Shipping a smartphone from abroad

[SpoliaOpima]

I have considered ordering a phone overseas and having it shipped here because the prices, esp on new models, is often lower.

What deterred me in the past was the presumption I'd be risking a high import duty. However today I went on the Thai customs website only to find that there is zero tariff on imported cellphones.

Has anyone else successfully ordered a smartphone overseas and had it shipped to Bangkok?

[Dario]

Yes, I have bought an iPod 64GB and I had to pay for the 7% VAT on the value + shipping cost. It then cost me the same price or even a bit more then if I would have bought it straight from Apple in Thailand. It's not worth the pain to wait and gain nothing in the end. For me it's a no go. Check out Lazada Thailand.

[surangw]

buy an unlocked clone, they work fine, and if broken or stolen you are not out much as opposed to having a name brand.

Edited March 30, 2015 by surangw

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I've bought a couple of mobile phones via Amazon and Amazon merchants, and had them shipped here successfully using my own third-party reshippers. Never wanted to send them direct via Amazon. But there are some issues involved.

1. Some of the private couriers don't allow or have restrictions on shipping lithium batteries. That includes the package shipping service that has the best rates I know of to Thailand, being Shipito.com and their Economy Airmail service.

2. The usual alternative I use for items with lithium batteries is the USPS, which sends them fine via USPS Global Priority mail, and cell phone packages usually will fit in their flat rate legal size envelope package. USPS-sent packages often don't attract as much or any duty/tax as private courier packages delivered to Thailand.

My phones were all in the sub $200 price neighborhood. I can't say whether the handling in Thailand would have been any different if the phones had been the top-end $500-$600 models.

[SpoliaOpima]

Thanks for the good advice

[dddave]

Two days ago I received a Lenovo mobile phone from "1949deal.com", shipped from Singapore via EMS. The phone cost US$185, express 5 day shipping $13 additional.

My local Thai Post Office (Phra Khanong, Bangkok) sent me a pick-up notice on the day it arrived. I was assessed B420 duty.

I have received phones in the past shipped via DHL from Hong Kong and not been charged duty but tablets ordered from AliExpress in China have always been charged 7%, regardless of the carrier used.

Phones ordered from Thailand based Lazada.com, even imports have never been charged duty.

[Hua Hin Barry]

Blackberry Classic

Seen the new Blackberry classic on ebay.co.uk if I get it shipped to Hua Hin from UK will I get hit with big taxes??

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

In my experience, for small electronics, it's not usually the Thai customs tax that causes the problem, since it's nominally only 7%.

But rather, it's usually moreso the private carriers like DHL, that add on a lot of extra fees, taxes and usually seem to draw higher customs duties than if the same item is sent through other means, like regular postal mail.

[Langsuan Man]

It's all in the luck of the draw

I ordered a Nexus 4 directly from Google and had it shipped to Shipito, who forwarded it to me here in Thailand. Correctly filled out the customs form stating that it was a gift and valued at $350 USD, not a cent in duty was asked for and it only took 10 days to get to Thailand via USPS

But YMMV, like all things here

[SpoliaOpima]

I'm using Shipito also. I checked and they do allow shipping of lithium ion batteries. There is a limit of one, so mobile phones are OK. There is no import tariff on cellular phones but will wait to see if VAT is charged.

For the phone I ordered Lazada charges USD 150 more.

Edited April 5, 2015 by SpoliaOpima

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I use Shipito also...and have for a long time.

The problem with them on mobile phones is, their most economical service, their own Airmail method, doesn't accept any lithium batteries as of the last time I checked.

So you definitely can ship with them using other methods, USPS being the most economical alternative that does accept lithium batteries, but it's going to cost somewhat more than would otherwise be the case with a normal package using their Economy Airmail service.

[Sandman77]

Not buy a clone here battery can more easily explode here in the heat because fake

Last year in thailand iphone and iPad was 100€ cheaper then in eu!

Now eu cheaper 2 year warrenty and not only one like here!

[wimpy]

I just received a nexus 6 purchased on eBay. Used shipito to send via DHL. $35 to ship. Was charged 7% on the stated value of the phone and shipping. Another 214 baht in fees charged by DHL. I am up country, so they forward to me from Bangkok by EMS. In the end, it worked out much cheaper than buying locally. I always buy my phones this way.

[Langsuan Man]

I just received a nexus 6 purchased on eBay. Used shipito to send via DHL. $35 to ship. Was charged 7% on the stated value of the phone and shipping. Another 214 baht in fees charged by DHL. I am up country, so they forward to me from Bangkok by EMS. In the end, it worked out much cheaper than buying locally. I always buy my phones this way.

Next time try it via USPS instead of DHL and see if you can save that pesky 214 THB from DHL, as well as the 7%, since small packages seem to make it through the customs warehouse quickly

[sojourner007]

I've recently purchased a new Samsung mobile phone on ebay, to be shipped from Taiwan. I assumed the seller would use China Post or similar. Instead it was delivered by DHL in a couple of days. I paid the seller $250 for the phone and delivery. Thai DHL charged me almost 800 baht before handing over the shipment. 600 baht in VAT, and 200 for "Disbursement", whatever it might be.  

[2008bangkok]

Iv brought many phones from Lazada and Ali Express shipped from abroad, possibly 10 phones never been charged.

[mtls2005]

On 3/30/2015 at 8:20 PM, SpoliaOpima said:

However today I went on the Thai customs website only to find that there is zero tariff on imported cellphones.

 

I think this is correct for most electronics. However one still needs to pay VAT (7%), assuming the seller is not collecting VAT.

 

In my experience buying phones and tablets from GearBest (via a credit card, includes the item and shipping where additional), which have been shipped both Shenzhen and Hong Kong, I have had to pay 7% VAT upon delivery. The 7% was applied to the total incl shipping, where there was a shipping fee.

 

 

[Sandman77]

Does phones in other asia country using same frequency for ltg and 3 g?
Years ago I ordered a LG smartphone on amazon In Europe , in thailand , I was unable to connect any network Cos the frequency in thailand of lte is 850 MHz diffrent from other country’s !


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