Help needed from experienced guys (newbie here) on Customs payments

[Superfly]

Hello everyone! I hope not to sound like a pain but I do need some confirmations.
Two days ago I got a message from Hobby King saying that my package was shipped, from Hong Kong towards Italy.
Yesterday I got a message from an unheard-of courier company (www.scsexpress.com) saying that my package is in their hands (and why is that so?), all safe in Germany, and that I need to pay Customs duties directly to them.
After I pay that sum (another 40 USD give or take) they will give my package to UPS and deliver it to my final destination in Italy.
Now, can you please tell me if all this is normal, and if I can trust this SCS company? I mean, if anything, I would have imagined that I needed to pay the customs here in Italy, where the goods are delivered...
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

S

 

[glydr]

Don't know... but you're not the first:

http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/topic/139752-hobbyking-customs-duties-scam-or-not-your-opinions-please/

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1684131&page=2

 

[pgerts]

You will probably pay the tax where the package enters EU and not in the final destination.
There is no tax when buying within EU.

 

[jd7792]

I would be contacting your local customs and import authority straight away, before paying anything. Sounds like a scam to me???
Or you could contact Hobby King and check if this is normal, mind you at the speed they sort things out you'll have an RC wheelchair by the time you get your reply!

Good luck!

 

[Nonamerc]

Hi I live in the Netherlands,

My last package whent to switzerland. By doing so I did not had to pay any costums. Costums are normal, next time you order from HK change your costums value and you wont need to pay. Its normal to pay costums, only make sure that if the package arrives in italy that they dont ask you again for costums, print the form in which it says that you paid for evidence!! (Once they tried to let me pay costums 2 times..)

 

[Superfly]

Thank you everyone! Ok so I have to pay more attention in the future, to say the least.
Actually, do you also have guidelines on what value I should put when closing a new order with Hobby King? Is there a freely editable field in the parcel data where I can state that my, let's say, 300 USD worth model really has a value of only 15 USD for shipment (I believe this is done for insurance purposes, also)?

S

 

[colorex]

Is there a freely editable field in the parcel data where I can state that my, let's say, 300 USD worth model really has a value of only 15 USD for shipment

Yes. It's called declared value, and you can use it to bypass customs. But note that they will only refund the declared value if it gets lost in the mail.

You can also contact customer service chat right after ordering and ask them not to send through SCS.

 

[Superfly]

Ok thank you as always Colorex, that is very clear. Next time I will push so to avoid at all terms SCS...