This attempted tax fraud, esp. writing "gift" on the CN22 form is an invitation for local customs to check twice. Customs isn't as stupid as people think. I mean, really, is any customs in the world so stupid to believe there are coming so many "gifts" out of China?
In fact, I have a hard time convincing Chinese sellers to provide a correct declaration, instead of these attempted frauds. Local customs has the right to estimate a value if the declared value is not believable. And I can tell you, they know how to estimate. And it is never to the government's disadvantage when they start to estimate. To still get the item I have to pay the estimate and if I wish I can go through the trouble to officially protest the decision and maybe negotiate them 10% down
As with shipping out of China it is a hassle for me as a buyer. Some stuff takes ages. Stuff advertised as air mail ends up in sea shipping containers. I can tell from the customs office location if it went via a harbor or an airport. Tracking is a joke, incomplete and sometimes weeks delayed. It is never clear who will be the final carrier, i,.e. what color the truck driving up the driveway will have, and how much courier extortion money (sorry, handling fee) they will ask for. Especially unpredictable is EMS China. They seem to do the final delivery with everything from pidgins, sling shots, global courier service companies, local courier companies, to local postal service. I have refused free EMS upgrades in the past to avoid having to deal with their caprices.
And don't get me started on Chinese packing "ingenuity". If I need a year's supply of bubble wrap, I'd buy some random items in China. I just have to throw the outer layer of the bubble wrap away, because it is "sealed" with a year's supply of tape. Is there an extreme shortage of cardboard boxes in China, or why is everything made into a bubble wrap American football?
Buying stuff from Hong Kong is a bit better. They seem to have a functional postal service and know how to get stuff on planes and boats. Unfortunately, some eBay sellers prefer to lie about the origin of there wares and state Hong Kong when in fact they are shipping out of mainland China.
Buying from the US works ok, although I avoid several robber baron carriers like UPS, because of the handling fee they ask for. USPS works, but even their air mail is sloooow. Fed Ex ocassional gets their knickers in a twist so I avoid them if there is a viable alternative, i.e. not UPS.
Buying from Canada is rather pleasant. So was buying from Japan (haven't bought something directly from Japan for some time now).