Community Stories

Importing Watch Straps from Singapore to US: Duty Fees

M'Bob
Posts
7,200
Likes
23,353
I’m thinking about buying a leather strap from a company in Singapore and I’m in the US. The company states, in addition to the cost of the strap(s), there would be a 10% import duty fee, and then “handling fees.”

When I asked what the latter could be, I could not get clarification. They use two shipping vendors: FedEx or DHL. Is this something they charge, or Simone else? Are there custom import fees in addition to the tariffs? Any help appreciated.
 
josiahg52
Posts
1,506
Likes
3,064
DHL or FedEx will charge brokerage fees in addition to whatever import fees are due. I've found DHL to be extraordinarily high and I despise FedEx, but either is highly variable. Sometimes nothing, sometimes there's a duty and one another's associated fees that have to be paid. Sometimes they're completely wrong. I ordered something from Singapore recently and FedEx is hanging it up in Anchorage Customs because they say a watch worksheet is required and they need source of movement, case, what type of battery, value for each, etc., etc. It's a ~$6 movement holder.
 
YY77
Posts
6,090
Likes
29,488
It's the courier charging/collecting it, in the Netherlands I get charged the following;

VAT 21% on the cost of the watch + shipping cost
Import duty 80 cents
Fedex handling cost 2,5% on the VAT + import duty.

So in my case I paid 21,6%, don't know how the tariff fits in in your calculation.

Which shop did you order a strap from Atelier Ko or Yi Leather?
 
Tony C.
Posts
8,136
Likes
28,704
josiahg52 josiahg52
I ordered something from Singapore recently and FedEx is hanging it up in Anchorage Customs because they say a watch worksheet is required and they need source of movement, case, what type of battery, value for each, etc., etc. It's a ~$6 movement holder.
Let me guess - their system has recently undergone an AI "enhancement"...🙃
 
M'Bob
Posts
7,200
Likes
23,353
YY77 YY77
It's the courier charging/collecting it, in the Netherlands I get charged the following;

VAT 21% on the cost of the watch + shipping cost
Import duty 80 cents
Fedex handling cost 2,5% on the VAT + import duty.

So in my case I paid 21,6%, don't know how the tariff fits in in your calculation.

Which shop did you order a strap from Atelier Ko or Yi Leather?
I’m thinking about ordering from The House of Straps. Any experience with them?
 
YY77
Posts
6,090
Likes
29,488
M'Bob M'Bob
I’m thinking about ordering from The House of Straps. Any experience with them?
No, just know of the two I mentioned because I follow them on Insta.
 
Larry S
Posts
13,737
Likes
53,610
You will get a bill from FedEx /DHL if there are charges not the supplier.
 
Dan S
Posts
24,515
Likes
54,479
I only know the way things used to work for the past couple of decades, it seems that things have changed now and vendors are often charging import duties in advance. You may just have to give it a try and see what happens, a low cost item like a strap might be a good test case. Please report back if you do go ahead with the purchase.
 
josiahg52
Posts
1,506
Likes
3,064
Tony C. Tony C.
Let me guess - their system has recently undergone an AI "enhancement"...🙃
Additionally, it was shipped duty paid so who knows. Of course, calling them got me exactly nowhere. I'm not even sure understood my concern completely.
 
Evitzee
Posts
7,713
Likes
14,258
I got hit with ~$20 fee on a $150 strap from Romania. Peanuts for duty, FedEx fees for handling the duty side was the bulk of the cost. Tidy little business for the shipping companies with no de minimis exemption any longer for US imports.
 
Archer
Posts
29,815
Likes
77,160
Evitzee Evitzee
I got hit with ~$20 fee on a $150 strap from Romania. Peanuts for duty, FedEx fees for handling the duty side was the bulk of the cost. Tidy little business for the shipping companies with no de minimis exemption any longer for US imports.
You could hire your own customs broker, or clear the shipment yourself. If you did either, you would likely find FedEx fees to be a bargain.
 
Larry S
Posts
13,737
Likes
53,610
Archer Archer
You could hire your own customs broker, or clear the shipment yourself. If you did either, you would likely find FedEx fees to be a bargain.
Indeed … I have always found the FedEx and DHL folks to be buttoned up and helpful. Never costs much.
 
Foo2rama
Posts
18,235
Likes
27,554
M'Bob M'Bob
I’m thinking about ordering from The House of Straps. Any experience with them?

I fully support our own @jankoxxx who runs https://www.watchstrapheaven.com/

Always a pleasure collaborating with him on straps. I’ve been using him for my strap needs for almost a decade.
 
Evitzee
Posts
7,713
Likes
14,258
Archer Archer
You could hire your own customs broker, or clear the shipment yourself. If you did either, you would likely find FedEx fees to be a bargain.
Of course I could act as my customs broker, but that wouldn't address the OP's question about importing a strap into the US. Prior to the elimination of the de minimus policy something like a strap would pass through with no issues. Duty on a strap is now collected and it was 60 cents, the rest of the $20 charge was the FedEx fees. Not a big deal in the scheme of things but it's a new charge. The OP should expect to pay at least $20 in fees for clearance no matter the price of the strap. And if you catch FedEx or DHL on a bad day, maybe more. It's all fluid.
 
glownyc
Posts
392
Likes
454
C chefmonk
Import duty for watch straps to the US is typically much lower than 10%, leather goods usually fall under 4-6% duty range.
Tariffs are based on country of origin not material.
 
Archer
Posts
29,815
Likes
77,160
Evitzee Evitzee
Prior to the elimination of the de minimus policy something like a strap would pass through with no issues.
Yep…elections matter.

Evitzee Evitzee
Duty on a strap is now collected and it was 60 cents, the rest of the $20 charge was the FedEx fees
Yes. A broker you hire on your own would be a heck of a lot more. FedEx fees tend to be very reasonable compared to other carriers.
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

J

Question on importing watch to US from Canada

jpizzzle Open Discussion
ChrisN
ChrisN
Posts
12
Views
1K