Addressing package to Finland for VAT?

[byto253]

Appreciate some help in addressing a package to Finland and the Canada post customs form.

The VAT has been paid through eBay and the sales, the online customs form does not have a spot for the VAT number, should I put the VAT number on the outside of the envelope?

I am looking at sending it untracked small packet air.  Any concerns that there is much more risk than sending it untracked to the US or Canada?

I had not intended to sell worldwide but this was one of the first listings I did under the new listing tool on .com and it defaults to worldwide shipping unless you change it.  The shipping is actually not that much more than untracked packet to the US.  

I messaged the buyer as well, but would appreciate the benefit of the experience on the board.

EDIT:  Would you put the VAT Paid : IOSS - <number> as and additional address line in the customs form?

[ricarmic]

I send stuff overseas all the time and as I'm a stamps on the box kinda guy I'm always using the online customs form. Probably because they don't want to encourage us I don't see them likely ever putting the VAT box on the online customs form (and really it makes sense the online customs form isn't really meant for a business).

What I do is:

-I put it in the address, you will have to get your PM to OVERRIDE the address after they scan it, this pulls what you have typed in instead of the autofilled address (I think to them it is a "correction" button)

-you have to delete any "#" the CP system cannot tolerate them (this matters for Australia ones) and won't accept "#" anywhere

-I also put the address on the envelope itself with the VAT number highlighted in yellow (so the buyer address is on twice once on the PO label and once taped on by me).

-of course the ebay receipt has the VAT number as well.

In reality I'm not sure it all matters because one cannot get the VAT number electronically in the system using the online customs form. I strongly suspect the majority of the buyers end up paying it again, however none of my buyers have complained in some time so one never knows.

[dinomitesales]

Purchase your label through SnapShip or Shippo - they both have a space in the customs fields to add the appropriate numbers. This is the only approved way to have the information available via electronic means, which is what pretty much all customs offices are using for assessment.

[38e_avenue]

I recently shipped some small packets to Finland. Here an example of the address label I print: 

 

I put it next to the Shippo label.  

Unfortunately, they always arrive very late (6 weeks or more by air).