Shipping nightmare!!!

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
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www.thecircusofdreams.com
Hola
I posted a notice a few days ago asking if anyone knew an approximate percentage of tax you pay when shipping goods from the U.S. I have spoken to someone at customs today, who informed me it is 36% of value of goods!!!!! This amounts to a heafty sum for myself, i am collecting the freight from Haina on monday and this is far more than i expected. Does anyone have an experience of this and know any short cuts?

i have been told hotels are except from taxes, the goods are personally mine but will be used for shows in hotels. I am hopeing maybe one of the hotels we are performing at can help us with this, any advice on this matter will be greatly recieved. thanks
 

mountainfrog

On Vacation!
Dec 8, 2003
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www.domrep-info.com
Customs Rates

laurajane said:
... I have spoken to someone at customs today, who informed me it is 36% of value of goods!!!!!

Up to now I've thought that imported goods are taxed on an individual basis and different goods have different percentages of custom levy.
This was the case when I brought in household goods (some 10 years ago... ;) )
How did you declare the items and how was their value determined?

m'frog
 

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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And 36% isn't bad btw. This is an island after all and import duties is and has been the government's biggest income. I wouldn't start screaming until it gets around 50%, can easily be as much as 100. (the screaming won't help, incidentally it's just that that's the point where it gets impossible to hold it in)
 

Andy B

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Jan 1, 2002
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We shipped in a self-propelled lawn mower earlier this year and paid 13% in duty. Different items are taxed at different rates. I would seriously question a rate of 36% as it seems a little high to me. As HB said, if in doubt, get a broker to handle it for you. Try E.T. Heinsen Company on George Washington (Malecon) in Santo Domingo.
 

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
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Thanks for the suggestions, am so new to this and really i was naive to think it would be less. To be honest im not sure who exactly gave me that quote, we called customs and got the usual " I dont know" and " you need to speak to someone else the number is...." after about ten different numbers we spoke to a gentleman who i presumed was something to do with the customs office.

I know i have to collect the original documentation from the shipping agents in Santo Domingo then on to Haina to customs to have the goods inspected and pay the taxes. At what point should i get a broker involved and where do i find these people? Any phone numbers would be great.

Thanks again
 

wisecucu

New member
Aug 1, 2006
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Hi LauraJane,

DR is a country full of surprises. You'll never get bored.

Call OAC Shipping Dominicana, S. A. at 809-683-3535. They are actually freight forwarders but they know serious brokers in Santo Domingo area. Ask for Jose Alejandro, Claudia, Ana or Jocelyn. I'm putting you in contact with very nice people.

Write if you need something else or if have any doubt.

Good luck!!;)
 

joecanada

New member
Jan 15, 2004
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I got raped for 100% of the value of some wireless internet equipment I recently had imported.

Farkers.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I just found out my boys are using
Dominitrans
Tel 809 567 3181
talk to Ambiorix Mora.

HB

tell them Marcos Supply in Santiago sent you
 

Budson

New member
Mar 10, 2004
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I will second on Dominitrans and Caribex is also another very good firm to work with. Absolutely need a freight-forwarder/Customs Broker to move material in and out. This will not eliminate challenges the Aduanas present but you will have your best results working with someone who deals with them all the time.
 

british bulldog

New member
Jan 21, 2006
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I would like to know ,is it more economical to purchase here in the dominican republic,or to ship your stuff here,as the cost of shipping and import taxes,which is the best route to take.We all know the vastly inflated prices here;i feel theres not much in it,only your buying new here and getting rid of old junk(normally),one problem here is;one tends to have stuff they dont want to leave behind,for whatever reason .
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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joecanada said:
I got raped for 100% of the value of some wireless internet equipment I recently had imported.

Farkers.

Yes, just lately they decided that wireless equipment needs additional taxes and duties. We were caught by the same thing with a large stack of stuff.
 

MrMike

Silver
Mar 2, 2003
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www.azconatechnologies.com
british bulldog said:
I would like to know ,is it more economical to purchase here in the dominican republic,or to ship your stuff here,as the cost of shipping and import taxes,which is the best route to take.We all know the vastly inflated prices here;i feel theres not much in it,only your buying new here and getting rid of old junk(normally),one problem here is;one tends to have stuff they dont want to leave behind,for whatever reason .

You have to make that decision on an item-by-item basis. It is a constant dilema for me.

Electronics generally seem to have a 100-150% markup over retail in the local market versus buying in the US. Aside form that the selection is severely limited and seems to include only recently discontinued items. (meaning that while these items may still be available retail in the US they are not generally active sku's from the manufacturers standpoint) in the worst cases the item will be several generations behind current technology and priced at 150% of the retail price it WOULD have carried in the US WHEN current.

Obviously in this kind of situation it makes sense to import on your own, and that way even if you do get taken for 100% at customs you still come out ahead.

For most things just get on the internet and compare prices. Sometimes you will find the markup is only 30-50%, in this case it makes sense to buy locally.

One thing to be careful of is that the DR is sometimes used as a dumping ground for defective merchandise that would never be sold in the USA, and it is common practice for merchants to sell "refurbished" products as "new" and "used" as "refurbished".
 

british bulldog

New member
Jan 21, 2006
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Mr mike ,i tend to find most items i buy here are inferior to that,back home;except the women!!!!!!!!normally get them free!!!!
 

zak023

Done and dusted!
Feb 8, 2006
589
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Hb

I just found out my boys are using
Dominitrans
Tel 809 567 3181
talk to Ambiorix Mora.

HB

tell them Marcos Supply in Santiago sent you

I just got off the phone with them..In fact I spoke to Altagracia and Patricia and not only did they tell me they don't do personal shipping anymore.They wanted to know where I got their number..I said Marcos Supply as you suggested..