Before you make any purchases overseas you must make sure you know what you are purchasing and know if you require a permit on certain items or not.
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Declare “duty-free” even if purchased in “duty-free” stores.
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Know the difference between goods for personal use vs. commercial use.
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Know the rules governing the $800 excemption on goods brought back from abroad.
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When purchasing small items you can mail them back to you and save room in your luggage.
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Before you travel, familiarize yourself with customs policies regarding prohibited and restricted items.
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Prohibited items may be confiscated and you may be subject to a fine if you try to bring them into the U.S.
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You may be surprised when you purchase items overseas to find that some merchants have “no refunds” or “all sales final” policies.
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Most foreign airports are very serious about security. Be prepared to be questioned and always answer customs’ questions honestly.
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In some countries no exchanges or refunds are normally given unless the merchant promised them in advance. Get refund or exchange policies in writing!
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Ask specifically about return and exchange policies. These may not be posted and can be very different where many stores promise “satisfaction guaranteed
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By law, Customs officers have the authority to conduct enforcement examinations without a warrant, ranging from a single luggage examination up to and possibly including a personal search.
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If you purchase an item with your credit card and are unable to bring it into the U.S., your credit card company is not obligated to give you a refund and will probably not be able to get one for you from the merchant.
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Keep your receipts and any documentation of purchases in a safe place. Overseas sales slips may just list a total purchase amount without a breakdown of the charges, so you may want to ask for an itemization of your purchases.
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Beware of prices that are “too good to be true” and merchandise that may be counterfeit. Some U.S. citizens have bought jewelry or expensive rugs or artwork overseas, only to find out they were not as valuable, or were of a lower grade or quality than they thought or than the merchant represented them to be.
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