I need some help with buying something from the USA!

izzieuk

Hello
I'm hoping someone might know more about the customs and tax thing than me.
I bought some stickers for $4.80 (about £3.50) from the USA and realised after I've bought them that if you're buying from somewhere outside the EU it has to go through customs and I might be charged customs/excise/vat.
Does anybody know much about this, and if so how much I'd be charged. I'd hate to end up with a huge charge just for some cheap stickers that I bought for a present. My friend reckons it'll be hardly anything but I think she is just guessing!
Any help will be appreciated, thanks!

frogglet

I bought a number of sweatshirts from the USA and they were just delivered and I didn't get asked for anything. I think it is one of these hit and miss situations. A friend of mine bought a guitar and got stung for customs he then returned it as it was faulty and got stung a second time with the replacement.

custardy

you are below the threshold

izzieuk

Fantastic, I hoped I would be!

Snapdragon

custardy wrote: »

you are below the threshold

Can you tell me what the threshold is?

custardy

Snapdragon wrote: »

Can you tell me what the threshold is?

depends on what you are ordering
for most items its £18 for vat and about £100 odds for customs duty

Angely

custardy wrote: »

depends on what you are ordering
for most items its £18 for vat and about £100 odds for customs duty

ohhhh？？:money::money::T

JAG

Use this website to calculate duty http://www.dutycalculator.com/ but remember that if you need to pay import fees then Royal Mail charge you £8 handling fee.

custardy

JAG wrote: »

Use this website to calculate duty http://www.dutycalculator.com/ but remember that if you need to pay import fees then Royal Mail charge you £8 handling fee.

if they are handling it

Snapdragon

custardy wrote: »

if they are handling it

JAG wrote: »

Use this website to calculate duty http://www.dutycalculator.com/ but remember that if you need to pay import fees then Royal Mail charge you £8 handling fee.

Thanks for the calculator, though I think I'm more confused now.:eek:
I've just ordered something for $149 plus the shipping, I didn't know what the insurance element of the shipping cost was, the supplier just quoted $34.84 for shipping. Since it won't accept nothing as the insurance I've split it $14.84 & $20. As far as I can see its telling me the total customs value is £115.95 there is no import duty but £20.29 vat. So showing a total landed cost of £136.24.

As you can no doubt tell, never done this before, and wouldn't now if you could actually buy it over here! Can anyone who does understand this advise have I understood correctly, that its saying the £115.95 is the GBP equivalent of what I've already paid for the goods and the only extra I'll need to pay is VAT @ £20.29?
Who do I pay that to & when?

Its done now so I'll have to pay whatever it is but it would ease the nerves if someone could confirm I've got it about right. Thanks

JAG

It accepted zero for the insurance when I used it. (0.00).

I have just input your figures of $149 and $34.84 shipping, plus $0.00 insurance and it gives VAT payable of £21.91 so you will need to pay this plus £8.00 Royal Mail Handling fee, or another carriers handling fee (Fedex, UPS etc) depending on which carrier they use. The Royal Mail want the fee before you are given the item (usually have to go to the local delivery office) but Fedex and others may invoice you at a later date.