usaedcgear
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2016
- Messages
- 396
Anyone have any problems sending knives to Germany with customs?
I live in Germany and i highly doubt that stuff is just lost to customs.
I order knives from the states all the time because of price differences and exclusives.
As always it pays to know your laws. Bali songs for example are illegal to own and will be confiscated.
You will always have to add 19% vat of the combined item an shipping value if customs gets a hold of your package.
In addition if the combined value exceeds 150€ you will have to pay an additional 9% of custom tax.
It might seem ransom or random however you look at it but it is not random.
Also any taxes is to be paid by the recipient.
You might be able to not get caught if You label it present with 0 value but I would not recommend it.
Also you get what you pay for in shipping. USPS flat rate international shipping often stops at the departure airport in the states and can take up to 2 to 3 weeks.
Take an upgrade to for example FedEx international priority shipping and you receive the package within a week with continuous tracking.
Ha!... no I didn't do that... lol.
The descriptions read...
- Fixed Blade Camp Knife
- Traditional Flint and Steel in Leather Pouch
- Fixed Blade Camp Machete
The packages were about a year apart from eachother.
Military addresses in Germany don't go through the normal customs process, heck as soon as they.get to Chicago they fly military air.Both were marked as "offensive weapons"
One package(Priority Int'l Post) had a 4.5" drop point hunter along with a leather pouch with a traditional flint and steel kit. - Offensive weapon (fire kit too?) I even marked it to be returned at my cost.
Another package(FedEx) was a mini parang(12" machete) that was also seized.
I fought for both, to no avail. Not eligible for an insurance claim either. This was not a case of mysterious disappearance... they were both confirmed as confiscated.
Germany has not been good to me. This was in 2009... I have not shipped since. Both items were in the $500 to $800 range. I can only go by what I experienced. It's a shame.
EDIT TO ADD***
I will say that the first shipment went to a US Military address in Germany. If that makes any difference.
Shipping to Germany is low risk. BUT The problem is in it getting lost in transit when Not in US custody or confiscated.
What will the buyer do?? A unscrupulous buyer may open a claim on PP and end up getting your money back.
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