“A Very Bad Decision”: Woman’s R7.5k Shein Haul Stuns SA, Shares “Low” Customs Fee

• Makeup artist and fashion content creator Miya Cetshe shared that she made a bad decision when she spent R7 500 while shopping at Shein
• While she spent roughly R6 000 on the garments she ordered, her import tax bill came to about R1 400
• A few members of the online community headed to the comment section to express how rich they thought Miya was

While shopping for outfits online has its perks, it also comes with downfalls. A woman filled her shopping cart on Shein, which had her forking out roughly R7 500 for her purchases and import tax fee, the latter of which she thought wasn't too bad.

Shein shopper goes all out

Miya Cetshe, a local makeup artist and fashion content creator, told viewers:

"This is my Shein haul. I made a very bad decision, but here we are. Customs was R1 400. I was actually pleasantly surprised that it was so low."

The fashionista , who spent R6 000 on her garments, mentioned that the items took six days to arrive and that she shared multiple videos showing her outfits on her TikTok account.

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Watch Miya's TikTok video where she gives the rundown of the cost below:

What is import tax?

The logistics company DHL explains on its website that import tax is a flat tax rate charged on imports.

"Even when the goods have been purchased abroad, this consumption tax will still apply when they enter a different country. Examples include sales tax and value-added tax (VAT)."

Regarding the costs linked to import tax, DHL states that countries have a minimum threshold of order value that goods have to meet before taxes and duties apply.

It can also be influenced by many factors, such as:

• The goods' Harmonised System code (a unique identifier to classify the shipped goods).
• The goods' value.
• The goods' description.
• The country or region from which it came.
• The destination country's tariff rates.

Mzansi speaks on Shein costs

A handful of social media users entered the comment section of the first video to express their thoughts about the amount the woman had mentioned.

The cost intrigued @barbs964, who stated:

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"You are very, very rich, my sister."

After @ntandokazimtetwa also commented that they thought the woman's pockets were filled with cash, Miya responded to the TikTokker:

"Girl, I got retrenched three days after receiving this package. The regret in my heart."

Seeing Miya's reply, @popsicle259 added in the post's comment section:

"May your outfits attract interviews leading to employment."

3 Other stories about Shein import tax

• In another article, Briefly News reported how a Shein shopper's experience turned sour when she was slapped with a R1 000 import tax bill for her order.
• A woman had to pay a R2 000 customs fee after shopping online. The cost had Mzansi online users feeling her pain.
• A local woman shared how hurt she was when she saw that her customs bill was almost half of her order's total. Online users jumped in to share their experiences paying hefty import tax fees.