Shopping online from USA

egamar

Alexandria wrote: »

Saying that its mostly clothing or baby slings I have bought and not electrical items so perhaps thats the difference?

Perhaps of low value? That's the 'de-minimis' thing I mentioned.

There's no VAT on kids' clothes anyway*, so maybe customs just don't bother with that - even if there is maybe some duty to pay, it just isn't worth their while.

If you've bought from ebay from a personal seller, it probably arrives looking like a small low-value gift anyway

I have NO idea what a baby sling is - is it like a catapult?

UK007BullDog

I bought about 10 collectibles about 5 years ago and I got slapped with around £150 duty charges for the parcel. I then asked to be sent the items singly and only once was charged duty again because the item was over $50.

egamar

UK007BullDog wrote: »

I bought about 10 collectibles about 5 years ago and I got slapped with around £150 duty charges for the parcel. I then asked to be sent the items singly and only once was charged duty again because the item was over $50.

Good tip! But you need a co-operative seller, and it increases the shipping charges typically 'cos normally there's a minimum charge .... (tonyhamm's example - minimum = $27), so it's maybe only worthwhile for expensive items like I imagine your collectibles were (must have been around £1200 worth).

Tao81

kittie wrote: »

I shop via the web in the US for vitamins ie solgar omnium. Cheapest here for 90 is £48 plus p+p

In the US they charge $7 p+p and the total cost is £19

I make sure I am below that tax level of $36

Its a no-brainer bargain as delivery usually takes only a few days

Kittie where do you buy from? I have a friend who regularly buys Solgar products over here, she'd probably be very grateful to know how to make a killing of a saving for her tablets etc! Thanks

egamar

Tao81 wrote: »

Kittie where do you buy from? I have a friend who regularly buys Solgar products over here, she'd probably be very grateful to know how to make a killing of a saving for her tablets etc! Thanks

Watch out for her on ebay too! That's a good deal if ever there was one.

Alexandria

egamar wrote: »

Perhaps of low value? That's the 'de-minimis' thing I mentioned.

There's no VAT on kids' clothes anyway*, so maybe customs just don't bother with that - even if there is maybe some duty to pay, it just isn't worth their while.

If you've bought from ebay from a personal seller, it probably arrives looking like a small low-value gift anyway

I have NO idea what a baby sling is - is it like a catapult?

When I have bought from RuffRyders it has been about $200, the baby slings (not a catapult but a way of carrying baby close to you and comfortably) where $80 and more recently I ordered from ThinkGeek and that was about $90.
So i guess for at least the RR order I was just lucky! :j

Alexandria

Eeek guess who spoke too soon? I go through the post today a customs/ vat bill for £28, gutted as my items only cost £41 but they did some weird calculation to make the value of them £90 odd and worked the vat out on that!!!

franklally

I was told by nintendo world in NYC that the WII from the US will not work in the UK.

I ordered a pair of trousers from the US several years ago for $50 and got stuffed with £19 tax and duty over here - I haven't bought anything from the US that needs posting over here since!

egamar

Alexandria wrote: »

Eeek guess who spoke too soon? I go through the post today a customs/ vat bill for £28, gutted as my items only cost £41 but they did some weird calculation to make the value of them £90 odd and worked the vat out on that!!!

Well, they might have made a mistake ..... who's they, btw? The Post Office?

If it's a private company watch out for those sneaky 'customs clearance' or 'handling fees' and refuse to pay them on the basis you did not ask them to provide the service for you and they did not contact you to seek their permission. You'll still owe the duty and VAT.

If you want to, post or PM the details and I'll see if I can remember enough of the job I did for years to work out if it's about right!

egamar

egamar wrote: »

I'll see if I can remember enough of the job I did for years to work out if it's about right!

Apparently I haven't lost all of my marbles. The bill was wrong (and we think we can see it was a genuine mistake (although one an experienced clerk should not have made and would have earned the local manager a roasting from me in a previous life) not a scam by any means). Alex has probably been overcharged by about £14.

Nevertheless: the moral of the story is clear: it's not always a bargain buying from the US, even if it looks a "no brainer".