Etsy for Everyone

Customs in Germany... some insight

After having some customs hassle with stuff I purchased, it was fun to watch a TV documentary about the main customs office in Frankfurt last week.

Background
The dollar is really low right now. Plus, things are generally cheaper in the States. So for Europeans, it is really tempting to do loads of shopping online in the US right now. The thing is, you need to pay taxes on those things, at least after a certain value. It is 19% VAT in any case, plus customs fees depending on the item - I think most are 12%.

So when you buy in the States, and the package is more than app. 25$, you need to add another 31% to the price, because that is what customs will charge - if the intercept the package, at least.

Frankfurt
The main customs office is in Frankfurt; even if you live right across the border from a neighboring town in another country, the mail will be processed in Frankfurt first, then forwarded. That I already knew, but I was surprised at the extent of their activities.

Contraband
It seems that forging Nigerian passports is huge, at least the number of passports intercepted in Frankfurt was impressive. And those were mostly not destined for Germany at all, but other European countries - yet they were checked in Frankfurt, so I assume they are handling inter-European mail as well.

Steroids seem to be a lucrative market as well; anabolic shots were hidden in jars of paint and other "regular looking" packages. Or how about fake watches? Loads of those around...

Of course they also found drugs, for example hidden in a fully functional deo roll-on... they had to saw that one open.

X-Ray
It looked as if most packages were x-rayed in Frankfurt, with most hidden compartments showing up there already. Since seeing that, I always wonder what my purchases must look like in their scanners... like Soap's delicious soaps and tiny samples.

Undervalued
A major problem seemed to be that people state an item's value as lower on the outside, which should hopefully reduce the customs fees and taxes you have to pay. Only... customs uses Google. Like a genuine Guess jacket with fur (disgusting) that was valued at 50$ on the outside.

I actually witnessed customs' disbelief locally, when they sent a business man away who wanted to pick up some technical gizmo here in Hamburg. He was supposed to bring proof of the low price; when he was gone, they started gossipping about how much the item actually cost and pulling up eBay and Google to prove it.

The gap in their argument was actually that they required him to bring printed out emails if he had nothing else... now the thing is, I could forge those in 10 minutes.

My own trouble
Well, two packages were intercepted. Which hadn't happened in a while. One was 4 pillow covers from Joom, which they actually opened in Frankfurt. Now I don't know if they didn't believe the receipt that was included inside, or just chose to ignore it - I had to bring another receipt.

My soaps, I had to show them item by item what was in the sample bag... it looked as if they almost expected drugs, with the soap smell only meant to cover that.

But they were nice... kind of. They waived customs and taxes on the soaps, though I knew I was above the limit by 2$. And customs on the pillows was 20$, which is what I expected. And I didn't mind, because it was still a "steal" for what I got. :)

How to avoid trouble with customs
Honestly, I am not sure. Officially, pasting an envelope to the outside which has the receipt in it (and is marked as such) should do the trick. But then again, they opened the package with a receipt inside, and still I had to show up for that package.

Most importantly, do not lie about the value. Do not mark is as a gift. Even if it is marked as gift, customs can ask the receiving party for proof of value. If you include a receipt, that will only make things worse.

It is not your duty as a seller to involve in illegal activities for the sake of the customer. It is not your duty to lie on official documents. They are responsible for any customs and taxes in their own country.

And let's be honest - I have hardly ever had to pay customs. Most packages arrive without a price tag, so I really do not mind paying for the ones where I do have to pay taxes. I do mind the extra hassle it takes to go down there, but I currently have an experiment whereby the receipt is on the outside- and I am curious to see if that package arrives here or not.

_____________________________

Update

I did some more research. First of all, the current limit without customs fees is 22€ or 32$. Since shipping is also taxed, that means most of my purchases hit that limit.

But! December 1st this year will see the end to all my troubles... the limit is lifted to 150€ or 220$. Problem solved, I am never above that.

Here are the most common customs fees as well:

Textiles: 12%
Leather: 4%
Gold & silver jewelry: 2,5%
Costume jewelry: 4%
Prints & art: free
Cosmetics: 0-6,5%

Where to place ads...

