Any item shipped out of the United States via the US Post Office to a foreign country requires a customs form from the post office. If the item weighs less than four pounds, use the green form, if the item weighs more than four pounds, use the large white form.
Part of completing these forms is declaring a value of the item being shipped. Usually, the seller enters the sales price of the item, not including the shipping fee. Some international customers will incur a tax on the item as it enters their country.
To avoid paying this tax, international customers may ask you to delcare the item as a gift. I usually respond like this:
"Thank you for your purchase. We are required by the United States Post Office to accurately and truthfully describe the contents of all packages leaving the United States. Failure to do so may result in a fine or other penalty. This item was purchased on eBay for $XX, and we must enter that amount on the customs declaration form."
These international customers know what they are doing and are trying to avoid paying the import tax on their purchases. Personally, I do not mark an item as a gift. Has this ever happened to you, and how did you handle the request?
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