low value on the custom declaration sticker

[Andromeda18_]

Hi,

I was wondering how low the value you put on the custom declaration sticker is.
I recently bought an item on ebay.com and the seller put $10 on the custom declaration sticker. The problem is that value was too low and people at customs got suspicious and sent me a letter asking to see the invoice. $10 is obviously too low since that only covers the shipping & handling so no wonder they got suspicious. However, the limit here in Portugal is about $26 (item's price + s&h) so the declarated value shouldn't be higher than that either.
Oh, and do you always declare an item as gift?

[Elcoholic]

My packages always have a $20 customs declaration. That's what I get with my packages up to 15 discs. Don't know what is put on orders of a higher number of discs.

[Owozifa]

It has been my experience that if it ships in a brown envelope it's $20, and if it ships in a box it gets $100, but this is for the US and even with $100 customs doesn't care, so he might do it different with overseas orders.

[ludotaku]

i don't know if french customs have the same policy but it should be almost the same since we both are in the european union
i never had to pay a buck to the customs when i order from import-anime whereas i often buy for more than 130$ worth so i don't think you have to worry

[rav96]

watch out for the UK

i got bitch slapped a £25 fine

thats almost $50

[tsunami]

I've never been slapped with duties. I've had loads of stuff from HK being labeled 5-10$ value. I swear a couple of times the post office tried to keep my items cause they are stupid... now I always go to the P.O. to claim my stuff cause the mail carriers are insane sometimes.