Purchasing from the USA

[John D Smith]

I am posting this for information.

I have just made my first purchase from Craft Supplies USA.My purchase was for $30 plus $8.20 Shipping.You have to remember
the extra charges when purchasing from the USA.
Goods purchased and imported into the EU with a value over £18 are subjected to VAT @ 20% also a Royal Mail International handling fee of £8. and over £135 are subjected to import duty and Excise Duty.

So my purchase of about £19 cost me £3.70 vat plus £8 to the Royal Mail another £11.70.on top of my purchase.
                                               
                                                                                                                 Regards John 

[woodndesign]

Hi John,  Has your purchase already get here and this has been the cost or is it still to come...  as exchange rates vary..  this moment $38.20 is about £23.76..    hope it's not that,  let us know.

I wonder how it is VAT can ever be charge for anything made/supplied from outside of the UK..  as VAT came about as a manufacturing charge for UK manufactures to make money as parts passed between them..  now the buck stops with us..

David

[Paul Hannaby]

Hi John,
Here's a quote from the HMRC website

You will have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18

Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under.

So at a 20% rate, the £9 duty would equate to a purchase price of £45 so the duty should be waived on your order because it is less than this amount.

Here's a link to the page in question, I found this bit about half way down the page.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/buying.htm

By the way, if you are charged import duty, Parcel Force also charge a collection fee of around £8 ! If you don't pay, the goods are returned to the sender.

[John D Smith]

Hi David, Yes I have received the goods but I had to go to my local Royal Mail sorting office pay the £11.70 before they would hand over the parcel.
Paul, Thanks for the info and the link.It is something worth considering when buying from the USA.Regards John

[woodndesign]

John, Glad it cost no more.. we usually get a letter to say, call us and pay up or else, so it's a debit payment before they'll deliver...

We'll see some fancy pens soon..

David

[Philip Greenwood]

Hello John

Thanks for this post i have look at the USA market for tools and equipment but been put off with the red tape of importing.

Could you tell me if with all the extra costs it was worth the cost.

Thank
Philip

[Martin Lawrence]

Hi Philip,

 It obviously depend on what you wish to buy, in many cases you can save a lot, I bought a chainsaw and even with the import, VAT costs etc still saved £200 on the best price I could get in the UK.

Cheers Martin.

[John D Smith]

Hi Philip,the items I purchased were Bracelet Helpers which I couldn't find in the UK I was happy enough with the overall cost but the £8 handling fee by the Royal Mail seemed extortionate.

David,Yes I did have a card pushed through the door saying pay up and come and collect they would only deliver in the next 5 days if you paid up on line.

Martin, you are right looking at some of the prices of tools in the USA even with the extra costs it would still be cheaper

                                                                   Regards John

                                                                             

[woodndesign]

John,  As I'd said...  I think both VAT & RM fee are down right robbery....   just recently we've had mail which has had under payment as postage, not only have we had to pay for someone elses short payment, over weight or reuse of used stamps..  but a £1.00 for handling..  which they do the same if it had full or right postage...    ...
We mail most days of the week, at a cost of £2.07 upto 100gram for World via Air Mail, £2.35 to the next at 120gram..  the rest is shocking...  of the wife's business, it's RM that is making any profit from it...   but then we couldn't deliver 2 doz an more each day, World wide at the price..  an the Ladies are very nice at the PO..    ...

David

[Dave Harding]

VAT is and always been a tax on the final consumer. Manufacturers and retailers do not "make money" on VAT. It does in fact COST them large sums of money in staff and accountants fees to administer the tax on behalf of the Government.

Please do not blame those not responsible. Blame successive governments who see indirect tax as an easy option - just look at petrol and Diesel costs.

[John D Smith]

David H,I was not complaining about the Vat as I know you have to pay this, and yes without trying to get into a political discussion on this Forum it was the Royal Mails Handling charge I think is a Rip Off.Regards John

[Paul Hannaby]

Hi John,
What doesn't seem to add up here is that the HMRC website is saying they will waive any fees under £9 but you are being charged £3.70 and are then charged another £8 for collecting it! Maybe a phone call to the HMRC is called for?

[John D Smith]

Hello Paul,the page I have just looked at via the link on your previous posting said if the value of goods is over £18 then you are liable to pay VAT.The £8 was for the Royal Mail for handling charge,the do not attempt to deliver the goods because their Postmen
are not allowed to handle cash all they do is to deliver a card telling you to pay on line or go and collect and pay up.Regards John

[Paul Hannaby]

Hi John,
On the same page it also says this -

Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under.

[petjeffery]

hi ya all  i have found in the passed if you can get the person/compaye to send items to you as a GIFT then you can bypass the vat and bits  has worked well for me and a few other friends i know 
hope this may help for next time