Bear in mind that different coutries handle customs differently, which is why I started to post about less good experiences for the end user.
Examples:
1) Portugal (where I live): customs have been much more aggressive in the last 12 months. It doesn't matter what the seller declared - if your package gets selected for analisys (which ALL packages do now, increasing the shipping time by 1-3 weeks on average), then you need to provide: invoice, copy of payment (bank transfer, Paypal, whatever). You will be then taxed according to what you effectively paid for. Remember that giving false declarations is a criminal offense and mind you, the guy's at customs are not stupid and certainly know how to use Google, eBay and AliExpress. Only packages for which you paid less than 20 Euro (product + shipping) will be free from customs.
2) Germany: if the seller gives wrong information, the end customer MAY be lyable for trying to avoid taxes, which is a criminal offence. Also, most packages get through customs and you pay accordingly. Also, German customs seems to be very alert to missing CE logo and counterfeit products.
Just because you live in a given country, where customs are not effectively charging taxes, don't assume this is the case for other countries! Please don't be offended - I actually envy you!
Also, bear in mind that the situation can change in your country at any given time. The reason some packages don't go through customs when a lower value is declares is due to the fact that customs are understaffed for such high increase in global shopping. I bet this is a temporrary situation.
Chinese sellers try to circumvent this through tricks:
a) The shipping is done through a third country within the EU, where customs are not agressive. Example: I buy a new Adndroid smartwatch for 100 Euro. It gets sent to Switzerland (not part of the EU, but within Schengen space). No customs apply in Switzerland. Someone repacks the watch and sends it to me from Switzerland. Due to Schengen, no customs apply on arrivalt to Portugal.
Because the EU is monitoring this, the third country is always changing. Used to be Italy, but then customs intercepted those packages. Then they moved on to Switzerland, etc.
b) "EU Stores": I don't even know what that means. There are such stores in the UK and Spain, preferrably. I think Chinese found a way to get containers out of customs and hence keep small stocks in thos countries.
All of this is to circumvent EU law. It is a risk and if you score, the profit is yours. If not, you end up WAITING WEEKS to get your product, after you pay taxes:
1) In Portugal +23% VAT
2) In Portugal +12 Euro handling fee
3) In Portugal +1-X% Customs
Some countries are more affected than others: I buy from China with bigger chances of not paying customs. Deals from Singapore, Malasya, etc. ALWAYS get to customs (even evidently small or cheap packages) - I know pay attention when shopping on Ebay, that the seller is in Hongkong, Shenzen or mainland China.
Sorry for this long post.
Regards,
Vitor