Charges for receiving parcel from another EU country?

sebhoff

Hi all,
After more than a year in Britain, I still occasionally get a shock when I look at what goods (and services) cost here - and I tend to try to get quite a few things from abroad (through visitors, etc.). However, I now want to buy a new record player and that's not the kind of thing you can ask a friend to carry along in their hand-luggage... ;-)
I've been trying to find a *definite* answer about whether or not I will be billed for any (possibly outrageous) taxes/charges when I order something in Germany and have it delivered by mail to the UK (for example: http://www.hifi-phono-house.com/Turntables/Pro-Ject/X-Line/Pro-Ject-Xpression-III-Comfort-Turntable--4115.html - 479 Euro in Germany, about 450GBP in the UK).
I get the impression that I may be charged VAT again, even though the Germans have already charged me? And would there be anything else that I would have to expect?
Thanks for any pointers!
sebhoff

dmg24

Free movement of goods - you should not be charged anything.

sebhoff

dmg24 wrote: »

Free movement of goods - you should not be charged anything.

Yes - that's what I thought, too. But I get conflicting feedback on whether that actually is the case or not...

mpython

VAT only has to be paid once on purchases within EU. You may get charged VAT on top of the delivery charges depending on the carrier/ PP arrangement. As you'll be saving €180ish, could you not combine buying it with a visit home/ to Germany?

sebhoff

mpython wrote: »

As you'll be saving €180ish, could you not combine buying it with a visit home/ to Germany?

Thanks for your reply! Yes - but I'm going there in November already and will be bringing back a satellite receiver (PVR). Cheapest UK price: £359 - German price: €369!
Is there any *real* reason why UK prices are generally so ridiculously high? I used to live in Switzerland and shops always blamed their higher prices on higher local salaries, but that's definitely not the case in Britain... ;-)

sebhoff

egamar

If you pay the EU seller for the cost of goods and transport there is nothing more to pay on receipt in the UK. Repeat: nothing.

mpython makes a valid point, but it's a circumstance unlikely to arise in normal consumer transactions.

There are other issues to consider when buying at a distance: acquaint yourself with the EU distance selling regulations and understand what the issues might be if the goods are damaged/faulty or if you simply don't like them and want to return them (you can, inside 7 days, but probably at your cost).

If you are buying outside the EU, all bets are off. Well, I mean not really, they are all perfectly well definable but a bit confusing to the layperson at first sight. I spent my working life in import and export so please do NOT ask me for advice. I thank you!

sebhoff

egamar wrote: »

If you pay the EU seller for the cost of goods and transport there is nothing more to pay on receipt in the UK. Repeat: nothing.

OK - thanks!

egamar wrote: »

If you are buying outside the EU, all bets are off.

Yep - and I'll definitely be charged for various things. For example, I know you get charged £8 (or was it £12 now) on top of import duties etc. by the parcel "service".

egamar wrote: »

I spent my working life in import and export so please do NOT ask me for advice. I thank you!

Funny - I thought this was a forum where people want to give (and get) advice. But I'm new here - so I'll be quiet...
sebhoff

bengal-stripe

egamar wrote: »

If you pay the EU seller for the cost of goods and transport there is nothing more to pay on receipt in the UK. Repeat: nothing.

Only exception are items that carry consumer taxes in a particular country, like cigarettes and alcohol in the UK, or coffee in Germany.

egamar

bengal-stripe wrote: »

Only exception are items that carry consumer taxes in a particular country, like cigarettes and alcohol in the UK, or coffee in Germany.

Spot on ....ohh how the memory fades! I suspect this is just "excise duty" as we call it here (I can't think of any similar duties of a different name), and that is not payable when personally imported in quantities accepted by HMC *(or whatever they're called now) as being for personal use. These are only applicable if the destination country imposes them - so German coffee duties will not be payable on arrival in the UK (they may already have been paid in Germany or may have been reclaimed by the sender: I'm not familiar with German duties and taxes - and taxing coffee? Crikey! That better be one of Gordon's 'red lines'!)

Not quite as definitive as I originally made out, eh? :mad:

egamar

sebhoff wrote: »

Funny - I thought this was a forum where people want to give (and get) advice. But I'm new here - so I'll be quiet...
sebhoff

I guess retirement has turned me into a grumpy old sod!

mpython

sebhoff wrote: »

..... I'm going there in November already and will be bringing back a satellite receiver (PVR). Cheapest UK price: £359 - German price: €369!.....
sebhoff

if you ask on the 'techie' or 'Shop don't drop' boards you may find a much better UK price. although I don't know what product/ spec you're after, I paid £299 for a HD satellite PVR more than a year ago, so you should be able to get same for £199 or less now. Can't comment on why you've been quoted £359.