Everyone of us should have some sort of marketing strategy. Even if that means that you decide to only list on Etsy and hope for the best - you need to think about the alternatives.

Project Wonderful is a neat way to get exposure cheaply, and I offer ads on my blog and place some myself from time to time.

Currently, you can also find my ad on the frontpage of PoshMama, which I think is a pretty good site considering my target market. It's gonna run in September, and since I hardly list right now, any sales can probably be attributed to PM.

Start thinking about ads in local publications towards Christmas as well. I am also busy deciding which craft fairs to attend this season.

Post about getting ready for Christmas will follow soon!

European statistics on the US election

Just came across some cool statistics about the European take on the election. First off, German media recognizes that the high level of "love" Obama is getting in Europe might make his US plight more difficult... since Americans are suspicious as to why we would love him so much. Easy explanation - we really, really hate GWB.

Improvement of European-US relations
47% in 12 countries think that the relations will improve if Obama is elected.
Only 11% think this will be the case if McCain is elected

Preference for president
69% of Europeans would like to see Obama elected.
Only 26% wish for McCain.

In Germany, the preference is even clearer - 82% want Obama to win. That is almost the same percentage as in Kenya, where Obama's father is from.

Worldwide (22 countries), Obama is preferred by 49%, McCain by 12%, though 25% didn't state a preference.

Europeans view of the US
Before the Iraq war, 64% of Europeans viewed the US' important role as positive. Currently, it has dropped to 34%. And only 19% view GWB's politics as positive.

View of global problems
Climate change is recognized as a global problem everywhere, but while 41% of Europeans say that this nees to be a transatlantic priority, this view is only shared by 18% of the Americans.

While most Europeans are willing to get involved in humane activities in Afghanistan, only 43% support sending troops to fight the Taliban; in America, that percentage is 76%

69% of Americans are worried about an Iranian nuclear bomb; less than 50% in Germany.

And I'm sorry, I thought this was so funny:

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

A European view on the election

I can't speak for everyone, but I closely follow the 2008 US elections, both in the US as well as in the German media. I thought it might be interesting to give you some background on our system and general perception.

First of all, it has always been weird for me that the US only have two parties. Germany has... I don't know... many? We have two main ones, plus a "green" party and liberals, plus a rather new left party, and numerous fringe parties from all paths of life. I would say that we have 5 parties that everyone knows, and that influence politics in Germany. The two main ones are currently sharing power, by the way.

Religion is hardly an issue during election. Yes, the main conservative party carries the word "Christian" in its name, but it really isn't an issue; state and church are separated. Abortion is legal, there is no prayer in school, religious studies in class cover all religions, and same-sex marriages are allowed.

The statistics concerning health care in the US are worrying us. In Germany, everyone has health insurance, most things are covered, and the waiting time for non-life-threatening surgery is lowest in the whole world.

The weak economy in the States is a threat to us as well, with many of our own banks taking a serious hit when the US mortgage crisis emerged.

As for the price of gasoline... I doubt Germans understand what Americans are complaining about. Want to know what a gallon of gas costs in Germany right now? Approximately $8. Only we have a well-connected public transport system and have been trying to produce energy-saving cars and alternative fuels for ages.

And let's be honest... George W. Bush has seriously hurt international relationships. The one thing that I am still grateful for is that our former chancellor Schröder refused to get involved in the unjust Iraq war, resulting in an even more strained relationship with the US.

So for us in Germany, we are not sad to see Bush go. We generally believe that the US need to end the current wars, actively participate in the environmental challenges like CO2 emissions, global warming, and dependency on oil, and get their economy on track again. The fact that the Geneva conventions are ignored both in jails and "anti-terrorist" jails like Guantanamo is something most Germans find unbelievable, and feel very strongly about.

As for the terrorist attacks - we haven't been under attack yet, so it is difficult for us to imagine what the country's reaction would be like. We have a large number of Muslims in Germany, as well as many other ethnic groups - the integration is mostly okay, but I cannot deny that there is a tendency for ethnic ghettos in larger cities as well.

Talking as a German, I hope for a new US president that can patch up the shaky relationship between our countries. I am hoping for someone to stabilize the economy. For someone to actively participate in the many environmental programs that Europe is already initiating, and that the US for the most part are boycotting. And I hope for someone to end the war in Iraq.

