Question on international purchases
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Orchard Park, NY (near Buffalo, which is near Niagara Falls)
Posts: 3,884
If you order fabric from a source in another country, and pay by credit card, does your credit card company charge you an extra fee because it's an international transaction?
Is it a large fee? Or just a small one?
Is it a large fee? Or just a small one?
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I have made only a very few international purchases. What my credit card company seemed to do was simply convert the currency. They probably use the same rate as the bank they are associated with uses, as this kind of currency exchange rate will have a built-in profit.
#3
Mine charges me, but it is fairly small, about 1% I think. The best thing to do is to ask them.
Forgot to add, you also might be liable for Customs Duty. Another thing to check on before you get a nasty surprise.
Forgot to add, you also might be liable for Customs Duty. Another thing to check on before you get a nasty surprise.
#4
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Orchard Park, NY (near Buffalo, which is near Niagara Falls)
Posts: 3,884
In case you wondered why I'm asking... it's because we're trying to figure out how this works, from our customers' perspective.
We only know how it works as a seller!
We only know how it works as a seller!
#6
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Orchard Park, NY (near Buffalo, which is near Niagara Falls)
Posts: 3,884
Let me ask this question regarding international purchases:
If you were to buy $25 from a store today, and another $50 next week, would you pay more in fees than if you had purchased $75 all at one time?
If you were to buy $25 from a store today, and another $50 next week, would you pay more in fees than if you had purchased $75 all at one time?
#8
Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Dublin,Ireland
Posts: 67
I pay a fee of 1.7% for currency conversion on my credit card. The number of transactions makes no difference, it's a flat 1.7% on the value of the purchases.
As others have said, it's customs here that can really make the costs escalate. I've only had one package stopped but I believe they're being very strict now.
As others have said, it's customs here that can really make the costs escalate. I've only had one package stopped but I believe they're being very strict now.
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1,054
I'm in Canada. When I order from the US, I pay the bank rate of exchange, no extra fee.
We don't pay duty, but sometimes Customs makes us pay a $5 Cutsoms handling fee as well as GST (goods and services tax) on the value of the purchase.
Most of the time the parcel gets through without any additional charges, but it's a crap shoot. I ordered fabric last year that had to go in two flat rate packages. Mailed at the same time from the same company. One got through, the other came a week later, delayed at Customs while they added the fees. No rhyme or reason.
To order $25 one week and then $50 another would not be cost efficient due to shipping charges and the above mentioned possibility of getting a customs handling charge tacked on each parcel. As for it making a difference regarding Visa charges, I don't think it would matter.
We don't pay duty, but sometimes Customs makes us pay a $5 Cutsoms handling fee as well as GST (goods and services tax) on the value of the purchase.
Most of the time the parcel gets through without any additional charges, but it's a crap shoot. I ordered fabric last year that had to go in two flat rate packages. Mailed at the same time from the same company. One got through, the other came a week later, delayed at Customs while they added the fees. No rhyme or reason.
To order $25 one week and then $50 another would not be cost efficient due to shipping charges and the above mentioned possibility of getting a customs handling charge tacked on each parcel. As for it making a difference regarding Visa charges, I don't think it would matter.
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