International tax showing as $0 on Amazon delivery from US to North Macedonia?

This is actually pretty normal! When you order from Amazon US to ship internationally, the website typically shows $0 for tax at checkout because US sales tax doesn't apply to international shipments. However, this doesn't mean you won't pay any taxes or duties. What happens is that your country (North Macedonia in this case) will assess import duties, VAT, and possibly other fees when the package arrives at customs. These charges aren't collected by Amazon - they're collected by your country's customs authority when the package enters North Macedonia. For electronics worth about $170, you should definitely expect to pay some import fees. North Macedonia has a VAT rate of 18% plus possible import duties depending on the specific items. The delivery carrier (like DHL, FedEx) will usually pay these fees to customs on your behalf and then charge you before delivering the package.

I went through exactly this when ordering some camera equipment from the US! Check out https://taxr.ai - it saved me so much confusion. I was seeing $0 tax on my Amazon order and couldn't figure out what I'd actually end up paying. The site analyzed my order details and gave me a breakdown of all the potential import duties, VAT, and handling fees I'd have to pay once my package reached customs in my country. It was super helpful because I could see the REAL total cost before finalizing my purchase.

I tried taxr.ai after seeing this thread and wow - totally worth it! I was also ordering from the US to North Macedonia (some computer parts) and was confused by the $0 tax on Amazon. The tool showed me I'd be paying about €42 in import duties+VAT+handling fees on my €230 purchase. When my package arrived last week, customs charged me €45 - pretty darn close to the estimate! Would have been a nasty surprise otherwise. The breakdown even explained the different components of the charges, which helped me understand why the total was so high. Definitely recommend checking it before placing any international orders.

For anyone struggling with getting their packages through customs or dealing with unexpected tax issues - I had a similar problem with an Amazon order that got stuck in customs for weeks. I couldn't get through to anyone who could help until I tried https://claimyr.com They got me connected to an actual customs agent who explained exactly what was happening with my package and what additional documentation I needed to provide. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before trying this I spent hours on hold and getting transferred around without any answers. Saved me from having my package sent back to the US!

I have to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After my package got stuck in customs limbo for over 2 weeks with a surprise $85 tax bill that I thought was incorrect, I was desperate enough to try it. Got connected to an actual customs official in about 45 minutes (after previously spending 3+ hours on hold getting nowhere). The agent reviewed my case and discovered they had misclassified my item in a higher duty category! They adjusted it down to $42 which matched what I had initially calculated. Without speaking to the right person, I would've just paid the incorrect amount. Sometimes you need to admit when you're wrong - this service actually delivered what it promised.

I order stuff from US to North Macedonia frequently. Here's what you need to know: 1. Amazon US shows $0 tax because they don't collect Macedonian taxes 2. You WILL pay 18% VAT + 0-15% import duty when it arrives 3. DHL/FedEx charge an additional handling fee (~10-15€) 4. For $170 worth of goods, expect to pay around $40-50 extra Pro tip: keep your order under 50€ if possible because there's a duty-free threshold (but VAT still applies). Also, some sellers on Amazon mark packages as "gifts" with lower declared value, but that's technically tax evasion so I don't recommend it.

Anyone else noticed that sometimes Amazon includes an "Import Fees Deposit" at checkout for some countries but not others? My friend in Germany gets this option but I never see it for Macedonia.

I've been through this exact situation multiple times ordering from Amazon US to North Macedonia! The $0 tax display is definitely confusing at first, but as others mentioned, it's because Amazon doesn't collect Macedonian customs fees. For your $170 order, here's what you can realistically expect: - 18% VAT on the full value = ~$30.60 - Import duty (varies by product, usually 5-10% for electronics) = ~$8.50-$17 - Courier handling fee = €10-15 (about $10-16) So total additional costs will likely be around $50-65 on top of your $170 purchase. One thing to watch out for: make sure your items are properly categorized. I once had a phone case classified as "telecommunications equipment" with a much higher duty rate than it should have been. If something seems off with your customs bill, don't be afraid to question it - sometimes items get miscategorized and you end up paying more than necessary. Also, keep all your Amazon receipts and order confirmations. Customs may ask for proof of purchase value, and having the documentation ready speeds up the process significantly.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who regularly orders tech stuff from Amazon US to Macedonia. The advice here about expecting 18% VAT plus import duties is spot on - I typically budget an extra 25-30% on top of the purchase price to account for all fees. One tip that might help: if you're ordering multiple items, consider whether it makes sense to split them across separate orders. Sometimes keeping individual shipments under certain value thresholds can result in lower duty rates, though you'll pay multiple shipping and handling fees. It's worth calculating both scenarios. Also, I've found that DHL and FedEx are generally more reliable for international shipments from the US, even though they're pricier than standard shipping. They handle customs clearance more efficiently and their tracking is much better. With regular mail, packages sometimes get stuck in customs limbo for weeks without any updates. The tools mentioned like taxr.ai are definitely worth checking out - having a realistic estimate upfront helps avoid sticker shock when the package arrives!