Whose duty is it to pay duties?

Batten wearing the coat she paid high duties for, that was made in China and bought from a seller in the Netherlands, at her home in Oakland, California. — Andria Lo/The New York Times

KIM Batten thought she’d snagged a decent deal.

The physical therapist from Oakland, California, had splurged on a trench coat from a Dutch retailer for US$456 – already stretching her budget.