 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, posted some ski socks to my daughter in VT. Arrived today but her colleagues refused delivery as apparently there was a charge of €50.
The customs label states a value of £50GBP.
My basic research shows potentially 20% French VAT and up to 22% customs duty. So approx €24 max charge.
Anyone got any knowledge or experience of such matters, please?
I’m hoping they try to redeliver tomorrow and Chlo is about when they come as I fear they will be lost for good soon!
Cheers, ST
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You can buy socks in France.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You should have filled in the customs label yourself.
If it is filled in wrong then P&P may also have been included. Also the bigger companies like to add on their fees to clear customs quickly.
There may also be a gift limit you can declare & get around it completely - but each country will have its own rules.
Better to look on amazon.fr or .de, etc.
FWIW I bought a PC monitor on amazon.fr - £200 cheaper than the UK price. £50 amex statement credit for some reason on top. Arrived in less than a week & no VAT bill as it was all included in the charges by amazon when ordering. Bought an amp from amazon.de a week earlier - a bit cheaper than buying in the UK.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As @shep says, basically don’t bother sending gifts (or goods) from UK to FR… Or declare 0 value.
It took us a while to convince the grandparents to stop sending our kids presents (or ordering them to us from UK) - we kept getting hit by import duties… More recently BASI (actually the ‘fulfillment company’ doing their logistics) screwed up and the postie was asking for €9 import duty on an envelope with my 2025 ISIA stamp in it … essentially a worthless sticker to anyone but me.
Brexit bonus all round.
I have expensive taste in ski socks but even then €50 should have it covered!! (Even in resort)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks all. The Smartwool ski socks (numerous pairs, she’s there for a season!) were ordered before she left.
They arrived late, ironically because they got caught in customs coming into the UK from DE! (I didn’t realise when ordering they were coming from abroad.)
The PO filled out the customs form, hopefully she knew better than me what she was doing!
So, does the postie in FR have a card machine? How is this ridiculous fee charged to the recipient?
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The postie will take cash (no invoice or receipt available!), or bring it back the next day if you don't have the cash to hand. You can refuse the delivery, get the parcel no. from the postie, pay La Poste online (quite a bit cheaper this way), and they bring it back the next day. If you refuse the delivery altogether, the parcel disappears, but they still come after you for the fees!
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FFS! I wish I’d driven out with them for her now!! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
You can buy socks in France.
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 I've posted a few parcels to grandchildren in France in recent weeks. One of books, along with a tub of cream of tartar (essential ingredient of playdough, also possibly available in France but I had loads......) one was a kids yoga video my daughter in law had bought on ebay (their post is redirected here since they moved to France). In both cases the value was genuinely low and I filled in the customs form myself (the post office assistant insisted that I did, which is fair enough!).
They were delivered swiftly, no charges. Yes, the postage cost itself is a bit silly but it's the sort of thing people do for their kids, or their grandkids! A 7 year old loves having a parcel addressed to them! But not worth doing except for low value items, just for fun.
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1. Under 150 euros there are no custom charges but VAT to pay. Most firms (like Aliexpress, Amazon) charge the VAT themselves so you pay nothing.
2. Anything you send yourself mark the value as 0 - even if it is gold lingots.
3. Over 150 euros you have custom charges to pay and these apply to the postal and handling costs as well. If you go through a courier the handling charges can be eye watering.
I receive stuff from outside France all the time, I just keep the value below 150 euros or I don't buy. Never get bothered with any charges. I also order from UK firms but they need to have their shit together.
As others have said, order locally for gifts and don't let grandparents send anything as Simon says. They'll screw it up somehow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Socks delivered this morning.
€24 paid on delivery.
I can now relax knowing the half price sale I got them in has still worked out cheaper than buying in resort!
You can take the boy out of Yorkshire….. 
Thanks for your input, everyone.
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FAQ
. Yes I know the duty was technically payable anyway for goods originating from outside the EU (i.e. almost everything), but France didn't used to bother until Brexit happened. Now opaque fees are charged on everything. Most brits (and locals) here now have stopped buying anything from the uk, told relatives not to send gifts etc. Either transfer your daughter money, or buy stuff for her on Amazon.fr.
