jackspade Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 I'm looking at ordering some music equipment used off eBay. The sellers are in the US. The price of the items is, of course, less than half of what it is new here in Thailand. I saw some old threads (from 2012) about being r**ed by customs when ordering from online, but I've also seen some recent stories of people successfully ordering from eBay with only a few hundred baht tacked on by customs. Has anyone ordered anything off eBay recently? Can you share your experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 It all depends on how it's posted and the declared value really. The fact that you buy the items on ebay makes no difference. I would suggest sending regular US post without tracking to avoid customs scrutiny - but this is something a seller is highly unlikely to want to do, especially internationally to an address half way around the world. This is exactly how people run scams with credit card fraud. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post keeniau96 Posted July 24, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted July 24, 2018 per UKrules above, the order is not the problem but the shipping method can be. Ship by USPS post or whatever the national post may be. DO NOT use the courier services because they very often attract customs service and duties. And for "just in case", get a clear invoice enclosed in the shipment. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 When purchasing online from ebay etc. then it depends on the seller and also the physical size of the package as to how it will be shipped. Whenever I order from ebay or Amazon, then I tend to use a seller that can ship via the Global Shipping Program, that way you will see the cost of the shipping and any import duties prior to ordering, once you place the order and pay, then there should be no further payments to make at all. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post varun Posted July 24, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted July 24, 2018 I produce music and have bought plenty of music equipment over the years - Focal studio monitors Apogee / RME audio interface(s) Access Virus hardware synth Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro headphones UAD Octo DSP Accelerator. None of the above equipment was purchased in Thailand - I only bought the MIDI keyboard locally. All of the above equipment was either bought in Hong Kong and brought back by myself or I purchased it on Amazon US and then I asked somebody flying to Thailand to carry it for me. It is risky to buy musical equipment online and have it shipped directly into Thailand. Each of my friends who's done this was charged duty from either 5% to 40% of the assessed value - doesn't matter used or not. What do you want to buy and how much does it cost? If it is a fairly expensive item, I suggest you fly to Hong Kong and buy it yourself (new). Even with the flight cost included it may will still be cheaper than the price in Thailand. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrahmm Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 (edited) Have to be careful on electronics....Bought off EBay a Karaoke player for a few hundred dollars.....Got dinged hefty on import duties - about half the value + of course, shipping costs.... The unit had a problem & had to be returned = double the shipping costs now.....Different unit shipped back (I changed -upgraded products) - now charged for shipping again + again import duties.....Fortunately this one worked great; but, I'm in over 2.5-3.0 times the value all things considered...... Also ordered a specific tent, seller declared at $200.00 = import duties were $160.00 or slightly higher..... Many of the global shipping charges offered by EBay are so far off the chart it's not even worth any consideration..... And, if the unit has a problem, there are no good options..... Edited July 24, 2018 by pgrahmm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formaleins Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 The worst culprit for stiffing you for fees is DHL, avoid at all costs! Try and ask the seller to post recoded US Post. I also have had success with UPS, but virtually every package from DHL gets hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post giddyup Posted July 25, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted July 25, 2018 18 hours ago, Mattd said: When purchasing online from ebay etc. then it depends on the seller and also the physical size of the package as to how it will be shipped. Whenever I order from ebay or Amazon, then I tend to use a seller that can ship via the Global Shipping Program, that way you will see the cost of the shipping and any import duties prior to ordering, once you place the order and pay, then there should be no further payments to make at all. The Global Shipping Program is a huge rip off in both shipping and customs fees. The only times I've paid customs duty on a watch is when I was forced to buy from a US seller who used it, as most do now. I now refuse to buy from any seller who uses it, which limits my choices considerably. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 19 hours ago, keeniau96 said: per UKrules above, the order is not the problem but the shipping method can be. Ship by USPS post or whatever the national post may be. DO NOT use the courier services because they very often attract customs service and duties. And for "just in case", get a clear invoice enclosed in the shipment. Couriers or "Global shipping services" usually charge you for customs (as well as a charge for doing the paperwork) before they even collect the purchased item from the seller. They act as agents for Thai Customs. So it isn't even a matter of attracting customs duties ... they will charge you for sure and at the maximum rate plus shipping and fees. On some things I've wanted to order from dealers who wanted to use the shipping service from the US, they've tried to add on as much as 150% of the cost of the items being sent For most things I only use dealers who will send via the post office. Quite often the shipment will get a free pass from Thai Customs or the charge will be reasonable. If you use a courier or global shipping service, you will definitely get hit/ On 7/23/2018 at 8:08 PM, jackspade said: The sellers are in the US. The price of the items is, of course, less than half of what it is new here in Thailand. It depends on how unique