Why are so many people afraid to buy something online from another country?
I must be honest before I took the courage to order in other countries, I was also very afraid of various things that could go wrong.
Let’s discuss them systematically:
1. Can I have problems with customs and tax authorities?
The first customs duties and import VAT only apply if the products are shipped outside of a country or free trade area (such as the European Union or NAFTA)
Customs duties
In most countries, customs duties must be paid when the product is shipped to a country. There is always a minimum amount you can send tax-free. Check it for your country. If it is above that minimum amount, you must inform Customs and a normal fee must be paid. It differs by type of product. Your customs website can give you all the information. Always keep in mind that the value is based on the price as it is in your country and not the price you paid to the supplier. But in practice, often the price you paid is used to calculate customs duty and import VAT.
Import-VAT
Even if the amount is above the minimum, many people do not report it to customs and risk paying a fine. Sending it as a gift is often used for that.
Import VAT must always be paid and the carrier most of the time takes care of it. No action is required on your part.
free trade zones
Within the European Union or NAFTA there is free trade (of most products) and you don’t have to worry about Customs or VAT at all.
2. How do I know if the provider is reliable? Will the products be shipped and what about the warranty?
My suggestion would always be: Try first to find a well known reliable company like Amazon etc. If you can’t find one and aren’t sure of the supplier, only order products if they are very low value. For me, I ordered several products directly from China and they seemed to be very reliable suppliers. I even order higher value products from China now without any problem. Regarding the guarantee, don’t panic, I never had problems returning products and I always received a refund or they sent me a new product. Only the extra shipping cost could be a point of contention, normally you need to pay for it.
3. What type of payment should you use?
I never use the money transfer method.
I try to avoid credit card payments, but if the site really seems very trustworthy, I also use my credit card. What I always prefer is direct payment from my bank account and PayPal.
4. How do I know which country is cheap for a certain product?
Before looking for a supplier, you should first find out more about the price differences between countries. Poor countries do not necessarily have low prices for branded products.
It is very important to know if there has recently been a decrease in the value of a certain currency. That’s often an indicator that prices might be low. We all know the low exchange rate of the dollar against the euro and for Europeans it is becoming more and more interesting to look at the prices in the United Kingdom. The value of the British pound has drastically decreased since the end of 2008.