Spyderco catalogs and EU-import customs

[Peter1960]

Recently I have had an unpleasant surprise with Spyderco catalogs - for the second time, because the first time was in summer last year.

If customs is to be paid, the post office in Austria takes care of the processing and a fee must be paid in addition to customs. So far, so good, if it weren't for the Spyderco declaration.

In the present case, it was stated that the package contents (yes it was a package) of 1 x catalog and 2 x stickers, each worth USD 5.00. Makes USD 15.00 in total.

I was billed EUR 7.65 for this, EUR 2.65 to customs and EUR 5.00 as a low import tariff.

It's annoying, because Spyderco sends out catalogs free of charge and this has been the practice for years, if not decades. Maybe it was just an oversight by the Shipping Manager in the SFO, but as mentioned at the beginning, it has happened to me for the second time that I had to pay for it ... in US-currency USD 8.72!

In fact, the current catalog 2022 and the Reveal 8 from 2021 were in the package, but of course the specified stickers were not included.

BTW - a BIG THANK YOU to Spyderco for the catalogs, the quality becomes better from year to year and it is always my pleasure to study it

I have one more question for Spyderco: would it be possible to ship catalogs and disclosures within EU countries, as has been done in the past, IIRC Belgium, Hungary as shipping countries...?

[ChrisinHove]

Yikes. I look forward to receiving a bill, too, then, with our Brexit morons in charge here.

[Peter1960]

Poor you! Maybe you Brits have another regulation ...

I guess to declare catalogs as "merchandise" makes customs authority active; besides the value declaration it's not the best wording for an item free of charge.

[Danke]

Free things still have a value. Whenever I export something even a sample of merchandise it has to have a valid declared value. Anyone getting billed for low value materials sent to you that's all on the folks running the show where you live.

[Naperville]

For years I sent packages to the Philippines for a pen pal that I had and I always had to send cash to the recipients so that they could pay the tariff. They were very poor, but liked their American and German chocolates.

[Jim Malone]

Have not received my catalog here in Belgium yet. Last ones from last year where just shipped in a white enveloppe and they didn't have a value iirc. I sure hope they don't start charge import tax as well.

[Jim Malone]

If they use books it's free from import tax and a TAV of 6% i believe. I don't know how much they charge as an import fee with these low values in Belgium.

[TazKristi]

Hi, Peter:
Thank you for sharing this. We're looking into why and how this happened. I'll update when I know more.

Kristi

[Ramonade]

France is the same now since July 2021. If it comes from outside of the EU, you have to pay. Even if it is a gift.

My father was gifted a book from a friend living in Switzerland : He had to pay 20+ € to get it. (Cost of the book new is like 40€ !)

[Pokey]

Oh, no! That's too bad, Peter.

[Bill1170]

This doesn’t apply to the online catalog, correct?

[austrian_spyder_fan]

Recently I have had an unpleasant surprise with Spyderco catalogs - for the second time, because the first time was in summer last year.

If customs is to be paid, the post office in Austria takes care of the processing and a fee must be paid in addition to customs. So far, so good, if it weren't for the Spyderco declaration.

In the present case, it was stated that the package contents (yes it was a package) of 1 x catalog and 2 x stickers, each worth USD 5.00. Makes USD 15.00 in total.

I was billed EUR 7.65 for this, EUR 2.65 to customs and EUR 5.00 as a low import tariff.

It's annoying, because Spyderco sends out catalogs free of charge and this has been the practice for years, if not decades. Maybe it was just an oversight by the Shipping Manager in the SFO, but as mentioned at the beginning, it has happened to me for the second time that I had to pay for it ... in US-currency USD 8.72!

In fact, the current catalog 2022 and the Reveal 8 from 2021 were in the package, but of course the specified stickers were not included.

BTW - a BIG THANK YOU to Spyderco for the catalogs, the quality becomes better from year to year and it is always my pleasure to study it

I have one more question for Spyderco: would it be possible to ship catalogs and disclosures within EU countries, as has been done in the past, IIRC Belgium, Hungary as shipping countries...?

Hi Peter,
at least you got the catalog.
I didn't get the last catalogs and reveals, although I registered several times.
I think there was another thread some months ago.
Maybe a company in Europe(EU) could print Thema and than send without Tax/customs?

Regards
ASF

[Peter1960]

Hi Peter,
at least you got the catalog.
I didn't get the last catalogs and reveals, although I registered several times.

Hi ASF,

To avoid any misunderstanding: for the catalog I did not register with Spyderco; a friendly colleague from the forums visited the SFO, he saw the reveal and the new catalog and asked if they could send both to me, which they thankfully did.

[austrian_spyder_fan]

Hi Peter,

thanks for the explanation.
Nevertheless i didn't get the catalog or reveal since roundabout one year from SFO.
It is what it is.

ASF

[Danke]

No good deed goes unpunished.

[brj]

Nevertheless i didn't get the catalog or reveal since roundabout one year from SFO.
It is what it is.

Same here, did not receive a catalog/reveal for 2020 and/or 2021 although requested them on the site a couple times.
I did receive the 2022 calendar in a white envelope though, so dunno, maybe the bulkier packages got lost in transit?

[Ramonade]

Same, requested once but I know it's in their system. If it comes one day it's cool if not it's not a problem.
I sometimes print one page of the pdf version at 100% just to cut the template of the knife and then see if it'll fit me

[DerRock]

I recently received a catalog not from the USA, but from somewhere in Europe. Seems to be from Norway. I don't remember anymore. I was very surprised. Didn't have to pay for anything
Thank you Spyderco!

[sv4]

I have not received my 2022 catalog yet, but my 2021 catalog took over 6 months to get to me. I had to request for it a couple of times. It was sent from a UK distribution centre if memory serves. With overall slow downs in postal services and everything else generally, I guess that's the way things are until all gets back to normal.