How to Declare on Oopbuy: Customs Declaration Guide
Every parcel that leaves Oopbuy's warehouse carries a customs declaration: what is inside and what it is worth. That declaration decides which import charges apply in your country. This guide explains how to fill it in properly and how the rules look as of 13 October 2026.
Updated 13 October 2026. Earlier versions of this guide recommended fixed declaration values below the real value of the goods (for example "declare exactly $17.90" or "$16–21"). We have removed that advice: declaring less than the goods are worth is undervaluation, a customs offence, and it does not protect you from inspection.
The short version
- Declare the real value of the goods and describe them accurately ("cotton hoodie", "sneakers"), not "gift" or "sample".
- Expect import charges. In the EU there is no duty-free allowance any more and import VAT applies to every parcel; in the US the $800 de minimis exemption is suspended.
- Lower your costs legally: consolidate, remove packaging, choose the right line, and use our customs calculator before you ship.
What Oopbuy says
Oopbuy's Customs and Taxation page asks you to declare "reasonably" with reference to the tariff thresholds of your country, offers to suggest a lower-risk line for your goods, and is clear about who carries the risk: returns, fines and taxes caused by customs "will be borne by you". Its terms also say that parcels detained, confiscated or destroyed by customs are not compensated.
In other words, the agent does not take over the legal responsibility for the declaration. You do.
Why under-declaring is a bad idea
- It is an offence. Customs law in the EU, UK and US treats a deliberately false value as undervaluation, with back-payment of duties and penalties on top.
- It does not prevent inspection. A heavy parcel of shoes and clothing declared at a few dollars is exactly what customs checks. If the parcel is opened, you pay the charges on the real value plus any penalty, and the parcel is delayed.
- It breaks insurance. Compensation for lost parcels is calculated by each line's own rules; a declaration far below the real value does not help your claim.
- It saves less than people think. On a "Tax free" line, the import charges are settled by the line inside the shipping price anyway.
The rules by destination (as of 13 October 2026)
European Union (including Germany, Austria, France, Netherlands)
- No more €150 duty-free allowance since 1 July 2026 (Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382).
- €3 flat duty per tariff line on parcels worth up to €150, as a transitional rule until mid-2028. Shoes and a hoodie in one parcel are two tariff lines, so €6. Above €150 the normal duty rate of each product applies.
- Import VAT on every parcel, from the first cent (Germany 19 %, Austria 20 %, France 20 %, Netherlands 21 %), charged on goods value plus duty.
- Handling fee announced from 1 November 2026. The Dutch customs authority names €2 per declaration line; the delegated regulation was not yet published when we checked, so amount and start date are not final.
Details and the cheapest Oopbuy lines to Germany, Austria and France: Oopbuy shipping to the EU.
United States
The $800 de minimis exemption has been suspended for parcels from all countries since 29 August 2025, and CBP made the suspension indefinite in interim final rules published on 24 June 2026. Every parcel from China is dutiable. Our US tariffs guide explains the duty side.
United Kingdom
VAT applies from the first pound; customs duty can apply above £135. Most Oopbuy lines to the UK were marked "Tax free" in Oopbuy's estimator on 13 October 2026, meaning the line settles the charges.
Other countries
Thresholds change. Check your customs authority's website and run the numbers in the customs calculator before you ship.
"Tax free" lines: what the label means
In Oopbuy's shipping estimator most lines to the EU, UK and US are labelled "Tax free" and described as "duty-free parcel channel, commercial customs clearance". That means the line clears the parcel itself and you should not receive a bill at the door. It does not mean that no tax is due; the charges are part of what the line costs. Lines labelled "Duties Payable by Recipient" leave customs to you, and the carrier collects duty, VAT and its own handling fee on delivery.
How to fill in the declaration on Oopbuy
- Submit your parcel from the warehouse and choose a shipping line.
- Describe the contents in plain words per item type: "cotton T-shirt", "leather sneakers", "plastic phone case". Avoid "gift", "sample" or "accessories" for everything.
- Enter the value you actually paid for the goods (item prices, without international shipping unless your line asks for it).
- Keep the order screenshots in case customs asks for proof of value.
Keeping import costs down, legally
- Consolidate items into one parcel instead of several small ones; per-parcel fees and the €3-per-tariff-line rule both favour fewer parcels with fewer product types.
- Remove boxes and packaging to lower the volumetric weight, which drives shipping cost.
- Compare lines in Oopbuy's estimator: a "Tax free" line can be cheaper overall than a cheap line plus customs and a carrier fee on delivery.
- Watch the €150 mark in the EU. Above it, normal duty rates apply instead of the €3 flat duty; splitting a large haul into honest parcels is legal, faking the value is not.
- Do not ship counterfeits. Customs can seize them and nothing is refunded.
FAQ
What happens if customs opens my parcel? They compare the contents with the declaration. If the value is plausible you pay the normal charges. If it is clearly too low, you pay on the real value and may face a penalty.
Can Oopbuy declare for me? Oopbuy lets you declare yourself or more generally when you submit a parcel, but the responsibility stays with you.
Does a coupon lower my customs bill? No. Customs charges are based on the value of the goods, not on what you paid Oopbuy for shipping.
Sources (read 13 October 2026): Oopbuy Customs and Taxation page and Terms of Service; IHK Braunschweig on the end of the €150 exemption; Dutch customs on the e-commerce handling fee; Federal Register, 24 June 2026. All linked on Oopbuy shipping to the EU and is Oopbuy legit?. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
