[kydsid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvan01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Finally, I have been waiting for that!! Nobody can tell You what a used object is worth unless they have some kind of govermentguide to work with. If I pay 100USD for a piece of a broken beerbottle who can say what that is worth? I paid 100USD for it but it is not worth that amount. Do I pay all the extra taxes for something that is worthless?? Or do I pay for it´s real value? If I refuse and they open the package what would happen? Do You think they will go to court with it?

Actually Customs has a guide to do exactly that and employees whose job it is to make up these prices and tell you what it is worth and it is you that would have to go to court to argue against that, not the government.

 

[Assorted]

I highly doubt "how much worth to you" has anything to do with taxes, at all. How much money is coming out of the country and going overseas is what matters.

If I pay $1000 for a beer bottle from the states, I'd better be prepared to pay the taxes for that.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Just curious... Why are VATs so high? Where is the money going?

 

[K2Grey]

I am not amazed to see someone at last pull out the argument that the government should not concern itself with stealing as long as people are being murdered.

 

[Edwood]

Marking as a "Commercial Sample" is another method.

Some countries, though it really doesn't matter, you'll get taxed either way.

-Ed

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just curious... Why are VATs so high? Where is the money going?

National heath systems and other such government programs. I'm saying if these are bad or good, and please, no one respond to this in that way since it's against the terms of use.

 

[Luvan01]

Quote:

Actually Customs has a guide to do exactly that and employees whose job it is to make up these prices and tell you what it is worth and it is you that would have to go to court to argue against that, not the government.

Maybe in the US but not in Europe. Not that I know of anyway? And we are talking about import to EU

!

Quote:

Marking as a "Commercial Sample" is another method.

Yepp,and marking it "Spareparts" also works

Many of us in Europe is a "bit" tired of our taxes! We are paying almost 50% of our money in taxes. Denmark and Sweden has the worst taxes in the world. Much of our taxmoney goes to good things but a large amount goes in to some freaky black holes of the budget never to be seen again

 

[pez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif National heath systems and other such government programs. I'm saying if these are bad or good, and please, no one respond to this in that way since it's against the terms of use.

Care to explain, I didn't quite understand that?

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Care to explain, I didn't quite understand that?

They have national heath care in most, if not all parts of the EU. They have other government programs that the US doesn't have, like more generous unemployment insurance, or in some countries, government provided day care. That costs money, therefore higher taxes.

Edit: BTW, I thought that it was interesting on my first trip to Brittan that they don't charge VAT on books. They consider books a necessity

.

 

[Baines93]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al4x /img/forum/go_quote.gif ive only been stung for customs once, one ebay item came and asked me for a receipt to prove the value before i got the item, i edited the paypal receipt to a much lower value, so i got a £25 charge rather than a £100 charge (iphone) bbest way is to make it believable, i wont buy somethin from someone if they are going to declare full value and its alot

It works both ways though, as if i got broken/lost on the way, the seller is screwed.

As buyers, its nice to save some dough, but imagine if the above happened and you were the seller?

Matt

 

[krmathis]

Its certainly illegal, and it screws parcel insurance.
But its a nice gesture for us living in countries with hight taxes and VAT...

 

[kydsid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvan01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe in the US but not in Europe. Not that I know of anyway? And we are talking about import to EU ! Yepp,and marking it "Spareparts" also works Many of us in Europe is a "bit" tired of our taxes! We are paying almost 50% of our money in taxes. Denmark and Sweden has the worst taxes in the world. Much of our taxmoney goes to good things but a large amount goes in to some freaky black holes of the budget never to be seen again

AFAIK...All customs services have manuals and specific individuals to value goods. Customs is primarily a revenue enforcement tool and would be worthless without these individuals.

I can sympathize with your plight. Good luck with those taxes.

 

[tk3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nor_spoon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually I think it's the opposite. With so many packages going through each day, they don't have the capacity to check every single one. If the package is properly marked on the invoice, there is a very good chance it is getting through with lowered value.

What I mean is that even if many packages are skipped, they are supposed to be checked and taxed.
From that point of view, you should think of it as getting lucky when there is no charge, and not that you "screwed" when you do get charged.

At least, that's how I like to think about it, saves me a lot of irritation after I took up this PoV.

 

[pez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif They have national heath care in most, if not all parts of the EU. They have other government programs that the US doesn't have, like more generous unemployment insurance, or in some countries, government provided day care. That costs money, therefore higher taxes. Edit: BTW, I thought that it was interesting on my first trip to Brittan that they don't charge VAT on books. They consider books a necessity .

Yeah, I learned a lot about EU health services just from watching that Michael Moore documentary "Sicko". Very interesting film. But I could understand the tax thing. After watching that video, it made me think that higher taxes weren't so bad after seeing what was going on.

 

[Al4x]

the nhs, for all its flaws, is definiyly somthing i want to keep