Customs charges on purchases from USA

Have just got our wedding thank you cards from the States. We were charged 40 euros for customs Is this the norm? Didn't realise we would have to pay customs?

I am not sure sunbeam, My invitations and RSVP cards arrived from the US and I certainly didn't pay customs anything!!!

You are obliged to pay customs but it depends on the sender and how they package the goods etc so obviously somebody in the post office copped it and enforced the charge. You have been very unlucky as I have bought a few bits from US and never been charged anything, and you normally hear of brides being charged on large items such as BM dresses etc. but the smaller things usually slip through the net and that's why some people get charged and others don't.

Just my luck to get charged!! Read somewhere in another post that if you don't order express you might not be charged customs? Anyone any experience of this? We ordered express.

You are supposed to pay customs on anything you buy in from the states but you will get away with most of it! Ebay etc often ship as a gift!! Gets you out of the loop! I've bought loads of stuff from the states & only got caught for customs with me dress. It was €55 customs charges. €40 seems high for invitations....

it depends on the cost of your purchase,i was charged €50 for an order that was i think €400,from what i was told its 21% of the cost if your unluckey enough to be caught

just to add that seems like an awful lot for just thank you cards, how much was the order for?

If it comes from DHL or someone like that you will be charged customs. If it comes through regular post then it won't be. It just a matter of picking the right option, regular post is usually the cheapest.

They cost 225 dollars plus 35.88 dollars postage. I think it was about 200 euros - so I suppose 21% is around 40 euros which is about right. Thanks for the replies - I thought the customs charge was very dear but from advise you've given it sounds about right. As I said - just my luck to have been caught!!

As others said it depends on if you get caught, I have been caught twice but have received other stuff recently and was expecting the bill but nothing!