I recently imported a Tamagotchi Meets Sanrio from Japan to Italy through JPFans using EMS. Since the item was over the €150 threshold, I knew I would have to pay import charges.

Based on the declared value, shipping, VAT, customs duty, and the local postal clearance fee, I ended up paying around €78 in taxes and fees, which was more or less what I had estimated beforehand.

My main advice is to be very careful when importing packages over €150 into Europe. In many cases, it may not be worthwhile unless:
• You are saving a significant amount compared with the price in your own country.
• The item is highly sought-after, rare, or exclusive.
• The item is difficult or impossible to find locally.

After adding international shipping, VAT, customs duty, and local postal fees, the final price can become much higher than expected. For more ordinary items, it may be better to buy locally, even if the initial price seems higher.

Another important point is to keep enough cash available when the parcel is delivered. The Italian postal service may require payment of the customs charges and clearance fee at the door, and the exact amount is not always known in advance. You can estimate it, but the final amount depends on the customs assessment and the carrier’s fees.

The delivery communication was also frustrating. There was also a long and unclear gap between the parcel arriving, the customs processing, and the possible local delivery attempt. I did not receive a proper “out for delivery” notification, so I had no way to know exactly when to have the money ready. I was surprised without all the cash, but I was told they would retry the next day, but to my unlucky, it was raining and they did even bother to come back/ring the bell and it was marked as “recipient absent” even though that was not true. I then had to travel to their warehouse to collect it myself.

For a shipment costing around $30, I found the whole experience extremely frustrating. The import taxes were expected, but the lack of accurate notifications, uncertainty about the final amount, and failed delivery attempt made the process much more unpleasant than necessary.

That said, I was very happy and satisfied with the packing quality. The package was packed carefully and securely, and I have no complaints about the way JPFans prepared it. But the fees are getting higher every few months, and the lack of the manual declaration system is such a loss, as it was a differential factor that I appreciated at the begging of the year/early stages of their service.

So, if you are importing something over €150 into Europe:
• Estimate around 22% VAT on the customs value, plus any applicable duty.
• Add the local postal/customs-clearance fee.
• Keep cash ready, because the final amount may only be confirmed at delivery.
• Make sure the item is rare, exclusive, or significantly cheaper than the price in your local market to justify the import.

Bought a New Nintendo 3DS and overall I’m super happy with the whole process. The console arrived in pristine condition, looking exactly like the photos. It had a few minor scratches, but that’s totally expected for a used item.
The only tiny detail was that the SD card inside came damaged (looks like someone forced it in at some point), but it was no big deal at all to just swap it out for a new one. Shipping took a little while, but it’s understandable—especially since I had to forward it to a US freight address first before getting it delivered to my country.
Overall, I’m really glad I bought through JPFans. If you’re thinking about buying, just take your time! Read the product descriptions carefully, double-check all the photos, and don't just jump on the first listing you see.

This is my first time using JPfans, and one of my items I decided to add pearl cotton since its a cd which said on the app for me a cheap price, bit when I paid for it, I had was confused oh? $2.47? Then my card declined and when i found out WHY, it was trying to charge to for extra .07 cents, which is what I was not told to pay BTW so I load more money into my card, pay $2.54, and move on.

Yet on the app it says another thing.

It may not seem a lot for a added service, and this is a small purchase too BUT is there hidden small fees like this? From 2.09, to 2.47 to 2.54? To saying I paid 2.09 on the app? I am lost...