As a flight passenger, you get $800 per month of tax-exempt goods for personal use. Many countries including Germany refund VAT at the airport if you purchase goods over a certain amount.
For shipping goods, it gets more convoluted but generally there is no import taxes for moderate orders (non-commercial):
http://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases
Some shippers (UPS) send everything through a broker and you pay those fees even if it has no import taxes. (I got charged brokerage fees for importing original art from a college student though that class of goods is exempt.
In short retailers, pay more taxes than an individual who often does not even have them.
Some shippers (UPS) send everything through a broker and you pay those fees even if it has no import taxes. (I got charged brokerage fees for importing original art from a college student though that class of goods is exempt.
In short retailers, pay more taxes than an individual who often does not even have them.