Do I need a customs form if I bought shipping through amazon?
I sold an order that needs to ship to Canada. I purchased the shipping through Amazon through DHL. I printed the label, but I’m wondering if I still need a customs form since the shipping was purchased through Amazon. I didn’t see anything on the shipping page about customs so I’m wondering if I can just schedule a pickup.
Thank you!!!
39 replies
Seller_EkbLZUYSpmJEy
It will depend on your item, the dollar amount and tariffs.
If it is being shipped to an individual like a Christmas gift would go, then you might not if it is marked not commercial.
You can use USPS site as a reference by acting like you would be shipping through there. It tends to guide you through the process.
Seller_T5Mv3ZCUSh7Zl
Depends, you should know the rules about your product before selling it. I guess somebody might look it up for you if you tell us what you are shipping.
Seller_sUfyk7ajzPzny
I believe that you may find this May`20 post by our friend @a-n-t useful:
Tiff_Amazon
Hi @Reedsbooks - Were you able to get the answers you need from fellow sellers in this thread? Please let me know if you need any further info.
Tiff
Seller_LwUhSN3kUAXlg
Sure, Tiff, thanks! That’s 11247372461 . However, these questions aren’t really specific to a single circumstance, I’m really looking for answers to the 5 sets of questions above (A-E), and would simply like definitive answers that aligns with how Amazon actually works, assuming it works consistently. I’m surprised that most of these answers aren’t simply knowledge widely shared with or available to Amazon employees.
Good luck!
Seller_LwUhSN3kUAXlg
For any other sellers coming to this thread, I got this response on my escalated support case: “We reserve the right to adjust charges after they are initially posted to reflect adjustments by the applicable carrier or other service provider.” This is not about customs, etc., but rather the initial shipping charge. So, to answer my own question, “yes, Amazon is not willing to stand by what they say when they say ‘if you click this button you owe us $xyz’.”
Also, don’t expect a refund for unused labels, although it’s possible. I can provide a more detailed response if anyone cares.
Seller_8heIxAf1mLwgp
Our local DHL dropoff requires 3 copies of the shipping manifest or the driver won’t take it. If yours is the same the DHL Invoice Generator page is helpful.
Seller_3N7yVnTXPzLkL
I find the purchase of DHL shipping on Amazon to be an unacceptable option.
DDP service is incompatible with the default responsibility of International Buyers for duties and taxes which exist for Amazon.com transations.
IMO the true costs of DHL shipping cannot be determined when setting up a shipping template. And may not be known until some time after you ship.
It is exactly the opposite of the situation when shipping by UPS ground to Canada, where the Canadian buyer gets hit with a whopping customs clearance fee.
I strongly recommend sellers either use postal service shipping or forgo International sales unless they have a true handle on the total cost of shipping.
This is a case where Ebay is well ahead of Amazon, offering freight consolidation/forwarding service for sellers and offering the buyers to either pay duties and taxes in advance or after the delivery.
Seller_LwUhSN3kUAXlg
While this case is still in progress, Tiff has asked me to NOT share the findings to date in the case, in spite of the fact that there is information there that sellers need in order to use this service. Amazon wants to control the messaging on this debacle, to the detriment of sellers that will be affected by the shortcomings in this program until the (theoretical) point in the future when Amazon fixes the bugs and messaging errors. Very disappointing.
All I can share at this point is that based on what I have found (a) you should walk away from this option unless you’re feeling lucky, and (b) Amazon will not commit to promises it has made in writing, e.g. they reserve the right to change the amounts they have promised certain services will cost, at any time (this is independent of DDP fees added after delivery).
Seller_CW0P5hgbsiqWX
And you wouldn’t. Why, because it is your responsibility to know all the rules and regulations surrounding international product shipping. Different countries have different rules depending on the shipping method selected, shipper used and product in question. We do not use DHL except when we import products for our business.
We use UPS and the Postal service when exporting sold products and always add a custom.
The reason being, we do not want the new item to be ripped open when scanned in transit because the custom agent can’t determine what is inside the package. The form tells them what is inside, and the value of the item sent.
Many international buyers will ask to lower the value of the product, but we do not comply. This will cause a problem if you do this and get caught, There’s an invoice inside the package and what that invoice says in the value on the outside better match the invoice.
