Korean Job Discussion Forums

midian3x · Joined: 18 Sep 2006

If I use this site http://www.expatexpress.com/Expat/jsp/store/productlist.jsp and buy 20 bottles of tobasco at 50 bucks, have it sent to my school adress, what is the approimate duty i can expect to pay?

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

I think you should be OK. The limit is when something is over 100 or 150 US$ I think. WHy are you shipping tobasco though? You can get it everywhere

midian3x · Joined: 18 Sep 2006

Tobasco at the Department store near me is 6000 won a bottle.

It would cost me half as much to order it from the web site includeing shipping. Shocked

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

huh.. never knew there was a "Tobasco"..

what's the difference with "Tabasco"? Aside from the $3 a bottle!

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

The limit is 100,000 won. Over that, and duty is tacked on. Oh, and shipping cost is part of the calculation.

So if your package is declared at, say $90 U.S., but shipping is $30, you will pay a duty on $120.

midian3x · Joined: 18 Sep 2006

Dawn · Joined: 06 Mar 2004

If you order from ExpatExpress.com, they'll list the value of the package as the price the product would cost in a supermarket in the U.S. -- not what you pay them for it. Also, they supposedly take responsibility for tarriffs/duties on packages they ship (on orders directly from them, that is, NOT items forwarded through their shipping service).

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

IlIlNine · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo

I was going to start a new thread, but this one came up soo ..

There are these nifty motorcycle boots that I want to order online -- but they're $200 -- ~$250 with shipping.

I guess my question is: are ALL packages over $150 flagged for duty or do some slip through the cracks? Has anyone had any luck ordering expensive stuff and not having to pay customs?

braunshade · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Location: Somewhere better!

YES!

Have it sent to your school/hogwon/uni and then you can submit a letter to the customs office explaining that the item is for educational puposes. I did that for a laptop I purchased on line for the USA and other items.

All items were delivered to my workplace a couple days later.

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

Educational motorcycle boots?

The only thing you can really do, to my knowledge, is to somehow convince the shipper to declare a lower value. To do this, she must absorb the risk of mail fraud, as unlikely as being caught might be.

Friends are usually willing, as are some ebay sellers, but stores are unlikely to break the law to save you import duty.