Amazon for people outside the US

[Charlie Delta]

The Netherlands doesn't have an Amazon.nl so I occasionally end up at the .com or .co.uk when looking for a book online.

I've noticed that alot of the times it looks like stuff could be alot cheaper if I would get it shipped in than if I would buy it in a book store here in Amsterdam.

So I was wondering, will shipping and possibly import taxes jack the price up again?

Anyone in a similar situation has any experience with this?

Thanks!

[seenmy]

umm shipping on amazon,particualry thruough private sellers s pretty resonable,not sure on customs issues though?guess you might be lucky and it slip through,im about to order of .com again for a few books so gotta cross fingers and hope it slips the net,or its gonna hurt this buy.

[Charlie Delta]

Hurt like proper hurt?

But won't it be shipped in a big Amazon box enveloppe and thus making it an easy target at customs?

hmmmm???

[GiZMO]

Is there a UK proxy you could use? I'm sure if you ask around someone would gladly help you out.

[Charlie Delta]

I would be from .com since the same book was alot more expensive on .co.uk, but yeah could do that, shipping might be alot more expensive then though, as I expect Amazon to have some cheaper shipping deal.

It's a heavy book.

[mike lowrey]

if youre worried about customs (don't know how strict they are over there?), use a proxy in the US. someone can take the invoice out and relabel the package with a $20 customs value, easy as that

[seenmy]

yeah if it came via.com direct i think fair chance on gettin customs,purchase i making is from a seller on amazon so would come from private seller as opposed to being direct through amazon,price is about half what i seen it for so its worth risk.hoping my us trip will come off thus solving the problem completly as il just get shipped to friends adress there.

cotton if it worrys you just factor in the possible cost addons if itsstill cheaper do it if its not or very close just get it from uk where you know customs wont come in to play as we all in EU

[Charlie Delta]

The value of the book is pretty low already, that's the main reason why I would get it shipped in, I guess what I'm worried about it is the huge difference between the price on amazon and dutch bookshops, feel like I could get some import tax whatever bullshit over that, but on the other hand I wouldn't know how they would possibly check that.

But, why isn't everybody doing it then?

[Begåvningsreserven]

my orders from the US amazon always gets stuck in customs with import duties and tax added but the ones from amazon japan never does.

[seenmy]

people arnt doing it as alot of people are still wary/not interested in ordering from abroiard as they instantly believe it to be a hassel,when in truth its often no different to buying online in your country,i still no plenty of people who make a right hoo ha of buying anything online.

[Charlie Delta]

^that's true, I see that alot aswell. Also people really can't bring up the patience to wait for shipping. They want to pay and walk away.

Technically I could get it send to an address in the US and have them repackage it and ship it to me and it could be ok no?

[Cue]

when I was in the UK I used to order quite a bit from amazon.com. I never got done by customs charges, and some of the orders were pretty big ...

Guess it depends on Dutch customs ... have you got a level that doesn't attract duty? In the UK its 19quid or something...

[Charlie Delta]

Just checked, it's €22,- ex shipping/insurance (roughly 30 bucks). Wich is really low but still doable for books I guess.

That actually makes this book I'm currently eyeing safe I think, but it's good to know for the future.

[Cue]

^^ ah, good stuff. And, they'll prob let you get away with items just over that...

[Tiranis]

Well, I have a friend in Netherlands who orders stuff off of amazon.com fairly regularly and I've given him gifts through it... he never mentioned anything, but I'll enquire as to whether he's ever been hit by customs on bigger packages.

[colin]

When I was living in Arnhem my mom sent me tons of stuff- including books, gum, coffee, tea, clothes, and random other things I left at home or couldn't find in Holland. I never had any issues with customs or extra fees. If you had someone forward you the book from the US, and they mark it as a $10 gift you'd be goed.

[Charlie Delta]

Went ahead and ordered the book I wanted, plus another one. Stayed under the 30 bucks barrier.

We'll see how It goes.

Let the waiting begin....

[Darkeside]

Cotton - i'm pretty sure that because you'll be paying the Uk VAT/tax and both countries are in the EU your customs should NOT charge you import duty.

As for the value with shipping being less more than purchasing locally, i'm yet to find a book i want cheaper in person than on amazon, except on ebay of course.

good luck with your purchase.

[Charlie Delta]

I ordered from the .com/the US, was even cheaper.

And you're saying that you never find anything cheaper than on amazon exept for ebay? (bit sleepy, weird reading...)

[Darkeside]

And you're saying that you never find anything cheaper than on amazon exept for ebay? (bit sleepy, weird reading...)

bookwise, yeah. they seem pretty set on undercutting everyone they can.

[Charlie Delta]

So my books arrived, and pretty fast aswell, didn't expect them in yet at all. As the info on my account said expected delivery 12th of october.

Weird thing is, they appeared to have been shipped from Germany...

