My Experience with Customs for a Thomann Purchase - NON-POLITICAL

[mbt64]

Just wanted to share my test purchase from Thomann to see how easy and how much it costs to import directly from Germany. I bought an Xotic Voltage Doubler ($38), set of picks in a tin ($16), and pedal mounties thingies ($2). I bought these because they would fit into a small package for shipping.

Total purchases = $57
Shipping = $25
Customs fees = $78
UPS customs fees = $31
Total = $191

I bit the bullet and paid for the stuff (OUCH!!), my research before ordering led me to believe customs was 50% of purchase price not 137%, UPS never disclosed their own customs fees prior to shipping either. It used to be I read of people buying from Thomann and getting better prices even with shipping but I guess that's not true anymore. Not making a political statement, just some FYI for anyone looking to purchase overseas and ship to the US.

 

[chrisgr]

I'm confused on why you would buy those things from outside the country direct with the tariffs in place when you could have purchased everything online in the US,with probably free shipping.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Never fear. As soon as Sharvel Dan wakes up from his mid morning nap, he’ll see this and it will become political.

 

[Rackman]

Customs stuff is so often filled out wrong.

I doubt that is the actual rate you were supposed to pay given what the state of trade with the EU appears to be. The reciprocal rate to the EU appears to be 15% post-August.

 

[japetus]

Even if customs were 50%, makes no sense to buy those items overseas.

 

[CDawg]

Just wanted to share my test purchase from Thomann to see how easy and how much it costs to import directly from Germany. I bought an Xotic Voltage Doubler ($38), set of picks in a tin ($16), and pedal mounties thingies ($2). I bought these because they would fit into a small package for shipping.

Total purchases = $57
Shipping = $25
Customs fees = $78
UPS customs fees = $31
Total = $191

I bit the bullet and paid for the stuff (OUCH!!), my research before ordering led me to believe customs was 50% of purchase price not 137%, UPS never disclosed their own customs fees prior to shipping either. It used to be I read of people buying from Thomann and getting better prices even with shipping but I guess that's not true anymore. Not making a political statement, just some FYI for anyone looking to purchase overseas and ship to the US.

In Canada... UPS and other 3rd party shippers apply brokerage fees for items crossing a border and I think that's what those UPS custom fees might be. You have to use Canada Post, USPS or other government postal services only and fill out the customs paperwork and then you won't have to pay those UPS customs fees. Requires a bit of planning and you just say no to companies like UPS. Type "ups brokerage fees canada" into google and read the horror stories. That's likely what all the 3rd party shipping companies will be doing to Americans now.

I avoid about 80% of all customs, duties, import fees, taxes, etc. on all small packages I purchase abroad. Tiny box, tiny label, poor writing, no English, no French. You don't commit fraud. Things just slip by. If your customs are like Canada you're on easy street. If your customs are like South American countries then you are paying for every single thing you ever buy.

 

[Geo]

It's Trump's fault

 

[rsm]

I got a great deal from Thomann, got something at half the US price; and the shipping / tariff wasn't bad, and I saved a large percentage of the money....I forget the details but I started a topic on it here last year...that was before 2025 tariff changes.

I wouldn't bother with buying internationally now....

Had a recent issue trying to get a guitar from a shop in Canada shipped to me in the US; the seller tried twice, both times it was stuck in Canadian customs missing some information, and ended up returned to sender; he provided the information, and even copied me on the emails to Canadian Customs and UPS International; first time he used UPS International directly; the second time he used Ship Nerd and UPS. Over one month going nowhere before I asked the shop to refund me, which they did.

It seems other countries are confused or angry about reciprocal tariffs and can't or won't make them work.

 

[tallcoolone]

Just wanted to share my test purchase from Thomann to see how easy and how much it costs to import directly from Germany. I bought an Xotic Voltage Doubler ($38), set of picks in a tin ($16), and pedal mounties thingies ($2). I bought these because they would fit into a small package for shipping.

Total purchases = $57
Shipping = $25
Customs fees = $78
UPS customs fees = $31
Total = $191

I bit the bullet and paid for the stuff (OUCH!!), my research before ordering led me to believe customs was 50% of purchase price not 137%, UPS never disclosed their own customs fees prior to shipping either. It used to be I read of people buying from Thomann and getting better prices even with shipping but I guess that's not true anymore. Not making a political statement, just some FYI for anyone looking to purchase overseas and ship to the US.

Why?

 

[mbt64]

I'm confused on why you would buy those things from outside the country direct with the tariffs in place when you could have purchased everything online in the US,with probably free shipping.

I wanted to see how much it would cost, more of an experiment with small items. You used to be able to get good deals from Thomann even with shipping on certain items (usually EU country amps).

 

[technomancer]

Glad I got my VH4 in the "good old days". $65 shipping and no customs charges.

 

[FourT6and2]

Weird. Yeah... current tariffs are 5% + reciprocal tariffs = 15% total.

I just bought a guitar from a shop in the UK on Reverb. Should be arriving in a few days. Using the correct HTS code for an electric guitar, the tariff should be 15%. If it's 50% that's gonna be a problem.

The truly messed up bit is there is very little clarification about how to calculate tariffs before purchasing something. You just have to buy it and wait for the bill to arrive and hope the customs agent used the correct information. I do know you can argue your case with them, but you have little recourse if they say too bad, pay up.

It also depends on the country of origin for the goods you buy. Not the country from where they ship from or where you bought them. But where were the good actually manufactured... If you bought something made in China from a shop in Germany, you're paying tariffs on Chinese goods.

 

[FourT6and2]

Actually... I just went to the carrier website for my guitar (DHL) and they have an online calculator. I entered the required information: HTS code, exporting country, importing country, country of origin, purchase price, and shipping cost. It then spits out an itemized form showing all the fees.

I can then use this to show DHL in case they hit me with crazy fees. But yes... 15% is the expected tariff total. Fingers crossed.

 

[Rackman]

In experience DHL is pretty easy to get it right with.

 

[Kagami]

In experience DHL is pretty easy to get it right with.

Fedex basically doesn't respond. They charged me a tariff on something that is supposed to be exempted but after harassing them for ages they finally responded one time but not since.