Customs and VAT Policies

Who Pays For VAT & Customs Fees?

When a package ships internationally, it may be subject to import taxes, customs duties, and/or fees imposed (e.g. handling fees) by the destination country. These charges are typically due once the package arrives in the destination country.

In general, the buyer is responsible for paying the additional costs such as duties, taxes, and customs clearance fees. These charges can vary widely and are often based on the price and type of item, package weight and dimensions, origin country, and the taxes, duties, and fees of the destination country.

BulbHead International can’t predict which of these fees, if any, will be applied.

BulbHead International isn’t responsible for any additional charges that may apply after a purchase is completed on BulbHead International or it's marketplaces.

Return and Item due to Customs and VAT charges?

If you wish to return the item, you can contact customs and request for the item be returned and we must be provided back with a tracking number. After we receive the item back in our warehouse, we can issue a refund, minus the initial cost of shipping.

How do I pay customs fees?

If your package is subject to customs fees, your package may be held at your local customs office. Contact your local customs office to find out your next steps as you may need to pay additional charges. 

Goods arriving into other countries

Other countries may also apply customs duty and/or import VAT on goods purchased from another country. The amount of customs duty and import VAT to be paid will be assessed at the point of entry of the destination country. This may result in the buyer having to pay additional charges which are not included in the total price displayed at checkout.

As the threshold for the application of such charges may vary from country to country, please contact your local customs/ tax office for further information. Alternatively, you should check with your local tax advisor for more information.

Etsy is not responsible for the collection or determination of any customs duties or import VAT costs.

Additional links on country-specific tax authorities websites:

• EU website with links to all Member State tax authorities website
• HM Revenue & Customs website (UK)
• Australia
• Canada
• Japan
• India
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Russia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• Belarus
• Taiwan
• Turkey
• Iceland
• Serbia