CUSTOMS FEES

[MyDistinctDesigns]

Just asking for suggestions on handling customs fees. I have it stated in my policies and on my purchase confirmation email that customs fees are the responsibility of the buyer for international orders and that I am in the US. Yet it seems that people do not know that their countries charge customs fees.
How else do you let the buyer know that it is their responsibility to know if their county charges customs fees? And how do you handle it when they message you and are irate because they didn't know?

[Nothingbutstring]

I have a blurb about custom listings on every single one of my listings. I also remind all international buyers about custom fees when I convo them after each purchase.

Other than that I don't see how you can make it any more clear.

When I get irate convo's about it I refer them back to my policy page the listing itself and the convo I sent them. If they still think that I'm in the wrong I then refer them to threads in the forums that discuss this very subject.

I make it very clear that if they decide to refuse the item they will have to wait until I receive the item back, which can take 3-4 months.

[maydaylabels]

90% of the people who are upset, in our experience, are from the UK. They have a very low threshold and I think only recently did they start rigidly enforcing it, so it surprises some people.

If you've got it in your policies and your note to buyer, I don't know that there's much else you can do, except sympathize with your customers when they are upset (without taking the blame, of course, for a tax that their government is imposing on them).

Etsy will remove any reviews about customs fees, so if it comes to that you have some protection.

[MyDistinctDesigns]

That is good to know Matthew and Sara. Thank you for that information.