Is there Import Taxes into the USA?  

Re: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

Prusa is very upfront about the buyer being responsible for taxes, customs or import fees. It is not a case of having to look for "fine print".

I personally hate all the convolutions of navigating the opaque importation process. The few times I have had stuff manufactured overseas I wound up hiring firms to guide my stuff through customs and getting it to an out-of-the-way warehouse where I personally picked it up…I had almost no control over any of that. All sorts of unexpected and un-avoidable fees leaped up. Oh well.

Prusa lists Payment options, Value Added Tax (VAT) & Customs on this page https://help.prusa3d.com/article/P3iMlZWniv-payment-options-vat-customs

Also, when I experimented with buying something in Prusa's e-store, on the first page I saw this:

Re: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

Prusa is very upfront about the buyer being responsible for taxes, customs or import fees. It is not a case of having to look for "fine print".

I was referring to the carrier surcharges that get slapped on top of the duties owed. *Those* are not disclosed ahead of time and are usually more than the actual taxes owed.

Re: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

I was referring to the carrier surcharges that get slapped on top of the duties owed. *Those* are not disclosed ahead of time and are usually more than the actual taxes owed.

Yes, I got that. And I agree the practice of having unannounced fees is deplorable.

I'm just trying to leave behind a trail of breadcrumbs on the broader topic.

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

I just got charged import duties of  $66.85 on an 887.76 order of an mk4 kit

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

This reply isn't about politics but I want to correct some misconceptions about VAT.

VAT is only paid effectively by private end customers. In B2B it plays no role. As Czechia can not tax US Americans outside of Czechia, there also can't be a VAT on exported goods, imposed by Czechia. It is within the authority of the importing country to decide sales taxes and VAT. For the exporting company it makes no difference. Local customers pay the same VAT percentage for all printers no matter where they are from. So there is no cost advantage to be had from that either.

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

Your order exceeds the $800 threshold above which duty is collected. Apparently you added accessories to the kit.

I got burnt on this when I ordered the MMU with my MK3. It would have been cheaper to pay the extra shipping and order the MMU separately.

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

no accessories added, the kit price is now above $800 itself. Would be nice to have a "no printed parts" kit if it was enough to keep it under the threshold

Posted by: @tom-de-winter

Your order exceeds the $800 threshold above which duty is collected. Apparently you added accessories to the kit.

I got burnt on this when I ordered the MMU with my MK3. It would have been cheaper to pay the extra shipping and order the MMU separately.

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

Just ordered an assembled mk4+ with enclosure and several rolls of filament. My VAT was about $80. DHL claims they’ll send it back if not paid. Felt a little like a hostage negotiation so I just paid. I’ve waited far to long not to play with this thing immediately =)

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

I got beaned for $98 on duties for my XL, but to be clear, I knew that was possible. Although it doesn't make it hurt any less. 😭 

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

Posted by: @rufusclupea

On just the MK3 kit, we were charged a "foreign transaction fee" of $12.06.
I do not know if any further charges may show up in the ensuing weeks/months.

Just for future reference, that's your credit/debit card issuer charging you a fee for making a transaction in a foreign currency—literally nothing to do with any government. Here's a NerdWallet article about foreign transaction fees (though it's geared towards travelers, the concept is the same when you're just buying from a foreign vendor online).

For situations like this (as well as international travel), it's helpful to have at least one card that doesn't nickel and dime you that way.

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

The fact is this fee isnt mentioned during checkout especially of a black friday deal with "free delivery" also how would DHL know the value of the package when they could simply be like "ok its over the thresh hold so lets just say its 700 instead of 1000"

A bigger issue with this is the number of scam emails i receive on a monthly basis about my "packages being held" to now see this as a legit email is along the lines of the gmail emails saying they will deleted our google drive files after X date if we dont log in.... The number of one box and icloud and other cloud service scam emails going around as well then you get a legit email about the same thing.

I havent ordered much from over seas but pretty sure the one thing I did years ago displayed that fee on the cart after the fact. If prusa shows this fee on their site hidden away on some back page instead of being on the actual checkout itself is a big WTF. Having to pay the fee on checkout despite getting "free shipping" to then get an email saying your package is being held hostage is messed up.

Also I thought years ago that I read somewhere prusa has usa distributors finally. Perhaps I was mistaken.

RE: Is there Import Taxes into the USA?

Printed Solid sells Prusa products in the US.