Importing Items From Europe to US

[J_WISC]

Hello.

Can someone familiar with the process please warn me regarding extra costs, fees, import tax, et cetera I might encounter importing an item (eyepieces, objectives, small microscope parts) from Europe to the United States? I don't have a specific country in mind. Is there a a good website to go to for guidance? Assume item costs under US $100. I tried to Google this topic and was dismayed to learn someone might ask for a social security number at some point. As I've already experienced identity theft, I'm thinking I might have to just filter out all eBay products from other countries despite reputation of seller.

Thank you for your help.

[PeteM]

I can't speak for all countries, but my experience with small microscope accessories bought on eBay and shipped from Australia, Japan, China, the UK, Germany etc. typically just required paying my prevailing sales tax rate.

I've never been asked for a Social Security number. I also wouldn't buy from a country known for a high rate of postal theft.

[Scarodactyl]

It has never once been an issue for me. You might get some sort of customs bill via fedex or ups later on. Zero ssn involvement.

[apochronaut]

With the post there is much less customs involvement. They have limited resources and have criteria by which they initiate an inspection. Most mail goes from point A to point B, unless it is clearly a commercial transaction or suspicious in some way. The mail is usually more expensive than private shippers initially but the courier companies will charge customs entry/brokerage fees and additional tax and duty where appropriate at delivery, which can equal or even be more than the original shipping bill. After receiving thousands of shipments from dozens of countries, I am firmly in the camp of postal delivery. It is slightly slower usually but just as reliable and way cheaper in the long run than privateeers.
The mail , here at least , usually just gets delivered directly unless there was a trigger that caused the attention of customs, which happens less than 10% of the time. With shipping companies, customs is involved every time in some way.
The mail though, is somewhat unique to the country that regulates it and in some cases privatization has desttoyed what used to be a public service.

Germany is unique due to the involvement of DHL. Deutsche Bundespost used to own DHL and has now been privatized as part of DHL. I used to buy musical instruments from Europe and if the shipping was going to be fairly large one person who I bought a bit from would drive across the border and ship from Germany, rather than Holland. It was much cheaper, I am guessing because Deutschepost could use available space on DHL planes that were flying anyway. The shipping fee schedule reflected that too, with rates well below those of neighbouring countries. Often a cheap surface shipment that was slated for a 6 week trip would arrive in 7 days. Obviously, Germany has very fast ships. Austria , just across the border on the other side and with a slightly less buoyant economy had shipping costs about double those of Germany.
I haven't shipped in anything from Germany for over a year but it just points to the fact that countries are different. Italy for instance is notorious for theft. The U.K. is notoriously expensive for anything Parcel Force carries.
There is an international agreement regarding postal fees that goes back decades. Developing economies were allowed to be subsidized by developed economies. Developed economies pay much more of the share of the cost of international mail that either terminates or originates on their turf if the other country is in the developing rank. China is still considered a developing economy. They haven't updated the agreement in many years but it is coming.

[Sliding Focus]

According to the 2024 U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, there is no duty on most microscopes or microscope parts and accessories imported from anywhere in Europe except Belarus and Russia; microscopes or microscope parts and accessories imported from Belarus or Russia are taxed at 20–45%: https://hts.usitc.gov/search?query=9011.

I have never needed to provide a social security number when importing items, regardless of whether they were sent via a courier or the postal service. As others have mentioned, I have heard of couriers charging import fees (presumably for handling customs paperwork?), but I have not experienced that myself—but most of the items I have bought were sent via the postal service.

I agree with the other folks who've replied that your biggest worries would be the possibility of your package getting lost, stolen, or damaged...which is to say, the same things you'd worry about when having things shipped domestically!

NB: Tariff rates can and do vary; duty has been assessed on microscopes and microscope parts in past years and may be again in the future. Also, certain categories of items can sometimes be imported duty-free for personal use as long as their value falls below a certain threshold; however, that exception is also subject to change, and I don't know whether it would apply to microscopes or microscope parts if duty were to be assessed on them again in the future.

[J_WISC]

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies. I don’t have experience with this and was worried when I read the fine print on the eBay website. I won’t worry about buying a low cost item. We’ll see how it goes.

[charlie g]

Hi, J-wisc, and all..quite a few threads ago ( maybe two months?) I groused about trying to purchase gift tee-shirts ( really, really cool '3D images on the shirts)...I was sort of not understood in my lament:


the singapore firm..as your progressed through 'check out'..kept applying fees...the most objectionable fee was: "insurance" ...in this forum, many opined I was only getting 'fee gouged by my country of destination'...the firm in singapore

was not the source of the fees. I still sense..a firm outside my country...this firm should clearly understand the add-on fees...and this firm should voice to potential buyers..the expected 'fee add ons'.

The tee-shirts I happily wanted to buy for gifts ( from singapore)...became more and more inflated in cost..before check-out...I dropped the deal...hidden costs are never the fault of the prospective buyer to know.

charlie g

[J_WISC]

Hello charlie g

Thank you for sharing your experience. I feel a seller should know all fees, and clearly list them prior transaction, for shipping an item out of their country. The Singapore incident looks like several layers of corruption. I know I cannot change the world and must just accept the challenges, but I wish there was a good website clearly defining the rules … or at least warn regarding bad actors. I bought a couple books through Amazon without worry. But as I reach out for more unusual or rare items, I think I view every purchase as a gamble. On the bright side, it will severely reduce impulse buying. Regarding import end, the U.S. customs website is essentially useless for clear information, though I admit maybe I didn’t spend enough time clicking around for answers. Seems no one in charge of anything wants to accept responsibility for assuring you information is correct and tell a person to go ahead without worry.

[deBult]

Ehhh, my position is the BUYER should check to custom etc requirements of his own country.

As a seller it is impossible to know / research all different country requirements.

This is wat eB… does for you (at a price) and I encountered several case where even they were in error.

[charlie g]

Hi, debult, your aplomb with: 'buyer beware/ buyer check it all out'...well this exactly feeds into my reluctance to spend high price monies for items deep into europe. Maybee purchase low cost candies..but not high cost optics.

You just opined: ' not the sellers problem'...well then my sense is : why should I gamble with spending monies in a market where: 'sellers have no control/ no idea of final costs of items they market for sale?

[Scarodactyl]

You just opined: ' not the sellers problem'...well then my sense is : why should I gamble with spending monies in a market where: 'sellers have no control/ no idea of final costs of items they market for sale?

I think what you described were not customs fees, but add ons on the seller's end which seemed faily heinous.
It would be unreasonable to expect a seller to handle your country's customs though. They're the buyer's taxes to pay and they go towards government services in the buyer's country, nothing the seller is particularly involved in.

[deBult]

You just opined: ' not the sellers problem'...well then my sense is : why should I gamble with spending monies in a market where: 'sellers have no control/ no idea of final costs of items they market for sale?

I think what you described were not customs fees, but add ons on the seller's end which seemed faily heinous.
It would be unreasonable to expect a seller to handle your country's customs though. They're the buyer's taxes to pay and they go towards government services in the buyer's country, nothing the seller is particularly involved in.

In my part of Europe (and most countries here I am aware off) there are no seller taxes (apart from VAT on the postage) and orher “hidden” fees when selling to the US: VAT and custom duties are handled in the buyers country.

[J_WISC]

Hello.

I’m posting to report the objective lens I order from a seller in Ukraine February 2 arrived safe, no problems, no delays, no additional cost. It actually arrived ahead of the estimated delivery date. Transit time Ukraine to Wisconsin was about 18 days.

Thank you everyone for your responses to the earlier question.