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International
Trading
NWMarketplace
insists that listings and transactions comply with the laws of the
countries where both the seller and the high bidder reside. Members
are responsible for ensuring that their transactions are lawful in
both countries. NWMarketplace strongly suggests that members educate
themselves about the laws of their own country and the countries
where they plan to do business.
Violations of this
policy may result in a range of actions, including:
Examples:
Items under
$200: As a general rule, members who purchase items on
NWMarketplace valued at under $200 shouldn't have any trouble
importing them. While some items are generally prohibited from
import (like narcotics, tainted food or child pornography) or
restricted (like alcohol, tobacco, firearms), these items are
usually banned on NWMarketplace anyway. There are a few exceptions,
such as plants, food, automobiles, and certain cultural items, where
an NWMarketplace item might require licenses or special permits.
Items
over $200: Members who import items that cost over $200 for
personal use might have to pay a duty, or tax, on the item, even if
the item is used. The amount of the duty, if any, depends on the
type of the item and its value. Some items can be imported without
paying any duty at all.
Items
for Commercial Use: Members importing goods for a commercial
purpose may have to deal with possible quotas, duty, and paperwork.
Commercial goods (goods intended for resale) may have special entry
requirements, and members should educate themselves on the laws to
ensure they are in compliance.
U.S. Government
Websites:
The U.S.
Customs Service
has designed a site
specifically for Internet buyers to help educate them about the
mechanics of importing, including how to estimate the potential duty
rate.
Specific
information about importing food and plants can be found in
"Traveler's
Tips"
provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Read about laws and
special issues involving the importation
of cultural items.
Items must comply
with export laws:
Sellers should make sure that the item they're selling can be
lawfully shipped outside of the country where they live. The export
of certain items may require special licenses, or may be banned
altogether. For example, the export of certain computer equipment
from the United States is highly regulated, and may be restricted or
banned even if the computer may not be particularly "high
performance" by U.S. standards. U.S. sellers should begin by
reviewing:
Items must comply
with import laws:
Sellers should make sure that they can lawfully import the item into
the high bidder's country before sending the item. Each country has
different laws that limit the types of goods that can be imported
into their country. For example, the high bidder's country might have
restrictions on foods, plants, clothing, luggage or even books that
might result in the seizure and destruction of the imported item...
NWMarketplace strongly recommends that sellers discuss possible
import problems with potential buyers, and that all members do
research to avoid a problem.
High value and
volume transactions: If sellers plan to do substantial business with
customers in other countries, or if sellers are dealing in higher
dollar or highly regulated items, they should do careful research,
and hire an expert if necessary to make sure that all transactions
comply with all applicable laws. There is often paperwork that must
fill out in completing these transactions. The U.S. government has a
number of resources to promote international trade and to help
businesses of all sizes familiarize themselves with export
regulations, and shipping companies offer special services to
businesses that regularly ship goods overseas. Information about
these resources can be found at:
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