Quote Originally Posted by ccga3359 View Post
I think that it might be fairer to say that the chances of getting hit for duty is lesser with Royal Mail/USPS. However should you have to pay duty then you wouldn't be charged exorbident customs fees on top that you would with a courier service.
If you wish. I have easily had 200 or more packages for myself or clients sent to me via Royal Mail and I have never been required to pay duty, however on shipments too large for the mail, I always pay customs duty and brokers fees, which are high. I have in a few cases (where the shipment was just too large for the mail) had them split the shipment so it could go via mail. You are correct that the USPS does not collect brokers fees on top of customs duty.

Personally I think customs believes the effort needed to collect on small mail items doesn't pay. If you are ordering more than a few items at a time the cost of shipping international priority mail separately becomes more expensive than the cost of shipping together even with custom expenses. Truthfully, in the big picture not that many individuals are buying from overseas and the Post office doesn't want to get into the business of collecting tariffs on presents grandma in Scotland is sending the kids here in the US. It doesn't pay. They want the businesses that use Fedex and UPS, and since those carriers are now acting as brokers so they have a vested interest in collecting duties. The carriers and customs are making money hand over foot.

Certainly I can't guarantee the USPS won't collect duty on someone else's package, but I am not alone in my experience with items sent by mail. So in my experience and your words, never is less than always.