importing items from U.S.A

hi all, on a recent trip to the U.S i purchased a digital camera. Rushing to catch the train home i never checked the box to make sure everything was in it, and surprise surprise there was no camera. My cousins( live in S.F) said they would sort it out for me. Three weeks later i received a box by FedEx but it was the empty box again with no camera. I phoned the shop and let them know that i was still without a camera. The store manager assured me that they would foot the bill for sending the "empty" box and that the camera would be on the way A.S.A.P. Eventually i received the camera but now Ive gotten a bill from FedEx for 150 euros for duty tax on the two shipments. One was an empty box!!!!!!! Can anyone please let me know what the story is with this bill. If camera was in my bag like it should have been customs would not have known about it and therefore no import duty wold have been paid.....

I'd explain the problem to fedex first... what do they say? Usually they collect the duty COD so you're lucky to have gotten the goods (both empty and full boxes) without paying - how did this happen?

Yes, you could have avoided the duty by not declaring but you would have risked being caught for smuggling.

I am sure the revenue will forego the duty on the empty shipment once you prove the box was empty -- perhaps a copy of your correspondence with the retailer. How did you convince the retailer that they gave you not one but TWO empty boxes anyway?

FedEx just want there money but im refusing to pay.the box that i was sent the first time was empty but the second had the camera in it. im thinking of just sending the whole lot back and getting the cash refunded to my credit card. but how will FedEx know that Ive really sent it back and not charge me import tax?????????

fedex customer service is legendary. Why don't you ask them? They should be able to help.

i'll try them. thanks extopia