the items are and concerns about quality, but you might look for sellers on eBay or Amazon or ... outside the US. Sellers outside the US are often more amenable to different shipping options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) Just randomly choosing an item from eBay for a seller from the US, you can see that the item costs $19.98 and the "international service" (presumably including customs clearing charges) is $13.95 ... so the shipping "service" is charging 70% of the cost of the item bought. And if the under $20 item were sent via the post office it would almost certainly not attract customs duty. Edited July 25, 2018 by Suradit69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 1 hour ago, giddyup said: The Global Shipping Program is a huge rip off in both shipping and customs fees. The only times I've paid customs duty on a watch is when I was forced to buy from a US seller who used it, as most do now. I now refuse to buy from any seller who uses it, which limits my choices considerably. Personally I have never been ripped off at all, in fact far from it for example, if you purchase a laptop, then all you pay is the VAT, which is exactly correct, on other occasions I've had money refunded as the estimate originally provided was more than the actual duty applied. At least when shipping this way means that you know what the cost is up front, the shipping cost itself is the same as sending something via the same carrier, the duties payable are what Thai customs apply regardless and when it gets delivered there are no nasty surprises waiting for you. If you send via the post, then it is a 50/50 chance that duties will be applied and this can mean a trip to the post office to pay, ship by courier and they not only apply the customs duties, but their fees for clearing it as well. I really don't see why anybody wouldn't send via the GSP if that is an option, like I said, when purchasing with ebay or Amazon etc. most of the time the choice of carrier is not there to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 39 minutes ago, Suradit69 said: And if the under $20 item were sent via the post office it would almost certainly not attract customs duty. Anything under 1,000 THB in value would not be charged any duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 58 minutes ago, Suradit69 said: For most things I only use dealers who will send via the post office. Quite often the shipment will get a free pass from Thai Customs or the charge will be reasonable. If you use a courier or global shipping service, you will definitely get hit/ The post office also charges for the customs clearance if it is applicable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 9 minutes ago, Mattd said: Anything under 1,000 THB in value would not be charged any duty. But the "global shipping services" will definitely charge you for the customs service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anon4637435435 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 ive been slugged thousands or usd unnecessarily from customs. they loveeeee to waste time, cause trouble. its always a gamble. doesnt matter about the courier used its all about what customs feels like harassing on the day. iv mailbly bought motorcycle stuff for motorcycle not available in thai and this has caused major grief but have also bought a bunch of music equiptment and never paid more than a few hundred baht. if its big and looks like $ it will cost $$. I know it doesnt seem good info for you but after many years of trying to understand and even sending things to thai names and requesting special delivery methods ive come to the conclusion that thai customs have no idea what they are doing and like to bully but sometimes your lucky. i bought life saving medicine from india and they opened the box in front of me made me admit its not allowed and let me have it. i guess they didnt want me dying then and there perhaps. in short its a gamble. for music stuf you wont be completely screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, Suradit69 said: But the "global shipping services" will definitely charge you for the customs service. No doubt, which is why I would not use the global shipping program for an item that costs less than 1,000 THB, this only becomes applicable (in my case) on higher value items. TBH, if an item is of low value, then unless I desperately needed it and it wasn't available here, I probably wouldn't bother until I was in a country where I can purchase anyway then just hand carry it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 9 minutes ago, Mattd said: The post office also charges for the customs clearance if it is applicable. Over nearly twenty years here I've received literally hundreds of parcels and things sent through the post office result in charges about 20% of the time ... including items well over Baht 1000. I regularly get clothes sent out from Land's End in UK via the post office that have a declared value well over GBP 100 (> Baht 4500) and only have to pay anything about one time out of five. And I've had other things sent via the post office with declared value far greater than that that have cleared with no charge. Anything sent using a "shipping service" will involve a customs clearing charge even if no duty is actually paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
727Sky Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 My last purchase from Ebay was 4 months ago. I bought a range finder for 260$ The shipper charged me 75$ (which was outlandish IMO) and then I ended up having to pay 1400baht duty ... The good deal turned into a "I will not ever do that again". