Customs / Import Taxes to Spain (for a Return)

luzer · Aug 5, 2020

hi guys, looking for help

i purchased a watch from a retailer in SPAIN, shipped via UPS/Parcel Pro (in March)
i returned it in June, via UPS/Parcel Pro- and it has been stuck in customs for 2 months (problem with paperwork). it was marked 'FOR RETURN/REPAIR'

now customs is saying i need to pay taxes, not just custom fees, because 'it was returned over a month after the purchase'

can anyone advise me?

Shabbaz · Aug 5, 2020

That's very strange. What kind of taxes? I assume you live outside the EU?

Normally you can object against a national decision regarding taxes. Did they send you a paper with a objection clause?

chadpowe11 · Aug 5, 2020

Well the big reason usually gets stuck is the value is not declared correctly. I don’t understand why you need to pay with a return also wouldn’t you have paid customs when you received the item? Or did they declare much lower value? Provide the documentation that you paid when you got the item.

I had a similar issue few months back but little different I bought a watch and the seller declared low value ($50) it got stuck and then seized. I did managed to get it back but it costed a lot more then if it was just declared the value. Lesson learned.

OmegaP99 · Aug 5, 2020

chadpowe11
I bought a watch and the seller declared low value ($50) it got stuck and then seized.

I felt sick to my stomach when my latest watch purchase (MKII) arrived with a $50 declared value on the forms. I'm happy to pay any duty fee but I would not have been happy to have the watch seized as a fake or for falsifying it's value. I would also imagine this could affect any insurance value recoverable. I need to verify the seller isn't "doing me a favor" next time.

chadpowe11 · Aug 5, 2020

OmegaP99
I felt sick to my stomach when my latest watch purchase (MKII) arrived with a $50 declared value on the forms. I'm happy to pay any duty fee but I would not have been happy to have the watch seized as a fake or for falsifying it's value. I would also imagine this could affect any insurance value recoverable. I need to verify the seller isn't "doing me a favor" next time.

Yes I was shocked when I got the call. Was absolutely horrible but thankfully we worked through it. I always verify now the value will never be that low. At least mark a good value!