Is there nothing I can do from my end? I would like to keep my current suppliers as they are hard to come by. I like the quality and the price, but I just want them to post the stuff to me legally. Can I not just phone up customs and declare the right amount or something?

Finding another supplier is not an option. Suppliers of what I sell are hard to come by, which is why I have had to go to USA. Both my current suppliers do the same thing.

This is my first post here, so I appologise if its in the wrong place. I run a small internet business, and import stock from USA. Unfortunately my supplier tends to send these to me as samples with little value - not anywhere near what I've paid for them! and I don't buy samples. After numerous emails asking them to send them properly they still arrive as samples. What can I do to keep myself right? Can I phone up customs and tell them the true value of the package and ask to be charged VAT and Import tax?