UK to US shipping - hep please

[SadieKate]

I admit it. I'm very provincial.

How do I tell if I'll be charged by Customs?

Probikekit does not pay customs duty for your order. This means that you may be charged by your country's customs office when your order arrives. Please see our POSTAGE & SHIPPING page for further details.

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=B0063
http://www.probikekit.com/postage.php

On the surface, the prices for Tubus racks seem so much better but not sure what hidden costs there might be in credit card currency exchange, customs, etc.

[bmccasland]

Did you check US Customs web site on what you can have shipped to the US duty free?

On ProBikeKit's Postage web page - what did it post as the charge for S&H to the US? Had to have been some currancy amount.

[Irulan]

The customer, not the shipper, is responsible for paying any duties. The shipper fills out the paperwork, but if money is due the package will be held hostage until you pay it.


I have imported large quantities of stuff that required a customs broker to handle the transaction, and I also get merchanidise mailed to me from Europe several times a year.

Usually a currency convesion is about 3%, and if whatever you are buying falls under the limits ( check the site like she says) you won't owe anything for duties.

[SadieKate]

Yes, I know the customer is responsible for paying duties. I was wondering what people's experiences are when ordering individual items for personal use. So far, I've found a 205 page word document on our customs' website that has no page numbers, no hot-links, nothing. Using a search, I can't find anything about informal consumption in the document. Our company would fire anyone who thought such a document was customer-friendly.

This is just a single bike rack well under the $2,000 limit.

Thanks for the 3% exchange info.

[Grog]

Don't know about the USA, but for Canada there is a list of categories of items with % of duty applied. For example, clothing is 18%. On top of that 18% one would have to add taxes and sometimes a brokering fee of about $5 if it's handled by Canada Post.

BUT the truth is that which package gets intercepted, assessed, and billed is pretty much random. Since in Vancouver, I have been assessed customs to pay on most packages coming from abroad, and duty as applicable. In Montreal, it was 1/2. I guess different points of entry have different thresholds.

So on the US Customs web site there must be a list of duty rates somewhere. In my opinion, you can't count on NOT being assessed fees... so that if you aren't you can celebrate.

[Around here, it gets quite complicated if you need to return the items. You can fill a paper and send it out to have your duty and taxes refunded to you... but I did that two times and never heard back from the Customs Agency.]

[ASammy1]

Hi! I just happen to handle Customs Compliance for a very large well known world wide company.

The duty rate for a bicycle rack assuming it is an unassembled, wall mounted, steel rack used for the storage, security and/or repair of a bicycle is 3.9%.

Assuming that this rack is adjustable and can fit on the rear of Sedans, Hatchbacks, Mini-Vans and Sport Utility Vehicles the duty rate is 2.5%

[SadieKate]

Thanks. It is a rack that goes on a bike, not the other way around (see the link).

[ASammy1]

Oops, didn't see your link.

Unfortunately this would be considered "other bike part" and the duty rate is 10%.

[SadieKate]

Thanks. Wonder what Uncle Sam's rationale was for that.

[Grog]

Thanks. Wonder what Uncle Sam's rationale was for that.

There is usually something about how likely it would be for you to find such an item "made in your country." There is something about photo equipment not being subject to duty in Canada (I should check that but I'm almost sure) because there are no manufacturers in Canada. That's the reason why duty on garments and shoes is so high in Canada, anyway.

Not sure how that works for bike racks though.

[SadieKate]

I can't think of a single bike rack made in the USA except for custom-made.

However, I actually just stumbled on a chrome-plated steel rack at Velo Orange which is inline with my needs and not going to double the cost of my errand bike.

So, after all the willing hep from yawl, I'm ordering domestic. I am now armed with the knowledge though so if this rack doesn't work I can go back to the orginal plan without bugging you.

PS - going ahead and beat me with a wet noodle for this PITA exercise.

[ASammy1]

There is usually something about how likely it would be for you to find such an item "made in your country."

You are absolutely correct.