# posting electronics from USA to Italy. Phone compatabilities.



## philotalian (Nov 10, 2014)

Hi there, I am looking at buying a few things on US Amazon, then getting them posted to Italy from a friend in the USA. Was wondering how strict the taxes are on some goods? For instance I am getting vitamin supplements, do they tax these and if so, what percentage? Or do only some packages get flagged for tax while other ones slip through the net?

Also of major concern is buying a new phone - the Galaxy Note 4 (International Version) - will that get taxed too? It seems that the price in dollars is exactly the same in Euros, e.g. the phone costs US$690, but E690 in Europe (US $812). So is it worth paying the extra $122 locally in case of warranty and repair issues? Or would the Italian postal tax work out prohibitively buying the phone in the USA?

And also, would it be guaranteed to not have any 4G/LTE problems working in Europe? (This is the N910H model for Europe)

Thanks for your attention!lane:


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Before you even get to the question of import duties you should consult the U.S. Postal Service's International Mail Manual for Italy to see if the items you want to send can even be sent....

....And the answer is no. According to the IMM, "Compound medicaments and medicines" cannot be sent to Italy, and that would appear to include vitamin supplements. (Medicaments is a fancy way of saying "things like medicines.")

"Lithium cells and batteries — including items containing lithium cells and batteries under 135.6" are also prohibited, so that rules out mobile phones. (Section 135.6 ordinarily provides an exception allowing mailing of lithium batteries "properly installed in the equipment they are intended to operate" -- meaning if the battery isn't integral to the phone you have to break open the box and move the separate battery into its proper position in the phone -- but Italy doesn't allow such exceptions.)

So you've just described two types of products that you cannot legally send in the mail to Italy. If you proceed in mailing those items, then the import duty could be 100%, i.e. either the U.S. Postal Service or Poste Italiane would be within their rights to seize them, and that would be that.

Is there anything else you want to send?


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

philotalian said:


> Hi there, I am looking at buying a few things on US Amazon, then getting them posted to Italy from a friend in the USA. Was wondering how strict the taxes are on some goods? For instance I am getting vitamin supplements, do they tax these and if so, what percentage? Or do only some packages get flagged for tax while other ones slip through the net?
> 
> Also of major concern is buying a new phone - the Galaxy Note 4 (International Version) - will that get taxed too? It seems that the price in dollars is exactly the same in Euros, e.g. the phone costs US$690, but E690 in Europe (US $812). So is it worth paying the extra $122 locally in case of warranty and repair issues? Or would the Italian postal tax work out prohibitively buying the phone in the USA?
> 
> ...


Amazon.com (AKA USA) is selling the EU model? VAT is I think 22%. The shipper may tack on handling fees. Plus it'll cost you an extra few Euros to buy a charger if you don't have one.

You need to check the frequencies it supports. If it is really an EU model it should support IIRC 900,1800 and 2600MHZ for LTE. Might be 800 instead of 900. The Italian carriers support those frequencies. TIM and Vodafone will eventually support all of them. Wind IIRC won't support one. Tre also won't support one.

Italian warranties start at two years. Some companies won't support grey market imports at all. I've no idea about Samsung.

Isn't the Note 4 currently about €600 in Italy? I actually glanced at mediaworld yesterday. Of course you need to check memory setups.

You can check amazon.uk. Some time things are cheaper there then amazon.it. Also things like the Note are often in sale with the various Italian electronic retailers. If you watch the sales the price difference might not be much different.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Generally, if you're having a friend ship stuff to you, the package will be assessed VAT based on whatever is put on the customs sticker (that the US Post Office or any other shipped) will require be filled out before they'll send the stuff. If the value of the parcel is over a set amount (often as low as about $20 or €20), you'll simply get a bill for the VAT on that amount plus the cost of the shipping. 

I've used a package forwarder located in Florida, and they require you to include an invoice showing the purchase price of the goods before they'll send them to you.

Have you checked yet to see if Amazon.com will send the items directly to you in Italy? I've noticed that Amazon now has a pretty good system set up for shipping stuff overseas and estimating the customs charges ahead of time. (They work it all through their Luxembourg subsidiary.) 

If there may be a problem with the supplements, you could check a provider like Biovea, which is a US company that ships US standard vitamins and supplements to most European countries, all quite legally. BIOVEA ITALIA | Vendita di Minoxidil, Acai, Rogaine, Glucosamina, Maca, Yohimbe, Hoodia, Xenadrine, Melatonina, DHEA, per ritrovare ed avere buona salute. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## philotalian (Nov 10, 2014)

thanks for your answer on that! Well I guess I can go through Amazon Italy for both phones and supplements, all of which are available at Amazon.it: elettronica, libri, musica, fashion, videogiochi, DVD e tanto altro. Which means that its no problem sending through the mail locally - but not from anywhere overseas?




BBCWatcher said:


> Before you even get to the question of import duties you should consult the U.S. Postal Service's International Mail Manual for Italy to see if the items you want to send can even be sent....
> 
> ....And the answer is no. According to the IMM, "Compound medicaments and medicines" cannot be sent to Italy, and that would appear to include vitamin supplements. (Medicaments is a fancy way of saying "things like medicines.")
> 
> ...


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## philotalian (Nov 10, 2014)

thanks for all your great feedback! yes, Amazon USA have the International model for Europe so 22% makes its unattractive immediately, better locally in Italy by the sounds of it, plus better local service and warranty I guess.

This is how Amazon advertise the product, looks like no 4G: 

"Samsung Galaxy Note 4 SM-N910H Black Factory Unlocked International Model"
2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1900 / 1900, 3G: HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 (not LTE)

Whereas Amazon Italy: "Samsung N910 Galaxy Note 4 Smartphone, 32 GB, Nero [Italia]" (E620) It does not give the frequencies (only LTE / UMTS / HSDPA) and it is advertised in the specs as an N910F, as opposed to the US Euro model, N910H. So will have to check locally at Mediaworld to see what the deal is.



NickZ said:


> Amazon.com (AKA USA) is selling the EU model? VAT is I think 22%. The shipper may tack on handling fees. Plus it'll cost you an extra few Euros to buy a charger if you don't have one.
> 
> You need to check the frequencies it supports. If it is really an EU model it should support IIRC 900,1800 and 2600MHZ for LTE. Might be 800 instead of 900. The Italian carriers support those frequencies. TIM and Vodafone will eventually support all of them. Wind IIRC won't support one. Tre also won't support one.
> 
> ...


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## philotalian (Nov 10, 2014)

Good suggestions, especially on the supplements, will look into them, thanks!



Bevdeforges said:


> Generally, if you're having a friend ship stuff to you, the package will be assessed VAT based on whatever is put on the customs sticker (that the US Post Office or any other shipped) will require be filled out before they'll send the stuff. If the value of the parcel is over a set amount (often as low as about $20 or €20), you'll simply get a bill for the VAT on that amount plus the cost of the shipping.
> 
> I've used a package forwarder located in Florida, and they require you to include an invoice showing the purchase price of the goods before they'll send them to you.
> 
> ...


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

philotalian said:


> thanks for your answer on that! Well I guess I can go through Amazon Italy for both phones and supplements.... Which means that its no problem sending through the mail locally - but not from anywhere overseas?


"Anywhere" doesn't have a rulebook. 

Check with that sending country's postal service and their equivalent to the International Mail Manual. However, most of the U.S. IMM restrictions come from the receiving country (Italy in this case), so chances are that you cannot send these particular items (mobile phones and vitamins) through the mail.

Can you send them via DHL, Fedex, or UPS? Maybe. Check their rules. Of course that costs more in shipping.

You may be able to hand carry them, and you may then enjoy some limited duty free allowance. You'd simply check the Italian customs rules (and airline guidance on what you're allowed to bring aboard, checked or not, but a mobile phone or two and vitamins should be fine).


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

One trick I've found with Amazon is to find the ASIN for any product you find on a "foreign" Amazon (like the US Amazon site). The ASIN is Amazon's "part number" for the product. 

Go to your local Amazon site (Italy, in your case) and plug the ASIN into the search line. If the same product is available from your local Amazon it should turn up in your search results. The price you'll be quoted in euros will include VAT already - to compare with the US Amazon price, you'll have to add on the shipping and VAT charges. I find the prices are usually comparable once everything is taken into consideration, plus you avoid the shipping hassles and usually can get the item quicker from the local Amazon warehouse.
Cheers,
Bev


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Even if you order from the local Amazon website you're never sure which place in Europe they'll ship from. Last month I sent in a multi item order to amazon.it. Part was shipped from Germany,part from the UK and part from Italy. 

Amazon also doesn't always price the same. Amazon.uk will have lower priced "English" items. Higher priced "Italian" items. So it can pay to check the various Amazon EU websites.

Finally you need to be careful the seller is really Amazon and not a third party. Some third party handle their own shipping and charge for it. Some aren't always perfect.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Intra-Europe direct shipment is a really good idea, agreed. You don't have potential VAT/duty complications, and (provided you're at least a bit careful, as noted) the seller has to figure out whether there are any carrier restrictions and take responsibility for non-delivery. Purchases directly from major, reputable vendors are low risk.

Another bit of advice is to use a (low cost) credit card for purchases rather than some other form of payment. Credit cards generally provide the greatest legal protections when you don't receive goods and services.

For the record, Italy does offer a full import duty waiver for Italians bringing their used household goods back to Italy. That's one way to get goods into Italy duty free, though there's a bit of paperwork involved, it's only for a household move, and it's only for used household goods in reasonable quantities. It doesn't help you import 68 iPhones purchased during your vacation in Hong Kong, for example.


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## philotalian (Nov 10, 2014)

It is not clear about "compounded medicaments" - it seems to be more related to prescription pharmaceutical products more than supplements. USPS is quite ambiguous in stating "compounded medicaments" and not specifying in relation to vitamin supplements. The fact is that Amazon USA has a far greater range of supplements than anywhere else at a much cheaper price. I might get one or two bottles sent and see what happens. I recall that three weeks ago, I had some herbal powder mailed to Italy from the UK with no problems whatsoever.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

It may take the customs authorities months to decide whether your supplements fall under the pharmaceuticals banner (not permitted) or are merely simple vitamins (permitted).

Then, if they decide the latter, you will be liable for taxes which could easily exceed the original value of the product. It is easy to find horror stories of people who have had to pay €100 or multiples thereof to release a package from dogana only to realize that the contents were worth far less.

Seriously, why bother?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

There's also the fact the sending postal service or carrier could stop the shipment before it even gets to Italy.

If _somebody else_ (the seller) wants to assume all the financial risk if your shipment of vitamins (truthfully declared as such) doesn't arrive in Italy, that'd be great.

You can understand why a customs agency would be interested in carefully examining at least some percentage of the pills and capsules arriving in their country, right?


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