Other weird thing is that the box came in a big blue plastic bag, with a neon orange label attached with customs info and my address that I can't figure out if it was put on by customs or the sender... The box inside was sort of open, but not really opened up, just as if it had been damaged or only peeked inside and the books were/looked still Amazon sealed.

I'm confused now, as I stayed under the value I stated above.

hmmmm???

Oh well, have my books:

(xposted from recent purchases)

[Charlie Delta]

So my books arrived, and pretty fast aswell, didn't expect them in yet at all. As the info on my account said expected delivery 12th of october.

Weird thing is, they appeared to have been shipped from Germany...

Other weird thing is that the box came in a big blue plastic bag, with a neon orange label attached with customs info and my address that I can't figure out if it was put on by customs or the sender... The box inside was sort of open, but not really opened up, just as if it had been damaged or only peeked inside and the books were/looked still Amazon sealed.

I'm confused now, as I stayed under the value I stated above.

hmmmm???

Oh well, have my books:

(xposted from recent purchases)

[sybaritical]

nice pickup.

I'm constantly ordering CD's from the states and I'm yet to get taxed on them ... I did get hit on a pair of jeans once though ... that's when I found out the rule in the UK is that anything originating from outside the EU is hit by 17.5% of the total worth (the level of VAT) over £18 ( or £36 if it's marked as a gift) with a further 12.5% if it's clothing or footwear of any description.

[sybaritical]

nice pickup.

I'm constantly ordering CD's from the states and I'm yet to get taxed on them ... I did get hit on a pair of jeans once though ... that's when I found out the rule in the UK is that anything originating from outside the EU is hit by 17.5% of the total worth (the level of VAT) over £18 ( or £36 if it's marked as a gift) with a further 12.5% if it's clothing or footwear of any description.

[baskew]

So my books arrived, and pretty fast aswell, didn't expect them in yet at all. As the info on my account said expected delivery 12th of october.

Weird thing is, they appeared to have been shipped from Germany...

Other weird thing is that the box came in a big blue plastic bag, with a neon orange label attached with customs info and my address that I can't figure out if it was put on by customs or the sender... The box inside was sort of open, but not really opened up, just as if it had been damaged or only peeked inside and the books were/looked still Amazon sealed.

I'm confused now, as I stayed under the value I stated above.

hmmmm???

Oh well, have my books:

(xposted from recent purchases)

customs opens your package, it seems thats how they reseal them.

my pal in HK has big troubles with customs there, opening the box and then just not even closing it to send it to him... so stuff basically could fall out...

[baskew]

So my books arrived, and pretty fast aswell, didn't expect them in yet at all. As the info on my account said expected delivery 12th of october.

Weird thing is, they appeared to have been shipped from Germany...

Other weird thing is that the box came in a big blue plastic bag, with a neon orange label attached with customs info and my address that I can't figure out if it was put on by customs or the sender... The box inside was sort of open, but not really opened up, just as if it had been damaged or only peeked inside and the books were/looked still Amazon sealed.

I'm confused now, as I stayed under the value I stated above.

hmmmm???

Oh well, have my books:

(xposted from recent purchases)

customs opens your package, it seems thats how they reseal them.

my pal in HK has big troubles with customs there, opening the box and then just not even closing it to send it to him... so stuff basically could fall out...

[Charlie Delta]

Thing is that I don't think they had any right to open this particular package as the value stated stayed under the premitted €22, and I'm sure they know Amazon wouldn't undervalue the things they ship.

Am also kind of annoyed that there isn't an explanation or anything.

Guess that's just the way it works...

[Charlie Delta]

Thing is that I don't think they had any right to open this particular package as the value stated stayed under the premitted €22, and I'm sure they know Amazon wouldn't undervalue the things they ship.

Am also kind of annoyed that there isn't an explanation or anything.

Guess that's just the way it works...

[linkejeuk]

Last week I got in a package, that had a neon orange sticker on it and that one was specifically from the customs at Schiphol. I had to pay all sorts of rates and taxes, but expected it, cause the value of tha package was high.

But anyway, the orange sticcker is probably from the customs at schiphol, so yeah, they probably did check but didn't find a reason to make you pay. But it's strange that there was no explanation in the customs info.

Anyway, enjoy your books.

I've ordered books and cd's from amazon in the past and never had to deal with import taxes.

[linkejeuk]

Last week I got in a package, that had a neon orange sticker on it and that one was specifically from the customs at Schiphol. I had to pay all sorts of rates and taxes, but expected it, cause the value of tha package was high.

But anyway, the orange sticcker is probably from the customs at schiphol, so yeah, they probably did check but didn't find a reason to make you pay. But it's strange that there was no explanation in the customs info.

Anyway, enjoy your books.

I've ordered books and cd's from amazon in the past and never had to deal with import taxes.