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Getting hit with a customs charge when buying from Chrono 24. Japan to US

D
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Im in florida, USA and bought a new grey market watch in box with papers from Japan from Chrono 24. Do I have to worry about getting hit with customs or duties after receiving it here in the US? I buy from Amazon and ebay via china all the time but nothing this expensive and I have never received a customs or tax bill. This is their policy. This is what their store says on their chrono profile.

・Brand new items
Technically, all of our items are categorized in second-hand since we are not an official store.
Therefore, we declare the brand new items as Pre-owned or Used as well, for customs purposes.
 
Foo2rama
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Generally there is no duty on watches from Japan.
 
pedro.martinez
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
Generally there is no duty on watches from Japan.

"Generally" is the key word, I guess just a few mail packages are charged import taxes.
I purchased an used Omega manual watch from a Japanese seller in 2018. USPS left a bill/note at my address (US) insted of a watch.
Once the bill was payed at the USPS office (customs duties were the description of charges) the USPS employee brought the watch to me.

If I remember correctly , the charges were around 7%.
 
sxl2004
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Yes you have to pay the import taxes.
Either directly or on your tax return.
That being said USPS rarely collects the import tax. FedEx more often.
 
D
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sxl2004 sxl2004
Yes you have to pay the import taxes.
Either directly or on your tax return.
That being said USPS rarely collects the import tax. FedEx more often.
So how much should I expect to pay on a watch that Im paying $5439.64 gray market for that has a msrp of $9400 ?
 
sxl2004
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D Desibaba
So how much should I expect to pay on a watch that Im paying $5439.64 gray market for that has a msrp of $9400 ?
As mentioned above, about 7%.
So far I have not been charged with import tax for goods coming from japan.
 
gatorcpa
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sxl2004 sxl2004
Yes you have to pay the import taxes.
Either directly or on your tax return.
There are no customs duties charged on US federal tax returns. Some states have voluntary use tax lines on their tax returns for those with a guilty conscience.

Customs duties on items sent through the post are supposed to be collected by the post office, but it rarely happens. Private couriers collect on delivery with fees added.

I think I’ve covered most of the possible ways customs is collected in the US.

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa
 
Dan S
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I have received bills for import duty after the fact on several occasions. The amount is highly variable, depending on how the seller declares the value of the watch components. It's not a simple percentage of the total value, but depends on a lot of different details: case material, automatic, quartz, or manual-winding, relative value of case/movement/bracelet, etc.
 
Evitzee
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7% is an average amount but it is based on number of jewels, case metal, bracelet and a few other factors. It is a crapshoot whether your package gets flagged. It might and it might not. If a grey market new watch is imported you are still liable for duty, just because it isn't from an AD doesn't mean it is duty free. All Customs will see is a new watch with box and papers.....to them it is dutiable. Assume the worst and hopefully you'll slip under the radar.
 
Noles_88
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I buy a lot of stuff from Asia. If it’s coming Ems. Your fine. If it’s fedex. Your getting hit.
 
Braindrain
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Noles_88 Noles_88
I buy a lot of stuff from Asia. If it’s coming Ems. Your fine. If it’s fedex. Your getting hit.

Yup. Should add you'll be hit with any major courier - UPS, DHL, etc
 
007007007
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pedro.martinez pedro.martinez
"Generally" is the key word, I guess just a few mail packages are charged import taxes.
I purchased an used Omega manual watch from a Japanese seller in 2018. USPS left a bill/note at my address (US) insted of a watch.
Once the bill was payed at the USPS office (customs duties were the description of charges) the USPS employee brought the watch to me.

If I remember correctly , the charges were around 7%.
Pedro is right. I bought a Mark Speedy from Japan. I too got the customs invoice. But mine came from FedEx
 
STANDY
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As said many times before as I work in the game.

Globally. It’s up to the importer/ exporter to know all government state and federal laws prior to importation or exportation
 
P
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In the Philippines it’s 18%. Zero if below USD180 in value.
 
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