customs duty

[oklahoma red]

I'm needing some advice from those that direct import their briar.
I recently placed my first (small) order from Mimmo and received the shipment in less than a week via FEDEX. About 2 weeks after receipt I get a bill from FEDEX for $18.60 for: "Customs duty, $12.10" and "Advancement Fee, $6.50". Is this normal? If not, can it be made to go away or is this a "can't fight city hall" situation?
Can Mimmo make it go away from his end?
The amount is not the issue. I'm trying to find out if there was an error made somewhere and how to correct it in the future. I will add that I also ordered and received some ebauchons from Alexander Zavvos in Greece via Hellenic Post and tho it took three weeks, there were no problems or extra fees. At least something is still working in Greece.
Thanks in advance,
Chas.

[mredmond]

There was a discussion about this sometime back, and if I remember correctly, the gist of it was that FedEx likes to make money off that extra fee, and the only way they can do that is if they report the duty. I just got a box from Mimmo about a week ago, so I guess I can expect a bill, too. In the end the quick shipping is probably worth the extra cost. I ordered briar from Jaume Hom, last year, and it took a month and a half to arrive.

Micah

[oklahoma red]

Hmmm, I wonder if Mimmo is aware that this is happening?
Chas.

[mredmond]

It's probably a matter of cost and reliability vs. inconvenience. I think it's a BS charge but, personally, I'm willing to deal with it to get my package in four days. FedEx also provides tracking and have a good reputation for reliability. I got a tracking number from the Spanish shipping company that Jaume Hom used, but it didn't work and I had no idea where my package was, or when I would get it. After about six weeks I started to wonder if customs highjacked it, then it arrived. I've heard that FedEx fast tracks stuff through customs, and that's what the charge is all about.

Short of someone opening a briar cutting operation in the US (which logistically doesn't make a ton of sense), I think we're probably stuck with it.

Micah

[LexKY_Pipe]

Can't beat Mimmo's briar tho. Perhaps contacting FedEx would explain other possible options.

[TRS]

I think you're pretty much stuck with it. The advancement charge is FedEx's fee for using their funds to pay your customs duty up front. That's why you get it so much faster.

[Tyler]

It's normal.

[Sasquatch]

Normal.

Sometimes you get hit on mailed stuff. ALWAYS you get hit on Fed-Ex'd stuff. They are a customs broker, so in a sense, they are charging you for the trust that the Government has given them - that is to say, they MUST report duty-related charges, taxes, etc to the relevant authority (ie the govt) in order to carry out their business quick and dirty. Net result is, you are paying for customs charges which you might or might not get in ordinary mailing situations, and you are paying a handling charge.

I got absolutely FRIED on a package from Zavvos - the customs guys decided at random that the briar (3 pcs) was worth over 1000.00 and I got hit with duties, taxes etc, well over a hundred bucks! I can appeal it. Lotsa fun that'll be too.

So it's a craps-shoot on small importations as to who sees it, how worked up they get, and what they charge you for it.