Do I think McCain is a statesman who can handle international relations? Yes. Do I think that he can change the political directions of the last 8 years? No - he proudly announced that he voted with Bush 90 or 95% of the time... where's the change in that?

I also see that he is 72, had 4 bouts of cancer, and will most probably not make it through the whole term without interruptions.

So when judging the Republican ticket, me (and the German media) is taking a very close look at his running mate. And McCain's selection scares us, to be honest.

I don't mind her being from Alaska. I don't mind that her daughter is pregnant. I applaud that she is a woman. I don't agree with her abortion point of view, but I realize that this is none of my concern, since I do not live in the States.

What really scares me is the following:
- less than 2 years in office in a state that is tiny population-wise
- mayor of a "city" of 7.000 - that's what we call a "Dorf", not a city
- no international experience whatsoever
- only got her passport a year ago
- has only visited three countries in her life

When McCain needs her to step in, she will be the most powerful political leader in the world. And she will have no clue whatsoever what that world looks like, what cultures to take into consideration, and how to handle the intricate international relationships.

If Germany could vote, we would vote for Obama. But... we also realize that America needs a leader that is good for its own country, not just international relationships. I do not have a quick fix for the many problems that are accumulating in your country, just as we do not always have a solution for our own problems.

Hopefully, come November, there will be a change. Someone who can undo some of the damage of the last 8 years. And hopefully, the global economy as well as the environment will profit from that change.

Some new furniture and details

Yeah, still busy with the apartment, which is about all the creative output I manage right now... haven't done anything Etsy-related for ages. Feel bad about it, but I want to get back two weeks from now, then really get Christmas season nailed down.

So instead of posting Etsy-related stuff, I have to limit myself to design-related stuff. Sorry!

I finally found a lamp I liked - since I only have 2,50m height, that was a challenge. Got two of these now, for the entrance as well as living room, and I might get a third for the kitchen... will see.

I love the fact that it tampers down, therefore not giving off bright light especially when looking up. And the red/ brushed steel works well in my place.

Matching the lamp, I settled on a 20l push can in brushed steel.

It also took me ages, but I have finally
settled on a TV, with help from a friend.

The thing is, I knew I wanted a flat screen. So I started looking at 22" LCD. The longer I looked, the more I wanted a large TV. And somehow, the price differences weren't that huge... But of course, I ended up spending 3x what I had planned initially. :)

But - I was at least smart enough to get a 37" instead of a 42"; just not enough distance between couch and TV.

It's a Panasonic PX 80 plasma, and it will get here Monday - my friend will help setting it up.

As you can see, I am spending serious money right now... but I cannot help it! I really, really want the apartment to be finished soon. And there is still soooo much to do.

Shipping to Europe

Just a quick heads-up for anyone shipping to Europe... I have been ordering from Etsy for years, never had a problem - the last 2 months, 3 out of 4 orders were intercepted by customs.

Now I have no problem at all paying 19% VAT. Only, this should usually be handled by my postal carrier - this time, they held my packages in their office, and I need to take time off work to pick them up. Providing my ID as well as as a sales receipt. I am annoyed.

But - I know why it happened.

Stating the correct amount outside is not enough. Adding a receipt inside the package is not enough. The receipt needs to be placed outside.

Preferably in a see-though envelope, but customs told me they are just as happy with a regular envelope taped to the outside, as long as it says "receipt inside".

That way, Frankfurt can handle the package, verify what I paid, then charge me tax through the postal service.

So go on, do yourself and your customers a favor when shipping to Europe - place the receipt outside.

With the dollar being so low, German customs have seriously increased their activities, intercepting way more packages than before. For us, shopping in the States is so cheap - even when I add th 19% VAT, I am still saving money. But they really, really want their 19% - so that's why they are so busy right now.

Register to Vote

Personally, I think US elections are way sexier than what we have here in Germany. But, obviously I cannot vote in November - if you are reading this from somewhere in the US, you can!

I won't even influence you by saying who I would vote for if I could... (Obama) :)

So go on, register to vote if you haven't done so already.