German Customs, what does one need?

[needsmorerobots]

I've heard German customs are very thorough when it comes to inspecting parcels. What sort of paperwork do I need to get a used DVD processed quicker?

My last shipment (which was my first) I sent a packing slip both inside and outside the package. The jury for that shipment is still out. Do German customs need phone number contacts for buyer/seller on invoice?

Thanks.

[mrdutch1001]

Ship very little overseas anymore, but last package to Germany was early January, 2020...hubby shipped a 600 g+package(model train item) sent via Tracked Packet, don't think there was anything extra sent except maybe an extra shipping label underneath the exposed one). No issues. Package arrived a week later. Of course this is all before Covid re-lated mail delays. The shipping label already contains own phone number and all the necessary customs info. We never ship anything of value anywhere domestic, USA or overseas, without tracking.

I occasionally ship an item of less than $15 value to Europe via regular mail and rarely have any issues. Have no experience shipping DVDs and I don't remember how long it's been since I shipped a vinyl LP record to Europe(which I have always shipped small packet).

I expect there will be varying experiences by sellers, depending on the item and method of shipping.

[kawartha-ephemera]

Definitely insert the buyer's phone number that is usually provided with the order details. May help, probably not.

Make it clear to customs what type of item is inside the shipment by
1. Looking up and supplying the correct HS Code for Germany and
2. Remove the gibberish listing title that ebay uses to pre- fill the description field. In a few words clearly describe what is inside... something along the lines of ...

USED DVD MEDIA PLASTIC DISC

The HS Code informs customs what sort/ type of media it is. Hopefully this information is enough to satisfy their curiosity and the shipment sails on through.

[reallynicestamps]

HS code for DVDs is 852340.

Has the Canada /European Union free trade agreement come into force yet?

[recped]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

HS code for DVDs is 852340.

Has the Canada /European Union free trade agreement come into force yet?

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Don't know but in any event it would not change anything for import of a used DVD.

"free trade" refers to tariffs not VAT or GST and even then it doesn't apply to anything and everything.

In the case of the Canada/EU trade agreement what is mostly at play there are quotas on for example agricultural products.

[recped]

I ship to Germany, I've never used anything other than the standard CN22 declaration. Invoices are only required for high value items (+$500????).

The free limit for imports from outside the EU is 150 Euro, that free limit is for duty/tariffs the exemption for VAT is 22 Euro, if the declared value is under 22 Euro recipients pay nothing (currently).

German customs are slow, maybe it's because they are thorough or maybe it's because they are just slow but in my experience it has nothing to do with documentation unless it's high value.

I have never provided a recipients phone number for Germany and only do so for Hong Kong / China and then it's only to help with final delivery rather than for customs.

[needsmorerobots]

I sent off the DVD. I provided mine and the buyer's contact for German customs in a separate detailed invoice outside the bubble mailer (they would have to open it and unfold it to see the contacts and info.

The person at the Canada Post office told me she had never heard of such a thing being done and almost debated with me that it wasn't needed. I provided past experiences from other sellers and their dealings with their customs and told the CP employee if the parcel gets held at German Customs because of improper documentation I would call CP office to lodge a complaint. Only then did she do as I requested.

She was possibly right but for goodness sake, just go with the customer's always right, what's the worst that can happen, that I learn I don't need the documentation or that German Customs has to recycle a sheet of paper.

[recped]

The only time I ever had a German customer request an invoice was a guy who had been busted for undervaluing a number of times.

I made up an invoice that would match what I had declared!

German customs are sensitive to some specific brands, mostly luxury goods and sport shoes (especially Adidas of course). They have been known to seize shipments that contain counterfeits (or alleged counterfeits).

[hlmacdon]

Have quite a few regular German customers. German customs is pretty strict with tax collection. If they suspect a package is over the exemption threshold parcels will get sent to a customs office. In practice it is much like here where packages from high volume countries like China are often ignored while shipments from North America attract more scrutiny. The recipient will have to go to the customs office and produce an invoice and they are often asked for further proof of payment to demonstrate the invoice is accurate. To save your customers the hassle it is best to include an invoice with the shipment. Slap it on the outside in a packing window if you have any small enough.  

[maximus7001]

Germany is one of our biggest buying countries. We ship there almost weekly. Cassette tapes shipped by lettermail under 100g with $6.39 in stamps. Never had a problem yet. No customs forms except when a German buyer gets more than one cassette which then needs to go small packet international air and a cn22 form on the back (also with stamps).