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 17 minutes ago, Suradit69 said: Over nearly twenty years here I've received literally hundreds of parcels and things sent through the post office result in charges about 20% of the time ... including items well over Baht 1000. I regularly get clothes sent out from Land's End in UK via the post office that have a declared value well over GBP 100 (> Baht 4500) and only have to pay anything about one time out of five. And I've had other things sent via the post office with declared value far greater than that that have cleared with no charge. Anything sent using a "shipping service" will involve a customs clearing charge even if no duty is actually paid. You are missing my point I think, I am not denying that the post method may avoid the duties and long may that continue. What I am saying is IF customs charges are applied then the PO do charge you a nominal fee for that process, they do not do it for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackspade Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, 727Sky said: My last purchase from Ebay was 4 months ago. I bought a range finder for 260$ The shipper charged me 75$ (which was outlandish IMO) and then I ended up having to pay 1400baht duty ... The good deal turned into a "I will not ever do that again". Your and other replies lead me to believe it's really just luck of the draw—although I hope that things are a bit better now in 2018 than they were back in, say, 2012. One of the items I want to order is a keyboard for 1100 USD, here in Thailand it's 1800 USD. So even with duty I doubt I'll lose money by ordering it. Edited July 25, 2018 by jackspade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmicbkktxl Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 20 hours ago, Mattd said: When purchasing online from ebay etc. then it depends on the seller and also the physical size of the package as to how it will be shipped. Whenever I order from ebay or Amazon, then I tend to use a seller that can ship via the Global Shipping Program, that way you will see the cost of the shipping and any import duties prior to ordering, once you place the order and pay, then there should be no further payments to make at all. Is that 100% sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 8 minutes ago, 727Sky said: My last purchase from Ebay was 4 months ago. I bought a range finder for 260$ The shipper charged me 75$ (which was outlandish IMO) and then I ended up having to pay 1400baht duty ... The good deal turned into a "I will not ever do that again". It is normally a case of shopping around to find the best deal when it is on ebay, sometimes the cheap deal isn't so cheap as you found out. I ordered a Braun 9,000 Series shaver from ebay in April, total cost inclusive was 9,400 THB, the same model in Central was 22,000 THB, so significant savings can be had. 2 minutes ago, mrmicbkktxl said: Is that 100% sure? Never been any different for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammieuk1 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 My last ebay uk small parcel never arrived gone forever wont be doing that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossy Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, mrmicbkktxl said: Is that 100% sure? There were reports of the shipper (yes, DHL) double-dipping and requesting duty, VAT etc. but these seem to have been solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I limit my ebay purchases to stuff I can carry back, or items that are made in China. Most offer free shipping for that, and no customs scrutiny at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giddyup Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 2 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said: My last ebay uk small parcel never arrived gone forever wont be doing that again. You should have got a refund if it was never received. Ebay and PayPal protects the buyer 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelepulse Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I just ordered a heavy ( 50 kg's) car part off ebay. Price in Thailand was 20K baht for a used one, and on ebay, it was listed at $275 usd. By the time the shipping and ebay global shipping program was factored in, total cost came to $440. Note the global shipping program charged 50% of the combined cost of item and shipping. I then contacted the seller and he relisted for me at $100. I paid that on ebay, then paypaled him the balance of $175 for the part. By doing this, the global shipping charge was reduced by $90, so the total price of the item came to around $375 or so. So the workaround for global shipping charge is to work with the seller to show a much lower but reasonable price on the item. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 38 minutes ago, bsdthai said: ive been slugged thousands or usd unnecessarily from customs. they loveeeee to waste time, cause trouble. its always a gamble. doesnt matter about the courier used its all about what customs feels like harassing on the day. iv mailbly bought motorcycle stuff for motorcycle not available in thai and this has caused major grief but have also bought a bunch of music equiptment and never paid more than a few hundred baht. if its big and looks like $ it will cost $$. I know it doesnt seem good info for you but after many years of trying to understand and even sending things to thai names and requesting special delivery methods ive come to the conclusion that thai customs have no idea what they are doing and like to bully but sometimes your lucky. i bought life saving medicine from india and they opened the box in front of me made me admit its not allowed and let me have it. i guess they didnt want me dying then and there perhaps. in short its a gamble. for music stuf you wont be completely screwed. You have to understand that customs is a mafia. The mid level customs officer has paid a fortune for his "promotion". There needs to be a return on investment for them. They are a revenue collection agency. Same as the police. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackspade Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 6 minutes ago, steelepulse said: I just ordered a heavy ( 50 kg's) car part off ebay. Price in Thailand was 20K baht for a used one, and on ebay, it was listed at $275 usd. By the time the shipping and ebay global shipping program was factored in, total cost came to $440. Note the global shipping program charged 50% of the combined cost of item and shipping. I then contacted the seller and he relisted for me at $100. I paid that on ebay, then paypaled him the balance of $175 for the part. By doing this, the global shipping charge was reduced by $90, so the total price of the item came to around $375 or so. So the workaround for global shipping charge is to work with the seller to show a much lower but reasonable price on the item. Great idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccarty Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Is there any truth in that using a Thai name addressee attracts less or no customs duty? I believe that was said on an old thread about this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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