grommet37 | 31 Mar 2014 11:23 a.m. PST |
VAT? International shipping? Currency conversion? What's all this then? Sorry, but I'm kind of new to mail-order, and totally new to international mail order. I think I can deal with the currency conversion, but I'm not sure what the deal is with the Value Added Tax and the International Postage. They add the tax but waive the postage? They charge the tax but then refund it? Does Paypal just make all of this somewhat seamless? Just how expensive is international shipping, meaning should I bother for decals and masking, or should I wait until I'm ordering metal figs and resin vehicles as well? Of course, at the small quantities I order, that only adds a few ounces to the weight. :) I'm totally new to international buying/shipping. Worth it, for those rare items that one just can't get in the Beloved Homeland? |
Rich Bliss | 31 Mar 2014 11:28 a.m. PST |
Well worth it. I've ordered several times from the UK with no issues. Currency conversion and customs were handled invisibly by either Paypal or the sender. If you see something you want, order it. |
nnascati | 31 Mar 2014 11:33 a.m. PST |
Most UK companies will automatically deduct VAT from US orders, and if it is a site with a sign in, they will actually show the prices withtout VAT. |
JammerMan | 31 Mar 2014 11:42 a.m. PST |
Grommet37, I live in Louisana and I've been buying from mainly Brits, and some from Spain and Italy over the past 10 years and have gotten good service from many of the companies advertising on TMP. Companies that do X amount of business will give you the VAT back, which can be close to the postage. A smaller business might not, you have to ask. Now what I have learned about their (EU) postage is, you have to think in grams. When you are ordering items to be shipped to the states, find out how much it weighs. There might be one price for say, all items under 100 grams. Then the next break on price is everything between 101 to 500 grams. The price for postage does jump up, but if you buy enough, it seems to help. If you bought 120 grams of figures, it might cost 12.00 US. But if you bought 450 grams of figures, its the same 12.00 US. Most of the vendors are friendly and will help you with the best method. Happy Buying..LOL |
Dennis0302 | 31 Mar 2014 11:45 a.m. PST |
I've ordered many times from the UK. Never had a problem with Customs, even with large dollar orders. Beware the shipping costs, particularly if you're buying a number of 20mm or larger figures. It can really cut into your budget. |
GeoffQRF | 31 Mar 2014 11:52 a.m. PST |
Most UK companies will automatically deduct VAT from US orders Most UK companies do not have sufficient turnover so are not registered for VAT, therefore no VAT to deduct. It's not a matter of giving it back, or not. International shipping is, obviously, higher than domestic shipping rates. It has further to come :-) |
grommet37 | 31 Mar 2014 12:01 p.m. PST |
I have a few different items on the shopping list: decals & masking from here, one pack of figs from there, a walker from one guy, some bunkers & turrets from another place. Just trying to decide whether I really need these now-ish (or later) and whether to blow the budget on four or five international postage expenditures. Thanks for the insight, Grognards of the Old Guard! |
Angel Barracks | 31 Mar 2014 12:08 p.m. PST |
Companies that do X amount of business will give you the VAT back, which can be close to the postage. A smaller business might not, you have to ask. Not as such. As GeoffQRF said, you need to be charging VAT before you can deduct it. I for one do not charge VAT and therefore can not deduct it from my prices, it was never there to begin with.
Don't assume like so many, that all UK companies charge VAT. Michael. |
fred12df | 31 Mar 2014 1:02 p.m. PST |
I think you will find a lot of small orders is expensive from a postage perspective. The minimum charge for international post is quite high – and it does go up with weight fairly quickly too. You would probably be best off dropping the various suppliers an email and asking what the postage costs will be. |
T Callahan | 31 Mar 2014 1:24 p.m. PST |
I just received an order from the UK in today's mail. It was for 16 6mm cavalry figures from Adler Miniatures. I emailed my order, Adler got back to me the next day with my cost, no VAT, but included postage. I then paid via PayPal. Postage was 3.50 pounds. The whole process took 10 days. I usually receive orders in 10 to 14 days so this was on lower side of delivery time. Never had a problem with ordering figures from the UK. Terry |
Mooseworks8 | 31 Mar 2014 2:52 p.m. PST |
Always have had great service from Michael at Angel Barracks. |
Twoball Cane | 31 Mar 2014 8:13 p.m. PST |
Hi Grommet I have not had any bad experience ordering from the uk guys
I placed my first order through gzg
as they have a toggle switch for turning vat on or off
and they explained what vat is which put my mind at ease the first time. I've ordered a few times from each of these uk chaps: Old crow The scene 15mm. Uk gzg Critical mass games brigade models Blackhat Have not ordered from ionage or antenocities or madmecha
.but I think highly of their products. By the way check out dropship horizon
they have a list of all the manufacturers in our beloved scale(i think except ravenstar studios)
I stumbled unto the site way back when and between tmp and dropship u cant go wrong
. |
Bashytubits | 31 Mar 2014 8:53 p.m. PST |
I have never had any problems ordering from the UK. The only issue is if it is a larger package it may have to go through security which invariably causes a major delay in actual delivery, which is usually a week to ten days. I had a couple of large parcels from a sale at Warlord games and it was delayed a couple of months sitting waiting for x rays or whatever after the attempted shoe bombing several years ago. |
AVAMANGO | 01 Apr 2014 3:51 a.m. PST |
And done forget we have got access to the GZG worm hole. :) |
Regulars | 01 Apr 2014 5:23 a.m. PST |
Adding Pendraken and Baggage Train to the easy to deal with list. Cudos go to Leon of Pendraken I've ordered many times from them and he has always shipped promptly and stayed in touch. Best, Joel |
War Monkey | 01 Apr 2014 10:17 a.m. PST |
I have never had a problem from the UK, I don't know about other locations in Europe. |
Rovanite | 01 Apr 2014 1:45 p.m. PST |
I've sent a lot of Parcels overseas to the US and have never had anyone message me about any problems. I too don't charge VAT, so the prices on the website are the same for everyone. The only thing that does alter is postage since it's more expensive to send items abroad. But even that is not much extra. On a different note: One thing I don't get is when I buy from America, I have to pay the US tax (as far as I know), and then the UK VAT when it enters our country, which isn't fair. I've never had a refund or waiver option. |
myrm11 | 15 May 2014 4:54 a.m. PST |
Rovanite – I suspect you are not paying US taxes. I never have for mail orders from the US. They are used to having to not charge state sales taxes for out of state let alone international orders and most wargaming related sites. Just as an example Old Glory Miniatures state clearly 'State Sales tax will be charged on all orders delivered within the State of Georgia, USA. There is no sales tax on orders delivered outside the State of Georgia.' TO me this means prices are quoted without sales tax. That is what I would say is the norm that I have seen/experienced. Therefore – while you have been charged VAT on entry to the UK I'll guess that there has been no sales tax to take off/claim back from the US order because there wasn't any added in the first place. |
Tumbleweed | 16 May 2014 9:46 p.m. PST |
Rovanite: I agree with myrm 11's comments. Here at the Viking Forge we only ask that you include a 5.3% Virginia sales tax if you are a resident of Virginia. For anyone else anywhere else your responsibilities for your own state, provincial or national taxes are not our concern. |