Are import duties still an issue?

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fbd223
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by fbd223 »

I'm still gun shy buying anything above $800 until someone can tell me exactly what my taxes are going to be - from what I can tell the HTS in the US for a 17 jewel or higher stainless steel automatic is code 9102.29.55 - which is tax at $1.55 + 4.2% on the case and 9.8% on the band/bracelet. So if I buy a c60 GMT on the rubber strap for $895, should I expect to owe about $50 in duty?
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by ScofieldReturns »

fbd223 wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 8:51 pm I'm still gun shy buying anything above $800 until someone can tell me exactly what my taxes are going to be - from what I can tell the HTS in the US for a 17 jewel or higher stainless steel automatic is code 9102.29.55 - which is tax at $1.55 + 4.2% on the case and 9.8% on the band/bracelet. So if I buy a c60 GMT on the rubber strap for $895, should I expect to owe about $50 in duty?
Mine was closer to $10 + $12 DHL fee. They didn't charge me import tax for the movement, not realizing it qualified as part of the watch "head". Not sure if that was correct or not but I didn't complain.

Glad to see they are taking steps to ironing out the DHL process. Loving my watch and will be picking up a new one once the white dial tridents drop
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by forbesguthrie »

Does anyone have an update to this thread, or had any experience with this in the last month? I'm waiting to purchase my first CW watch, and it's the Trident 3 GMT so it will definitely creep over the $800 import limit. Would like to know before ordering what we might get hit with.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by Lavaine »

I can't help you with what the exact duty charge will be, but CW has quietly (for the better I think) switched back to Royal Mail shipping for international deliveries. This should increase the likelihood of your watch arriving with no fees due, and reduce brokerage fees if you are assessed duties and taxes.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by nordwulf »

Lavaine wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2019 1:29 am I can't help you with what the exact duty charge will be, but CW has quietly (for the better I think) switched back to Royal Mail shipping for international deliveries. This should increase the likelihood of your watch arriving with no fees due, and reduce brokerage fees if you are assessed duties and taxes.
Royal Mail for Canada and Russia only. All other foreign countries still ship with DHL.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by Lavaine »

nordwulf wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2019 3:07 am
Lavaine wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2019 1:29 am I can't help you with what the exact duty charge will be, but CW has quietly (for the better I think) switched back to Royal Mail shipping for international deliveries. This should increase the likelihood of your watch arriving with no fees due, and reduce brokerage fees if you are assessed duties and taxes.
Royal Mail for Canada and Russia only. All other foreign countries still ship with DHL.
Ahh. I see that now. For whatever reason that information is only shown on the UK site. On the Canada site it shows RM for all international orders, and on the US site it shows DHL for all international orders. The international sites could use some better clarification.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by Riddim Driven »

ScofieldReturns wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 8:54 pm For those saying I'm already getting a "discount" by not paying VAT: That is not true. VAT is taxes paid to YOUR government for public services that benefit you. I shouldn't have to pay that because I'm not being benefited by that in any way

For those saying I'm already getting the voucher code discount so it balances out: That is also not true and just a self rationalization. The voucher was not created/designated so that those who have to pay import duties just end up paying "full retail". The voucher is to make the value more appealing on the watch. It's like buying a car with a discount, getting hit with an over the top registration fee and saying "oh well it all balances out". The numbers may balance out, but the two are not correlated. They are separate things. If the registration fee is over the top or incorrect, that should be rectified.

For those saying "just pay the fee and enjoy the watch": I'm more concerned about paying the correct fee. I don't do things blindly and without good reason. If you tell me something is a good value (like a christopher ward watch!) I'm going to do my own research and figure out why that is true for myself, not just blindly purchase the watch because I trust your word (not that I don't think you guys are trustworthy). 11% is an absolute gouge of a price.

So I ended up calling DHL today, the customs expert told me they used a general code: 7117199000 Other Imitation Jewelry Of Base Metal. What they should have used is HS 9102.21.90 which is the code used for automatic watches. The duty on the first is 11% and the duty on the latter is Duty: $1.53 each + 4.2% on the case + 2% on the strap, band or bracelet. I told DHL they were wrong and to make the request to change the code.

The latter is much cheaper and it sounds like DHL was just being lazy with their classification in order to make more money or gouge me. My only regret is not taking care of this earlier, since the watch is ready to be delivered today but I wouldn't get it til this is all cleared up.

Not to sound harsh, but I'm kind of disappointed at the group-think-esque thought processes being displayed here. I'm not trying to cheat anyone out of money (especially not CW), I admit I was a bit blindsided by any duty fees; but my main concern was the high charge of import duties. So hopefully I can get that lowered. I also want to note that for US customers, the duty fee essentially negates the "zero risk" of free shipping/free returns so to understand the fee is extremely important.
Dear ScofieldReturns -- I would like to thank you very much indeed for your research on this and your thorough and eloquently addressed post. This totally saved me. Today I received notification from DHL that custom / duty fee's were being levied and I was shocked when the fee due was shown as $142.00 ! I got a pit in my stomach and was prepared to cancel my order and my excitement dashed. 2 months ago I ordered the new Trident Elite and it is finally on the way. It's now in the U.S. and I had totally not expected the additional charges as I haven't spent over $800. on an international order.

