Everyone has that one person in their family who is notoriously difficult to shop for.

They have very specific tastes and interests, and if you miss the mark you feel like a bit of a tosser.

In the case of that person, it’s often easier to shop overseas, where the variety and scope of what’s available can be a lot wider than in SA.

If you are planning on ordering gifts from overseas, however, there are some key things that you need to know.

First – customs is very specific about what does and doesn’t qualify for a Christmas rebate from tax and customs duty over the festive season.

Each person is entitled to two presents from overseas, but the cost of those gifts or their content could affect whether or not they qualify.

Here’s 702:

A limit exists on the value of gifts that can be received in South Africa before having to pay customs duty and tax.

The value of a gift parcel cannot be more than the equivalent of R1 400, in order to avoid extra levies.

The South African Post Office (SAPO) explains that in order for parcels to qualify for the gift rebate, they must be sent by individuals and not companies. This means that unless you have friends or family overseas who can do the shopping for you and send the gift themselves, you’ll have to deal with customs before you receive your parcel.

This can end up costing you more than the gift itself, and that’s not factoring in the headaches and stress that follows.

Secondly, the high volume of gifts being sent around the world means that you might have to wait long periods of time to receive your gift due to backlogs at the Post Office.

The SA Post Office isn’t exactly known for its speedy service on an ordinary day, so you can imagine the delay when things are actually backed up.

Lastly, if you consider everything you now know, time isn’t really on your side at this point in the year, so you’ll want to order as soon as possible.

Before you give up and get that difficult person a pair of socks, there is a way to get your gift delivered to your door, avoid dealing with customs, and stay far away from the Post Office.

Postbox Courier is a groundbreaking service that gives you a shipping address in the US, UK and Hong Kong. So if you’re buying products that don’t ship to SA, or that you’d like shipped to SA without the drama of customs, then just give your US, UK or Hong Kong address.

As soon as your purchase is delivered there (usually same day), Postbox Courier will pick it up and bring it to you in South Africa within three to five days.

Fast, efficient, and without any of the headache of dealing with customs.

Welcome to a whole new world of Christmas shopping.

[source:702]