996 — Importing Goods to the U.S.

You can sell almost anything in the U.S., but you’ll have to pay taxes to do it. Learn more in this episode.
Slow Dialog: 1:13
Explanation: 2:58
Fast Dialog: 14:04
Daniel: You look like you’re sitting on pins and needles.
Muriel: I am. I’m waiting to hear if our goods have cleared customs yet. We’re in big trouble if our 50 crates aren’t released soon.
Daniel: You’ve filled out the proper paperwork. What could go wrong?
Muriel: You have no idea how much red tape there is when importing goods to the U.S. There are all kinds of rules to follow and we have to pay the correct tariffs.
Daniel: But I thought we had a free-trade agreement with Niebuhrland. All goods imported from and exported to Niebuhrland should be duty-free.
Muriel: Most things are duty-free, but not everything. There are tariffs on spirits and the tax rate varies depending on the type of spirits. It’s all very confusing.
Daniel: Well, sitting here fretting won’t do any good.
Muriel: If only I had access to those 50 crates of spirits...

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse