Gotta Love the "system"

PCMike

Active member
Aug 30, 2008
315
226
43
LOL...so I bought a tv on eBay. A 43 inch Vizio. They were selling off 10 of them at $159us each (display models). A great deal! Under the $200 threshold. All is good and I pay by paypal to the supplier. I take a screen shot (as I always do) of the item as I am buying it.

Seems... Aduanas thinks I am too good of a shopper! I sent copies of everything, invoices, shipping communication and including a screenshot of other paypal transactions the week prior and after the purchase. Not good enough! I just paid 88% frigging taxes to have the tv released. My option was to drive to Santo Domingo and try to convince the masterminds that it indeed cost $159 and show yet again, what I had already provided them. Being a gringo with limited Spanish...I know that I would just be ****ing myself off even more...with any attempt to discuss this face to face.

Still cheaper than buying locally, but what an inept financial department!
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
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I was told by a rep at BM Cargo that on many items like electronics, and especially TV's, aduanas couldn't care less what your receipt says. They're are going to look in some book they have and base their taxes on the average retail price shown.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
I was told by a rep at BM Cargo that on many items like electronics, and especially TV's, aduanas couldn't care less what your receipt says. They're are going to look in some book they have and base their taxes on the average retail price shown.

exactly what you wrote has been posted umpteen times right here on dr1...............
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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isn't it the size? that for TV over 32 inches the tax needs to be paid regardless of the value of the item?
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
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I think that just might be a "rule of thumb" that aduana uses since most 32" TV's cost under $200 these days(?).
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
When we shipped our bigger one via mundanza, we were told they charge by the inch. Brand, smart, etc didn’t matter. If I remember, it was as $8 an inch, but that included the shipping. 
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
isn't it the size? that for TV over 32 inches the tax needs to be paid regardless of the value of the item?

Exactly. Size matters .

Yet another example. :lick:

For any given TV, get a door to door fixed price quote and you will see the pattern emerging. $8 to $10 per inch , all in, so to speak once you pass that 32 inch threshold.
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
As said by DV8, the *only* screen you can get in free of tax is 32 inch, under 200 dollars value, and you still pay a 1000 pesos flat fee for customs.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,697
8,129
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I was told by a rep at BM Cargo that on many items like electronics, and especially TV's, aduanas couldn't care less what your receipt says. They're are going to look in some book they have and base their taxes on the average retail price shown.

It's anything. I bought 3 bundles of hair extensions.

Bought one bundle per day to avoid the taxes, my friend at Amazon shipped all of them together. $200+.

The tax they charged me will guarantee I'm not going to make any money on those 3.