I quickly rushed to this forum and began a search on import duties and thankfully discovered this thread. Thank you all, but this one saves the day. I called the DHL Duty Office and merely stated to the representative that my package had been mis-coded. She asked me what the code was supposed to be and I repeated the #'s you provided. It was indeed coded wrongly with the 7117199.... code which resulted in the $142. quote. The new code resulted in a charge of $62.00. $12.00 of which was for DHL for brokerage fee. I'm still put off by the charge but thank goodness I didn't just pay it out. Well, I wasn't going to. I was ready to sacrifice the purchase.

So thanks again! You have to watch everything these days. The agent said there was no code on the package so the code was randomly applied I suppose.

Cheers ScofieldReturns & Kudos to the CW Forum!!!
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by forbesguthrie »

Thanks for the letting us know Riddim. Interesting to see your corrected charge was $62, obviously much better than $142, but still more than I'd expect. I'm a bit saddened that things are still be mis-coded. This thread went quiet, and I thought that maybe the problem had been resolved, but clearly this hasn't been fixed. CW really need to sort this ASAP as it's certainly holding back some buyer from making purchases. There's no good excuse for not putting the right code on these now they know the issue exists.

Generally, I think CW needs to take it a step further and think about how they want to handle shipping to the main market areas - I assume that the USA alone is a large enough customer base that they shouldn't be shipping in this way. I appreciate they want to keep costs down, but this is going to hurt them longer term if they don't figure it out and invest a little for sustained growth.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by H0rati0 »

forbesguthrie wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:35 pm Thanks for the letting us know Riddim. Interesting to see your corrected charge was $62, obviously much better than $142, but still more than I'd expect. I'm a bit saddened that things are still be mis-coded. This thread went quiet, and I thought that maybe the problem had been resolved, but clearly this hasn't been fixed. CW really need to sort this ASAP as it's certainly holding back some buyer from making purchases. There's no good excuse for not putting the right code on these now they know the issue exists.

Generally, I think CW needs to take it a step further and think about how they want to handle shipping to the main market areas - I assume that the USA alone is a large enough customer base that they shouldn't be shipping in this way. I appreciate they want to keep costs down, but this is going to hurt them longer term if they don't figure it out and invest a little for sustained growth.
Agreed. If I were CW I'd be looking at setting up a US import/service operation - it's the only way.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by nordwulf »

Another DHL Customs fail for a new CW customer in the uSA who was asked to print out a form and supply all details and values of different watch parts. It makes it even more difficult when you don't have access to a printer. They also asked for his Social Security Number which is pretty strange and you should never give out. He decided to just reject the order and give up on CW. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CWAfici ... 218693924/
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

nordwulf wrote: Thu Jul 11, 2019 10:49 pm Another DHL Customs fail for a new CW customer in the uSA who was asked to print out a form and supply all details and values of different watch parts. It makes it even more difficult when you don't have access to a printer. They also asked for his Social Security Number which is pretty strange and you should never give out. He decided to just reject the order and give up on CW. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CWAfici ... 218693924/
Disappointing; yes.

However, this issue and requirement has been pretty well documented, along with the Solutions (I believe @Kip posted the required info a while back), here on the forum in recent months.

Also CW are well aware of this and are more than able, if contacted, to step in and sort it out.

Pity also that we can't see the post that you have linked to as the CWA is a 'Closed Group'.

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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by nordwulf »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:07 pm
Pity also that we can't see the post that you have linked to as the CWA is a 'Closed Group'.

Guy
I can't share entire posts from closed FB groups as per forum rules. Just provided the link for CWA members, including Mr. Ward and other CW staff.

DHL doesn't seem the most professional transport company when they have to send out printed forms and charge excessive customs duty so hopefully they will get this sorted soon.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by Lavaine »

I have no experience with this. Is this a normal thing, or do other companies usually provide this information with the shipment so that DHL isn't trying to get it from the customer (who has no reasonable grounds, on a watch or any other commercial shipment to know the value of individual components of the product purchased).
If I buy a phone and it is shipped by DHL, will they expect me to know the value of the screen, processor, RAM etc, or is this issue unique to watches?
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by tikkathree »

nordwulf wrote: Thu Jul 11, 2019 10:49 pm Another DHL Customs fail for a new CW customer in the uSA who was asked to print out a form and supply all details and values of different watch parts. It makes it even more difficult when you don't have access to a printer. They also asked for his Social Security Number which is pretty strange and you should never give out. He decided to just reject the order and give up on CW. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CWAfici ... 218693924/
In passing I wonder if that's some kind of local habit in the US: whilst holidaying over there recently I went shopping at Cabelas to feed my other hobby, made my purchases and was then pressed to "sign up for a club account" with all kinds of perks. We were doing fine right up to the point of me being challenged "You do have a US social security number, right?"

But, you're right, in these days of identity theft, this is the kind of personal detail which should not be given out lightly and freely.
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Re: Are import duties still an issue?

Post by Granarg »

I bought a c65 a few months back and DHL asked me to fill out a form detailing the value of the various parts of the watch so I just eyeballed it, it totaled out to about 40 usd so not that bad it is just odd that they expect you to know the value of each component
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