n00b here.

I was ordering few stuffs from HK for the first time. There was a warning regarding extra custom duty and even possibility of stuffs getting returned back to HK from custom leading to a maximum of 3x charges:

Quote
Please be advised that you may be required to pay import tax and duty fees for your parcel on arrival in your country.
If you fail or refuse to pay this import tax you understand that... <snip>

This is a bit disheartening. Can some experienced member tell their experiences?

BTW here is my list of stuffs:

QuoteT2200.3S.20 - Turnigy 2200mAh 3S 20C Lipo Pack
AM-9017A - Female JST battery pigtail 12cm length
T500.3S.20 - Turnigy 500mAh 3S 20C Lipo Pack
B6AC - IMAX B6-AC Charger/Discharger 1-6 Cells
WH-5MM-BLACK - Turnigy 5mm Heat Shrink Tube - BLACK
601A-12-10cm - XT60 Male w/ 12AWG Silicon Wire 10cm
UFO Y-4 Micro Multicopter w/2.4GHz

Can someone tell me what to expect?

BTW, the shipping charge is whooping $50. It's 50% of the cost of the stuffs. Any alternative?

Thanks
Chindichor

Hey chindichor welcome to the forum. Yes it is true if order from foreign and hobbyking we have to pay customs duty and if you dont pay the parcel will be returned. Sometimes people get lucky they get escaped from paying customs but that is luck so we cant expect that everytime. So if you want  that parcel to reach you soon  you can order via fedex proirity that will be good.
Aman

Shipping charge is so HIGH because you have LiPo batteries in your list. And also you have crossed the 2kg weight limit for Registered parcels. So it HAS to be shipped by FedEx as postal services dont transport LiPo batteries as far as HobbyKing is concerned.

Scenario 1: You buy this list and its shipped by FedEx. You pay $50.15 for shipping. You will be charged Customs Duty (28-30% of DECLARED Order value + shipping cost). You will receive the product within 15 working days max and in VERY GOOD condition.

Scenario 2: You reduce your parcel weight to below 2kg and get additional CHEAPER shipping options. If you still have to select FedEx (with lower shipping cost), then its Scenario 1 again.

Scenario 3: You remove the LiPos from your order an also bring down your parcel weight to below 2kg. You get International (Registered) Air Mail shipping Option. Thats the cheapest. Also there's more than 90% probability that you wont be charged Customs Duty. In most cases, the received parcel will look like it has been used by the Postal people for Football Practice 

Scenario 4: You SPLIT your order. LiPos by FedEx and all other items by International (Registered) Air Mail. For FedEx, refer to Scenario 1. For International (Registered) Air Mail, refer to Scenario 3.

Dont forget to mark the order as GIFT in Customs Declaration in the Order Confirmation Page.

Hope this helps 

Hey Aman, nairtb,

Thanks for your responses. It is extremely helpful.

Here are some experiments I have done:

All except copter and LiPoly:
--  EMS Express (INDIA) 1000g - 1999g  $52.41
-- Air Parcel (INDIA) 1000g - 1499g  $24.99
-- International (Registered) Air Mail 1.5kg  $23.59

copter + LiPoly
-- International (Registered) Air Mail 2kg Lipo  $39.99

So, I will end up paying ~$65 for a kicked-up parcel without paying a custom.

If I bundle all into one I get FedEx priority option. And definitely pay ~$30 on it. So, totaling $80 in shipping. I guess I will end up in FedEx priority. I did not like the idea of my stuffs getting pounded by other even before I own it. Man oh man, how do you guys sustain this hobby in India?

-----

The other thing that I am unsure about is payment. There are three options: 1. VISA / MASTERCARD (No Paypal) + 2.93%, 2. Paypal or Credit Card (Amex / Visa / Mastercard), and  3. Western Union Manual Payment

I did not understand what is the difference between 1 and 2, I have Visa credit card. What is a preferred way?

Thanks
Childichor

ha! You know what, the confirmation box for Okaying to paying custom duties throws JS error "Uncaught ReferenceError: needConfirm is not defined". Such a poorly done website. May be I should try from ummm Internet Explorer 6 instead of Chrome.

I use Option 1 and pay by SBI Gold VISA Debit card. It can also be used to pay by Credit card. Option 2 is for payment by Paypal. I have been using Chrome in HobbyKing. Never faced a problem. Clear your cookies & cache (it will probably clear your shopping cart). You can add the items again. Try again.

