Vault Subscription and Customs decleration (Germany)

[JSusi]

I had this problem with the package #21 – my shipment got stuck in customs. I was a bit suprised why, because all the others (even the one TMR marked for $54 by mistake) arrived straight to me.

So I struggled with the same problem, what is the value of the items inside the package? I asked TMR if they could give me the values per item or at least tell me what was the value they marked on the package so I could make the declaration based on that (and hoping the customs office won't ask proof). I didn't hear anything from TMR for several days so I finally called the customs office and explained the situation, and told them I don't have any document to proof the value (as this is a part of a membership with other benefits also). The customs officer told me this is handled as a gift from a company, and the value limit is 22 € (~$28) and he will open the package and check the items and determine himself if I need to to pay the fee (VAT 24%) or not.

I didn't hear anything from him and few days later my shipment arrived. I still don't know why it got stuck in the customs, the value marked on the package was $20, which is under the limit. Could there be a somekind of a campaing going on in the EU customs or what?

Vestitor, you said you got a receipt from TMR with the values of the items in the Vault package?

[dying stereo]

Same happens to me in three of four cases.They always charge me around 11 euros. They don't understand the exclusive access to the vault. But i always pay the taxes because i don't want them to research the internet for these items

[Lolmann]

Till now every package was stuck in the customs, but i never had to pay anything.

Package 22 is the first one that was not stuck there.

[a meg me da medo]

i'm in germany too.

its true, its a performance related payment!
if you perform well you pay less or even nothing.
iof you didn't perform at all or play stupid,
this could be expensive.
but its part of the game though!

#22 sneaked through but it has for the first time a detailed bill on board!

best
ammdm

[Vestitor]

Update for package #21:
I hate my local customs... Don't know if I wrote this already.
I went there and tried to explain... AGAIN! how this vault thing works. He wouldn't hand it to me. He wants to know how much this is worth.
I say: I don't know!
She: I need a receipt.
I went home, wrote to TMR, went back to my local customs.
I showed her what TMR sent me:

Quantity Description Weight Value Country
2 Vinyl Records 36 oz. $15.00 United States
1 Flag 4 oz. $3.00 United States


Shipping Costs:
USPS Priority International Package - $38.07

Vault Membership Costs:
$80 per 3 months, including vinyl record package and access to exclusive online content, offers, giveaways, etc.
Vinyl package constitutes $18 of this membership cost.

Him: I don't believe it, seems too low.
I: what???
Then he used the method I mentioned earlier, 80$ gold membership - 20$ silver= 60$ worth of vinyl... SURE!
That was 3 months ago.
I now have Package #22 waiting at my locoal customs. The mehtod above was not accepted this time.
She asked me how much the vinyls are worth. How am I supposed to know?

Do they get sold or traded? For how much?

I answered: sure they do! How else would I have bought them??? (And I'm not using the prices on ebay, 100€ and up)
- Then how much did you pay?
- 80$... but that's not the value for the package!
She didn't get it... I had to leave the items there and went home.
I don't know hat to do! they won't accept my invoice from TMR, they won't accept the subscription as the value...

I will try again with my new invoice. Triple LP... 25$

Sorry if this all sounds confusing, it is!
So is my local customs

[HammerOfTheGods]

Sounds like a royal pain in the ass! Sorry you have to deal with that!

[Thinkfirst]

Yeah, this is also why I haven't ordered a vault package yet. Too much extra costs and all around hassle.
Don't you guys think that they have enough clients to have a distribution centre in Europe?
Well maybe that's against what third man stands for, but at least they need to do something about this..
I'm getting really excited for package #23, and thought i might take the leap, but after all of the extra costs i had to pay for the bumble buzz
i think i will just keep on craving..

[Lolmann]

I've live in Germany too and exept the last package all were stuck in customs. But i never had to pay for it. I guess i had luck with the guys there.

[Thinkfirst]

Wow, they really do have the best customer service ever!!
I asked them to file a complaint to USPS since my package took a month to get delivered instead of the promised 5 days (and thus missing x-mas)
and they just refunded the shipping costs themselves on my paypal.
Amazing!

[benyo]

I live in Germany, too and just signed up for the first time at Vault #22. Mine also got stuck in customs and they made me pay 12€ extra.
I tried to convince the guy that they put a receipt in there, but he just said : "I don't think that this could have been that cheap" (I think the invoice said something about 25$). I'll see how it goes with the next vault and happy to read about your "tricks". Gonna try the one with comparing platinum member to the gold member to save at least 20$ of worth.

[benyo]

Sorry for doubleposting, but I just have a recent problem with some records I got sent from america. I got two records sent from different people and yesterday I got two letters saying I have to show the receipt of the goods even though
they were marked as gifts. Don't really have a clue what to do now, as I don't want to pay a lot of customs on the records. Does anyone german or american have any experience with a
similar case? They are both vault LPs, but not the new #23 (that will probably arrive there in less than a week).
Any help or advice is very welcome.

[Thinkfirst]

Well, i decided to jump the gun and get Vault 23 too and i'm now having the same problem..
Curious as to how they will handle it.

[benyo]

I also have to pick it up from customs again. Well most certainly you have to pay, as they want to see a receipt.

[Thinkfirst]

Well, the postman was finally at my door this morning with my vault package (after customs held it for 3 weeks).
Anyway, i still had to pay 28€, which i didn't do. This is way too much. So now i still haven't got my vault and it'll probably be a long time before this is sorted out with customs.

[profsteenmarter]

Well, the postman was finally at my door this morning with my vault package (after customs held it for 3 weeks).
Anyway, i still had to pay 28€, which i didn't do. This is way too much. So now i still haven't got my vault and it'll probably be a long time before this is sorted out with customs.

You are never going to see that package again. it's returned to sender if you didn't pay (I think).
this never is going to pass without paying taxes, unless TMR is sending it with First-Class package international service
and not with Priority-Mail international like they do right now. because it's insured..