All international "Gift" packages now liable for customs duty @ 77%(?)

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varkey

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Ordering from AliExpress or eBay.com or other international sellers is going to be more expensive. DGFT has revised the rules around importing packages as gift which was earlier free from customs duty for low value shipments when sent via regular post. Now all packages through post are liable for duty at 41.2% 😢 😭

As per the notification, the revision is applicable from Dec 12, 2019.


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Yeah, so now anything which is above Rs 250 or so we'd need to pay the duty (if the final duty amount is less than 100, then the duty is exempted)

I wonder if this is why few of my packages are stuck at Kochi IMC which used to get moved to the next office for delivery in 2-3 days until last month. Assessing the duty of all packages would now require more man power and is bound to be slow.

At this point, I think it would make sense to obtain an Import Export Code (IEC) and get packages through courier. At least then the duty would be based on the item being imported and not a flat 41.2% rate applicable for personal imports through post.
 
@varkey you too got things stuck at kochi imc?
I called and enquired them.. They told me my pack would be checked today, as its due for today. Hope they don't put up that goddarn duty on it 😭😭
 
Yeah two which are shown as dispatched from Kolkata but no update since then. Usually the next update is when the package gets out of Kochi IMC, that hasn't happened yet.

If they enforce the new rule, then for packages which are bigger in size would definitely attract duty.
 
Ok, it was dispatched from Kochi IMC today 🤷‍♂️ Will know about the duty in the next few days, although this is just a cable so it should come duty free. 🤞


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Sad state of affairs. People would not import from China/AliExpress if the damn product was being made and sold in India. I honestly cannot tell whether such import curbs and high duty fees will encourage local spending. BTW my Wifi AX200 m.2 card is stuck along with few tempered glasses and TPU covers for my phones 😂
 
^ To be fair, once you add Amazon's cut, GST, customs duty, shipping cost etc, it would never be economical for the seller to sell that product at the price AliExpress charges, unless the seller is a large scale importer/reseller. 🤷‍♂️
 
Yeah this is more of an issue for low priced items. If a seller sells a cable for Rs 250 all he gets after Amazon fees and shipping is Rs 135. When importing in bulk, there would be customs duty, shipping etc. Once you add up all that, unless you do this in large scale, I don't think you can sell it on Amazon for cheaper.


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Yeah selling small items on Amazon costs more
But I'd have to expect big time sellers get much more of a discount
Also one of the reasons why amazon's own stuff can cost much less than compitition

I luckily brought almost everything I had my eyes on on 11.11
 

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