If you live in a country that imposes high tariffs when purchasing goods from abroad, you’ve probably done a little research about undervaluing your packages.
Which proxy undervalues packages?
In most countries, if you import goods above a certain amount, a tariff is imposed at the time of importation, which is no fun at all. Who wouldn’t want to be able to not worry about how much you’ll have to pay in tariffs?
But just keep in mind that when purchasing goods from a business with a falsely declared price is not only a violation of the Customs Law, but there are various other disadvantages as well, including:
- Things can happen to your package once it’s handed over to the shipping courier/ post office. In the event that a problem arises with your package, the maximum amount you’d be compensated would be your total declared value.
- Exporters who constantly undervalue packages run the risk of customs catching on and stopping packages. Sometimes packages will be opened or additional documents may be asked for custom clearance, hence making the whole process more time-consuming and in some cases, packages may be returned to the exporter.
- Lastly, the country may fine or ban the exporting business, and on top of that, your items may not be shipped to you.
It may be true that the total payment amount may be lower when purchasing from a business that undervalues at first glance, but purchasing goods from a business that always declares correctly reduces the risk of running into any avoidable problems and just an overall smoother transaction for both parties.