Search rcsearch.info/hobbyking/ for the discounted prices & buddy codes for the items you are ordering. You can save a LOT.

Dear Friends

I have ordered AXN floater jet (ARF),Charger,Servo,ESC,some gold connector
Total weight 2.8Kg

Amount 79.53$
Air Parcel 34.77$    paid through paypal total amount-114.30$ (7000INR)

am from chennai will this shipment will be charged by customs.

Alright guys, just ordered lot of stuffs from HobbyKing via FedEx. Couple of things:

1. You do not get custom declaration form until you are a gold member. A Gold member is one who is ordering from HK for third or more times.
2. The customer support says the FedEx charges involve payment to custom if any. I am not sure of that.
3. Use Paypal to avoid paying ~2% extra that you will have to, if you used credit card.
4. One BuddyCode per order max.
5. Sometime you see a one time offer on products like a $1 or 2 off on ~$15 product. Well, it does not appear always. I missed one.

This is my first order to HK totalling ~$150. The exchange rate was cruel  65.286509848/dollar. The shipping is whooping $50. It keeps me itching.

Fingers crossed.

Thanks for reading
Chindichor

@moorthy. If its NOT by Registered Airmail, you will be charged customs duty. Be ready to shell out ~  2000 as duty 

I have placed through air parcel means register mail ? But sure not by EMS express.

You placed order by Air Parcel. Air Parcel is costlier than Registered Airmail. Registered Airmail is only available upto 2kg weight.

You can check the POSTAGE TABLE in HobbyKing website. Bottom right of the website. You may be charged Customs Duty in the range of 1400-2100INR depending on whether they take only the ORDER VALUE or ORDER + SHIPPING.

Thanks for the information register mail limited to 2kg but AXN Floater weight 2.7kg so no way to book 

What is the duration time of Air parcel from HK to Chennai?

Quote from: Aman23 on November 08, 2013, 05:27:08 PM
Not a problem Tej. You are welcome. Keep us posted about your communications with customs dept. All the best.

I visited the custom office yesterday. Well as said before I had to pay 41% as custom duty on the package which was 1.3k.
I asked the officer why the duty is so high as its just a motor for a replacement for personal use. He replies that custom charges 41% on all personal use items above 2k.

I had 2 options, to accept the item and pay the charges or to send back the item to the vendor and pay the extra shipping charges! Well unfortunately I had to take the item! . I went back to home and checked the item and guess what! Its not working! 

Now I have to send back the item, pay the shipping cost and get the refund. 

I have imported items before by ems and it was cleared without any charges any duties which had these custom black seal.
So mostly chose registered shipping, if  had to order through ems, mark it as a gift and never to order at time of Diwali and new year that's when this custom guys charge as much as possible!

That's really very frustrating. What about the labeling....your parcel was not marked as 'gift'?

@Aman23

No! The vendor said he can't mark it as a gift! He didn't even had the registered shipping option!  Japanese vendors in my experience doesn't mark packages as gift! Chinese vendors do! Unfortunately the motor is only available in japan and us. 

How do the custom contact you? I mean do they call? Do you see it in shipping tracker and you contact?

I ordered some stuffs from HobbyKing with all the likelihood to get hung at custom (FedEx Priority, not marked as gift), so I am wanting to know the procedure. The other painful stuff is I live in Varanasi. That means, I will have to probably cancel a busy business day of work and rush to a metro. That adds some more to the loss.

-- Chindichor

Well I received a letter from them with all the details of documents then needed. I have attached the letter in previous post. If you have ordered from HK through ems then its 90% going to get stuck as people buy expensive stuffs in Diwali so custom guys check most of the packages. If ordered through registered shipping then you are fine unless you have transmitter or lipo inside. If rtf then there's a chance you might get a letter.

Also they send letter at the end moment.I received my letter 12 days from the date mentioned on letter so I went the next day. They say they won't be responsible for you package if the date exceed more than 15 days from the date mentioned on your letter so be careful!

Thanks Tej. I placed order yesterday via FedEx priority. Anyway, this is helpful.

-- Chindichor

41% is a complete BS ... and outrageous demand for which anyone can challenge these corrupt and autocratic Custom officials. It cannot go more than 33-35% including duties, CSD etc for the category of items we import.  The problem is that we cannot fight these kind of Chowderheads.

