
>> Shipments
>>
>>
>>> With all due respect Zeev I think you
haven't understand my post.
>>> As others have also noticed there's a
higher risk for high
>>> valutions packages for the buyer. That's
the point. Nobody asks
>>> sellers to bend the rules or otherwise. We
just try to bring
>>> forward the buyer's perspective.
>>>
>>>
>>> Wim
>>> Op 14 okt 2008, om 21:41 heeft lobby card
invasion het volgende
>>> geschreven:
>>>
>>>> Ron, Wim, and others. You are missing the
point. Alan Adler is
>>>> not asking you for "tricks" to
outsmart various Customs. My
>>>> understanding is that he doesn't think
its right, and doesn't
>>>> want to do it. Sometimes he looses some
business.
>>>> What he wants to know is, is there a way
to be completely honest
>>>> and yet not miss those
"problematic" sales?
>>>> That's my understanding.
>>>> Zeev
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From:
"MotionPictureArt.com"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>> >
>>>> To: <MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 1:31 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Under-Declaration of
Value on International
>>>> Shipments
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Alan, Wim and all others,
>>>>> I'm also from the Netherlands and
have noticed that usually
>>>>> rolled posters in tubes slip by
customs if mailed through the
>>>>> regular postal service.
>>>>> They probably figure that stuff inside
tubes can not have a
>>>>> very high value. Folded posters get
picked out more often
>>>>> simply because the package is larger.
>>>>> Customs also (almost) always checks
packages shipped via UPS/DHL
>>>>> or any other express service.
>>>>> Customs charges almost 30% of the
total value of the package
>>>>> plus the shipping. This can be very
expensive.
>>>>>
>>>>> You can ask sellers to mark the
packages as a gift with a low
>>>>> value, but if they don't want to
do this it's fine too. I
>>>>> usually calculate in the extra 30%.
>>>>> Only with expensive orders I check
with the seller first.
>>>>>
>>>>> There are indeed a few ways that
usually trick customs.
>>>>> Marking the package as a gift with a
low value or just any other
>>>>> description with a low value (almost)
always works.
>>>>> One seller I know marks the packages
as Commercial Samples
>>>>> (something like this can be found on
the shipping or customs
>>>>> forms) with the full value.
>>>>> Describing the items as "Used
Posters", "Printed Matter",
>>>>> "Paper", "Advertisement
Material", "Second Hand Goods" or any
>>>>> other term not implying a high value
also often works.
>>>>>
>>>>> Why is there this value added tax?
>>>>> According to some sources (including
customs) it's just a trick
>>>>> to keep business and thus money in
your own region.
>>>>> In other words: stick to where you
come from and keep that
>>>>> economy alive. ;-)
>>>>> Within Europe there is free trade, but
when I get an order from
>>>>> the US, Canada or Australia I'll
have to pay 30% extra.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ron
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From:
"bqjansen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>>> >
>>>>> To:
<MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 6:43
PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Under-Declaration
of Value on International
>>>>> Shipments
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Alan,
>>>>>> As an international buyer I like
to say this. It is indeed a
>>>>>> lot of bother. The problem is
that it is a VAlue Added Tax.
>>>>>> This means that the value you put
on it is considered to be
>>>>>> the value of the parcel. That is
not per se the market value
>>>>>> of collectible. So this is your
first problem, what is the
>>>>>> value of the poster? ISuppose I
buy a Touch Of Evil poster for
>>>>>> a $100 (unfortunately that
hasn't happen so far) is it's value
>>>>>> then $100?
>>>>>> Secondly in Holland they use this
crazy system that books,
>>>>>> paper etc has a VAT of 6%, while
most other stuff is 19%. You
>>>>>> can't imagine how much a
hassle it is to get your point across
>>>>>> as a buyer that this paper, old
paper at that and that the
>>>>>> "value" is in the eye
of the collector. Customs services are
>>>>>> alas a bastion of bureaucracy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This is only money of course and
is a thing you can/have to
>>>>>> consider as a buyer.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There's a third point. The
moment a package has a value on it,
>>>>>> mysteriously this set customs in
action. I haven't
>>>>>> investigated this scientifically,
but I am convinced that High
>>>>>> value packages are tampered with,
looked in etc, by customs
>>>>>> (sometimes with devasting effects
on old paper) far more often
>>>>>> than packages that don't have
a high value on. If something is
>>>>>> damaged and I am pretty sure that
has happened to me twice,
>>>>>> thyere;'s nothing you can do.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Wim
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Mopo-Mailing-Mavins -
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Just blew another sale because
I would not under-declare value
>>>>>>> of parcel for an international
shipment.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Anybody care to speak to this
issue?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> International buyers
continually ask me to not place true
>>>>>>> value on contents of their
shipments so they can avoid customs.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It is always a deal breaker
for me.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Is this not against
International Postal Law or something
>>>>>>> like that?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And for those in the know -
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Why the heck is there an
import duty on something like a movie
>>>>>>> poster, anyway?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Also, there are evidently some
trick words - like magic -
>>>>>>> that you can write on the
outside of certain Intl. packages
>>>>>>> or on their customs forms -
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> and voila, they evidently slip
through customs more readily.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Anybody got the answers on
this end of the operation?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Alan
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Visit the MoPo Mailing
List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
>>>>>>>
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