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Question about importing from Singapore to the US…

M'Bob
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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You will get a bill from FedEx /DHL if there are charges not the supplier.
 
Dan S
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
 
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