pennyswings

I too do most of my ordering on line but here if the vendor ships in a box instead of a USPS Global Priority envelope that ends up going through the central post office in the city and I have to go personally to customs to pick up the box. Here the law is, you are allowed up to the value of $200.00 USD once a year. Even if you don't order up to that value it doesn't make a difference the next time you pick up a box from them you have to pay 50% of the value of whatever it is in USD. There is this one guy there that always remembers the American so I always have to pay. They really are crooks here!!!
For whatever reason if it comes in the bulk USPS Global Priority envelope it comes directly to my house and I do not have to pay customs anything. So I make sure all the vendors send their material that way.
When I go to visit my son in New York I usually order a lot of material and bring an empty suitcase so I can bring the material back with me.

Butterflyspain

Very wise Penny, thats the best plan and I will be doing some serious shopping in London when I go back too.
One of my parcels was picked up by the customs and its cost 75€ to release it, That was on the 24th August. So far NO parcel, have no idea what could have gone wrong.

Elle