lmntel | 12 Jun 2018 11:31 a.m. PST |
Just a reminder guys about import duty .I know it's been mentioned here many times but I just got a card through my door about my order from Trenchworx .Im in the Uk. Apparently I owe thePost Office £14.00 GBP.£8.00 of which is a handling charge,! Isn't that what they do? It's the first time I've been caught out with this and have had many parcels from Australia and the USA before now. Surely this is what the Postal Union is for to keep postage fair across the board.? As the order (a ft17 tank) was only £30.00 GBP all in it takes the enjoyment out of it and I have to trek to the sorting office with my ransom payment to release the hostages. Yours despondently Martin |
lmntel | 12 Jun 2018 11:31 a.m. PST |
Just a reminder guys about import duty .I know it's been mentioned here many times but I just got a card through my door about my order from Trenchworx .Im in the Uk. Apparently I owe thePost Office £14.00 GBP.£8.00 of which is a handling charge,! Isn't that what they do? It's the first time I've been caught out with this and have had many parcels from Australia and the USA before now. Surely this is what the Postal Union is for to keep postage fair across the board.? As the order (a ft17 tank) was only £30.00 GBP all in it takes the enjoyment out of it and I have to trek to the sorting office with my ransom payment to release the hostages. Yours despondently Martin |
GonerGonerGoner | 12 Jun 2018 11:41 a.m. PST |
Do not order from outside the customs union unless it's under £18.00 GBP As more countries computerise you're more likely to get caught for it. I've not had a US order escape for three or four years now. You have to factor the Import VAT and the Post Office's fee into any purchase. After Brexit it'll get even worse. |
Andoreth | 12 Jun 2018 1:27 p.m. PST |
I too am hacked off with this problem, to the degree that I have written to HMRC to find out if there is a way round this for small parcels. I will start a new thread if this yields anything interesting. |
Wargamer Blue | 12 Jun 2018 2:19 p.m. PST |
We are about to be hit with a GST import tax in Australia. The digitalisation and information sharing of postal services has come of age. |
Herkybird | 12 Jun 2018 3:25 p.m. PST |
Yes, and remember that £18.00 GBP limit includes the cost of any postage too! Its a real rip off! |
zoneofcontrol | 12 Jun 2018 7:10 p.m. PST |
What was it that Mrs. Thatcher said about other people's money? |
repaint | 12 Jun 2018 10:48 p.m. PST |
basically, it is not reasonable anymore to buy from the US if you live in another country, you're first hit with postage that has skyrocketed these past few years, you're hit with VAT, you're hit with "handling" fees. I used to buy a lot of stuff from the US. Sadly, not anymore unless I am on a trip over there. On the other hand, UK has been quite clever about it (by chance?), local companies take the VAT off when they can and shipping fees are still reasonable. Well done Great Britain (for a change :) ) |
Vigilant | 13 Jun 2018 2:30 a.m. PST |
The Post Office "handling fee" is for doing the customs declaration and paying the VAT for you, not for delivering the parcel. Given that they do this without your agreement I have often wondered if you could refuse on the grounds that there is no contract between you and the Post Office. The only way to get around this would be if the Post Office notified you that the goods had arrived and giving you the option to deal with the customs forms and payments yourself. It depends on how much your time is worth to deal with HMRC and how much longer you would be prepared to wait to get your parcel, and if the Post Office would be prepared to do this. |
ScottWashburn | 13 Jun 2018 4:13 a.m. PST |
I still do a lot of PaperTerrain sales to the UK. Flat envelopes under 1 pound in weight avoid the whole customs/VAT situation. |
keithbarker | 13 Jun 2018 8:32 a.m. PST |
We have the same problem here in Sweden, regardless of the cost of the package. So I try very hard not to order from the USA – but I cannot resist AIM's airplanes! What really worries me is what will happen after Brexit. If the handling charge starts on stuff from the UK to Sweden then I'm in trouble. |
altfritz | 13 Jun 2018 4:12 p.m. PST |
I've begun to be really conscious of package weight. If it stays below 250 grams it is quite reasonable. If is stays under 500 grams it stays below $20 USD CAD. Small Packet Air. When you go above 500 grams however it starts to ratchet up very quickly. The way I look at buy overseas is I either want something or I don't. I don't let possible duties nor postage stop me. EXCEPTION: EBay's Buyer Program – which is a scam designed to earn more money for them. It offers no benefits to the customer that I can see, and adds many additional costs to purchase. |
KeepYourPowderDry | 14 Jun 2018 3:07 p.m. PST |
Royal Mail is obliged (i.e. it has to) present items to Border Force. Gifts up to £39.00 GBP are vat and duty free, goods under £15.00 GBP the same. Gifts & goods up to £135.00 GBP (from £39.00 GBP and £15.00 GBP respectively) are VAT payable but no import duty, over £135.00 GBP VAT and import duty are payable. Printed paper, but not books, is usually exempt. In the past it used to be a bit of a lottery, sometimes it was delivered with no charges payable, sometimes you got hit. As already mentioned the £8.00 GBP fee is for handling, paying the vat/duty on your behalf at point of entry so you can pick up your package quicker. Pretty reasonable when you consider the alternative – having to deal with Border Agency direct, then having to arrange collection/ delivery. |
Delta314 | 15 Jun 2018 11:46 a.m. PST |
Just went to order a single miniature & when I got to checkout shipping was $9. USD !!!! That's more then the mini I was going to order!! And that's why I'll continue to order from the UK. It may take a day or two longer but it's definitely cheaper & quicker then getting them here!! Unfreaking believable!! |
Tyler326 | 21 Jun 2018 1:17 p.m. PST |
Postal fees have been going up and up here in the USA. Now the US Supreme Court has ruled that states can charge you a tax for online orders whether or not the company has a "footprint" in your state. Seems they need more taxes! |