Yes that's right! You can't fight with them regarding the duty! This is the second time I am charged 41 %. Earlier I ordered rtr bike so 2.4ghz transmitter was the reason they gave me, but now it was just a small motor then too I had to pay 41%.

There were lots of people at the office yesterday who where charged the same percent on there packages! 

@ Tej. Did you take a receipt of the Duty payment? If yes, please upload it so that we can check under what headings you have been charged.

@Moorthy. No one can tell you a fixed time limit on items delivered by INDIAPOST, be it EMS, AirParcel or Registered AirMail. Having said that, EMS & AirParcel is faster than Registered AirMail.

@nairitb

I asked for the receipt but they said they can't give it too me! The receipt they showed me  didn't have any specific reason mentioned to charge that high percent. It was just mentioned to charge specific amount and a sign of the custom officer. They said the amount of the package is more than 2k  which was 2.8k so we can charge 41 percent!

I have attached a letter in my earlier post which has mention about the charges applied to my package! 

No No No. Its all wrong. That's the problem with us people. We are just TOTALLY ignorant of the rules!!

You get a RECEIPT even if you pay 1INR to the govt.

Someone here said "we cannot fight these kind of...". But the truth is WE CAN FIGHT.

The following can be followed by EVERYONE in the future:

1. 1st of all, if you receive a letter, check it date and the last date mentioned by which you should reply. If you receive the letter even 1 day before the last date of reply, don't worry. Send reply by Speed/Registered Post. Give them the required documents and ask for a detailed receipt stating the various heads under which you have been charged. Send the reply in the form of an RTI application, if needed. Ask them to show how the total Duty charged adds up to (say)41%. Also REQUEST them to provide a copy of these rules.

2. Don't worry if they say that you'll lose the parcel if you don't receive it within a particular day. Standard waiting time for parcels is some 45 days. Not sure of the EXACT no of days, but its more than a month. Then its sold through auction. And if you submit an RTI, a separate file will be made for that parcel untill the RTI application case is closed.

3. NEVER go and meet customs officials. Always communicate through letters and send the letters through Speed Post. Keep a copy of EVERYTHING you send and receive to/from Customs dept.

NOTE:

1. Address your application to Chief Commissioner of Customs of the Respective city where your parcel is under scrutiny.

2. You have to attach Rs 10 IPO if you are sending an RTI application. Check http://www.cbec.gov.in/ for more details on whom it should be in favour of.

3. Filing an RTI gives you 100% chance of getting a reply and solving your case.

4. You are NOT REQUIRED to say WHY you need the information when filing an RTI.

5. You should have patience as this process may sometimes take upto 2 months. Don't worry about the parcel. It'll be reserved for you as soon as they receive a RTI application regarding the same.

Hope this helps... 

BTW, my posts are generally long. Please dont throw tomatoes at me if you get bored when reading this 

@Nairitb

Thanks Man! That's what I wanted to know! I have been posting before for this type of information earlier! Thanks a lot!

Is I anyhow possible to get a receipt after paying the duty! I have paid duty that high for 2 times recently so I wanted to see what's the reason for the high percentage charge!

Well, the thing is, you dont have ANY proof that you paid THIS THIS amount as Customs on THIS date. The letter from Customs Office which you uploaded doesn't have any REF NO. So it DOESN'T have any OFFICIAL existence. All official govt letters have some kind of letter no/ref no with date.

However, if the letter has any ref no, then you have a ray of hope. Not RAY, but BEAM of hope 

Send an RTI, regarding the same. attach a copy of this letter as enclosure (even if it doesnt have any ref no). Give tracking details of your parcel. Ask for Money receipt. Ask for procedure of payment of Customs duties (copy of rules attached).

Say that you paid duty on THIS THIS date to THIS THIS (name & address) office. You want the money receipt now. Tell them to send information by Speed Post.

Results:

1. You will receive detailed heading & sections under which you have been charged Customs duty. You'll get the receipt(s).
2. You will be told that the parcel was not charged ANY duty.
3. Some kind of internal inquiry will be ordered if its found that you were overcharged.
4. A reply which you even can't imagine in your WILDEST DREAMS!!! 

Don't give up. Fight it out. This is how we can change the system or at least know about the system (if we have misinterpreted anything). Just lecturing & blaming Customs people in public forums wont do any good...