I bought a rod on Japan Lure Shop because domestic shops didn't have the rod I wanted. Plus the prices were far below what the domestic shops here were offering or so I thought.

 

I didn't even realized after I purchased the rod a week after that date the de minimis (goods under $800 to enter country without paying duties or taxes) ended for Japan. I ended up paying around $35+ to UPS for the fees... 

 

The rod is currently sitting at UPS to be released, but just wanted to inform those of you who plan to buy JDM. 

Depends on the vendor. Back when de minimis was about to end, I got an email from Digitaka. They sent a coupon that takes 50% off the tariff that's good to the end of October.

 

Might only be for customers registered on their site at that point, but it's a good deal.

 

Also - JDM prices are low enough compared to USDM prices that the price+tariff is usually still lower when ordering from Japan than getting here in the States.

2 hours ago, 2earlye said:

 

The rod is currently sitting at UPS to be released, 

In the US or in Japan?

15 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

In the US or in Japan?

Does it matter?

Only paying $35 is fantastic right now, some horror stories of gouging fees adding over $1XX.xx for fees and they hold your item until payment is processed. No refunds or returns....

 

You did good

1 hour ago, OldManLure said:

Does it matter?

If it didn’t I wouldn’t have asked.

 

So yes.

I should have been more clear.  Why does it matter?

I believe digitaka pays 7.5% and charges you the other 7.5% up front like another poster said. With them, you won’t owe anything upon delivery. Not sure if that’s permanent or temporary policy.
 

That said, even paying the full 15% is still much cheaper than buying from a US vendor in most cases. 

I just paid my first import duty to UPS, two UL ferruled rod blades, out of production, both unused, and both very good Yahoo buys, paying 6% brokerage to noppin.com.  One completed rod sold at the blank price, the other for 15% below original list.  

 

I have a UPS account, they email updates on all packages.  

I received e-mail invoice and paid before it left Japan - the event also shows up on tracking. 

Duty was 21%, $15 brokerage fee, and I skipped a $10 COD charge by paying in advance. 

Will it affect my discretionary spending? 

Yeah, it will change it by 21%.  

Otherwise, the process was pretty painless.  

 

Can you ask vendors to sell items under "made in the US"? If they can, you wouldn't be paying anything else but shipping cost and the brokerage fees. At least this is my understanding of it.

Starting next year, I am going to Japan each year to buy all my JDMs.

7 minutes ago, ATA said:

Starting next year, I am going to Japan each year to buy all my JDMs.

 

I don't know, they may still ask you to pay tariff when you passing through airport customs, if you bought too much.

 

Even with tariff, I think JDM prices often still triumph over UDM prices, unless they offer some killer deals in coming holiday season.  

1 hour ago, Micro Module Police said:

Can you ask vendors to sell items under "made in the US"? If they can, you wouldn't be paying anything else but shipping cost and the brokerage fees. At least this is my understanding of it.

Made in the US has a very strict definition. Be careful there. 

3 hours ago, Banned User said:

Only paying $35 is fantastic right now, some horror stories of gouging fees adding over $1XX.xx for fees and they hold your item until payment is processed. No refunds or returns....

 

You did good

I bought a Megabass rod from JLS costing $190 total. The exchange rate wasn't even accurate. Receipt showed $1 | ¥141 when at the time it was $1 | ¥147. For whatever reason JLS exchange rate was off.

 

The same rod that's sold in the US cost $199 (before taxes, plus shipping), but this rod had been on backordered for months because of tariffs, and I'm not even sure if they'll stock the JDM versions will ever come back of it.

After UPS fees I paid $226 total. I guess I did good, minus the US Megabass warranty? 

1 hour ago, ATA said:

Starting next year, I am going to Japan each year to buy all my JDMs.

I'm going in a couple of months. I think I'm going to take advantage of this. 

27 minutes ago, 2earlye said:

1 hour ago, ATA said:

Starting next year, I am going to Japan each year to buy all my JDMs.

I'm going in a couple of months. I think I'm going to take advantage of this. 

Coming back, you'd have to declare it at customs and still end up paying the tariff.

10 hours ago, Smirak said:

Made in the US has a very strict definition. Be careful there. 

What do you mean?

^ There's a very long list of requirements and the paperwork to go with it to certify something as "Made in America". Without that proof, you could be charged with smuggling and/or counterfeiting...pretty big fines there.

What the hell

Anyone order anything from Japan after the de minimis and is still waiting for their order? 

1 hour ago, 2earlye said:

Anyone order anything from Japan after the de minimis and is still waiting for their order? 

 

I ordered from japan lure shop and received my goods before even hearing from FedEx. They first sent me texts (2 of them) asking for payment. I called to verify, but still haven't been able for FedEx to let me pay them some other way, like just let me enter an invoice number and submit payment directly to them on their website. Finally got a bill in the mail and now the text links have expired. I tried to pay at their website, but my invoice number "was not found". At least they are not holding my package hostage while all of this is going on.

 

It is still better than buying USDM for many items, sometimes by a little, and sometimes by a lot.

42 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

 

I ordered from japan lure shop and received my goods before even hearing from FedEx. They first sent me texts (2 of them) asking for payment. I called to verify, but still haven't been able for FedEx to let me pay them some other way, like just let me enter an invoice number and submit payment directly to them on their website. Finally got a bill in the mail and now the text links have expired. I tried to pay at their website, but my invoice number "was not found". At least they are not holding my package hostage while all of this is going on.

 

It is still better than buying USDM for many items, sometimes by a little, and sometimes by a lot.

Better take care of it quick before they charge more fees on top of that.

"Here's your bill. Oh no way to pay it? I can help with that, please hold... here's your bill and new account. The late fee? Well, because you didn't pay your bill. The processing fee? Oh? That's because you had customer service submit payment. The 4% charge? That's fits using your credit card."

 

And the investment firm owns a portion of the delivery company, a portion of the credit card company, a portion of the credit card processing company, the product you purchased (yes, even from japan;), and now they own your data which they will also profit from. 

 

The American dream baby