Hi,

Does anyone have experience with buying props/illusions overseas?
I'm considering getting props in the US and I'm wondering, do I pay taxes on that, or only the import fees here in Belgium?

About a year back I bought escape equipment from Mark Cannon, paid the full price and then had to pay about 50% extra for import fees alone.
Not to mention the problems with customs, they found it suspicious that I bought handcuffs, leg irons and locks..

Can someone explain me how this works? I rather hear it from someone with experience than from a customs official..

Thanks

Send a message to Rafael. He is a member here (RVH Magic) and I think he is from Belgium.

Best,

Las

Well, I don't how how well this will apply to Belgium, but here's how it happens in Finland:

When a prop arrives and goes into customs (they always don't) I must go there with a proof of purchase. Based on whatever it is that I am getting, its categorized using the combined nomenclature (CN). For example a High Caliber Magic holster is classified as "travel case or gun holster or the like, outer surface leather, others" (liberal yet accurate translation). Each one of these classes have a number and that tells them what the customs fees are. In the case of the holster, 3%. In addition to that, I will have to pay VAT (currently 23%) for both the prop AND shipping charges. Unless the prop comes from within the European Union, then its tax and customs free. That might be dependent on the value though, but I have always had stuff from Europe shipped directly to me.

When I got my Master Prediction, in its ATA case which is not very small, I didn't have to pay any customs or taxes. My Bob Kohler lightning box did go to customs and I was supposed to pay, but was the last customer so they just let me go home with it.

A couple of thoughts:

Here in North America there is an actual tariff number for magic props, they are duty free ie. from the U.S. into Canada. So whatever it is, if I am using it for my show I have the supplier classify it as a magic prop. You may have something similar.

Costumes can sometimes come in under a "cultural" number if that is the case ie. chinese costumes etc.

Access your countries duty tax system and read though the tariff numbers, sometimes you can find a classification that may apply to your prop.

Try under magic, circus, variety, theatre props etc.

See if where it is made/constucted may also help you out ie. from which country did it come from

Check under cultural, entertainment.....

If you have the tariff number on the import documentation that will help get it through customs quicker and faster, and perhaps cheaper, if you are using a customs broker they may just assign a general number which may have a higher rate applicable.

To give you an example a table made for a magic show could fall under several classifications ie. where it was made, what it is made of, what it's use is, all of these could have different rates. If it is a "magic" table (prop), it is duty free from the U.S. into Canada.

Remember your final costs at your end are duties, taxes (local and import), brokerage fees (anything else?) By looking at each one you may be able to save money. Can you handle the brokerage yourself? That may be an area to learn about if you are doing a lot of imports.

Just a couple of ideas for you.

Blair

I know Rafael well. He gave me some information regarding shipping fees..

I live in Sweden and use to buy from US. I don´t know the customrules in Belgium, but in Sweden it looks like this.

If you for example buy an illusion with a total price of 10000:- USD

Shipping between 100-1500:- USD, depends on weight.
Customfees about 10% of the total price, shipping included.
Then Sweden have 25% tax. But if you run a company you will get the 25% tax back after 2 months.

Best Regards

Jimmy

Well.... Italy.. now is around 35% more.... plus payment.. of the the shipping..so at the end.the price is quite high!! believe me...and the worst.. is that you do not get anything back...
Gianni Mattiolo.

Ah yes, but you do get to live in Italy!!!

Blair

I also order overseas. I always ask the seller to declare at a lower value. Duties and taxes also include the cost of freight.
DHL, UPS and FedEx call me up when I have to pay taxes before they deliver.
I guess the best thing is to make friends with your Customs officers. I always show a few tricks to please them. In that way, they don't get to charge you that much.

this is exactly the same happen in my country Indonesia.
declare low value is always best way.

The only issue with declaring a lower value happens when a prop is insured for delivery. if you've ordered a 2500 prop.. but the declared value is only 800.. and it gets destroyed... someone is out a lot of money.

You also have to be VERY careful ordering from overseas. I ordered from what I was told was a reputable company a while ago.. and got a lot of crap I couldn't sell... and because it was from a foreign country, I had no recourse... and lost a LOT of money on the deal... He DID send me a small token to try to make up for it.. but it wasn't nearly worth what I lost... and wasn't really something I could use.

If you order something from overseas.. and the price is suspiciously low.. you're getting what you're paying for.. shoddy workmanship and a vendor that doesn't back up the quality or his word. Am I correct Mr SSucahyo?

@makeupguy, Well, I'm talking to Bill Smith right now, don't think dodgy equipment will be the problem
I'm a little afraid of that aswell, declaring a lower value, I can figure out a way to buy it on the company tax number so
I won't have to pay taxes..

Just to be clear, I have no problem paying what an illusion is worth, it's simply the gouverment sucking you dry that bothers me..
Thank you all for the great advice and information.

As makeupguy wrote, declaring a lower value is not a good idea if anything happens during the shipping. Serious sellers and companys do not lower the values anyway.

/Jimmy

I'm old fashioned and like to touch and feel any illusion that good money is being spent on. I once had someone FaceTime a call with me and walk me through a virtual tour of an illusion.

http://www.magiciantoronto.com

Your problems are nothing compared tp mine since I live in Palestine and have to recieve anything through our dear neighbors in israel , so to begin with its double , ive been dealing with stevens for more than 10 years and I can recommend ESM , for normal packages they have less chance to get caught and I have never lost anything with them UPS and FEDEX are the worst anything passes through them they claim very hight fees for paper work sometimes more than the real coast of the pacage . the big items normaly comes throught cargo lux , and they always get caught and its less money if they proove to be second hand .

Here in the UK we have a Tariff system too...

Quote from our customs and excise website regarding "The Tariff".

The Tariff consists of three volumes:
....
Volume 2 contains the 16,000 or so Commodity Codes set out on a chapter-by-chapter basis. It lists duty rates and other directions such as import licensing and preferential duty rates.
.....

Sixteen thousand commodity codes!!!!!?