Hi guys,
I spent some time already trying to figure out the cost of buying parts from the main speaker suppliers from EU and US shipped to UK with really low luck.
Anybody already had some experience?
It sound just crazy the additional charge! more than 50% additional costs?!?
My understanding is that for anything more than 40£ or so we have to pay import charges and UK VAT.
Example:
All in £ for simplicity.
2x 70£ drivers 10£shipment No VAT from origin country.
we pay 70x2+10£=£150 for the parts
On top we have to add 20%VAT and 20% import charges and management fees let's say 10£?
That's 226£ (50% more than the original part comprehensive of shipment!)
This applies to either EU or US.
Am I right or my calculations are wrong?
I spent some time already trying to figure out the cost of buying parts from the main speaker suppliers from EU and US shipped to UK with really low luck.
Anybody already had some experience?
It sound just crazy the additional charge! more than 50% additional costs?!?
My understanding is that for anything more than 40£ or so we have to pay import charges and UK VAT.
Example:
All in £ for simplicity.
2x 70£ drivers 10£shipment No VAT from origin country.
we pay 70x2+10£=£150 for the parts
On top we have to add 20%VAT and 20% import charges and management fees let's say 10£?
That's 226£ (50% more than the original part comprehensive of shipment!)
This applies to either EU or US.
Am I right or my calculations are wrong?
Some rather awful experiences the other way here. €30 charges on a package worth €25 or so. Another stuck in customs. I'll look for other means in the future. Maybe the UK can join the EU some time.
The VAT and Import Charges are set by your government so those percentages can be looked up.
The management fee is charged by the shipper and will vary by company. It is a charge for them to run your stuff by the customs people and prepay the VAT and Import duties, which they then have to collect from you (hopefully).
But for small import values, no VAT and Import Duty is levied, look it up, it may be much cheaper to get two 70 £ packages rather than one 140 £ package, even with the double shipping.
Jan
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SoundImports now don't include EU VAT in the price if you request to ship to the UK. So from that point of view you should not lose out by paying VAT twice. Just ordered from them and this was the case - standard delivery was still very fast(5 days).
From what I understand Import Tax is only applicable if the value of the shipment is greater than £130 - so it might be better to split a large order into several shipments.
From what I understand Import Tax is only applicable if the value of the shipment is greater than £130 - so it might be better to split a large order into several shipments.
I've made several small purchases from AliExpress. Major change here is that Ali now added in UK VAT. Presumably they paid that to the UK government.
Was worried when everything arrived that I'd have to pay VAT again or import fees. Didn't have to pay anything though. If they had tried to charge VAT again I would have kicked up a fuss with the post office and customs showing them proof that I'd already paid VAT on that order. Ain't no way I'm going to let them try and charge me twice without raising my voice on the issue.
Of course before Brexit the UK wouldn't have bothered with import duty, or VAT fees, on orders so small, and Ali wouldn't have charged VAT either. But with Brexit I was worried this would change.
The value before was £14.99 and that included P&P. Keep an individual order below that value and it would skip customs and VAT fees. Go over it and you'd pay through the teeth.
As Ali was charging VAT this time I thought it interesting and actually went over £14.99. This time one order was £25. Ali charged VAT but it went through customs without a charge. Not entirely sure that would happen every time but I was pleased to say the least.
Was worried when everything arrived that I'd have to pay VAT again or import fees. Didn't have to pay anything though. If they had tried to charge VAT again I would have kicked up a fuss with the post office and customs showing them proof that I'd already paid VAT on that order. Ain't no way I'm going to let them try and charge me twice without raising my voice on the issue.
Of course before Brexit the UK wouldn't have bothered with import duty, or VAT fees, on orders so small, and Ali wouldn't have charged VAT either. But with Brexit I was worried this would change.
The value before was £14.99 and that included P&P. Keep an individual order below that value and it would skip customs and VAT fees. Go over it and you'd pay through the teeth.
As Ali was charging VAT this time I thought it interesting and actually went over £14.99. This time one order was £25. Ali charged VAT but it went through customs without a charge. Not entirely sure that would happen every time but I was pleased to say the least.
More and more companies strike a deal with customs that they would pre-charge VAT at purchase, then pay that to the government, only to speed up the delivery. It used to be that packages would spend a week or more at the customs depot while VAT and import was determined.
So with the advent of the automated process, its a win-win.
The actual VAT and import charges are set by your majesty's government, so no use complaining to the seller or shipper about it. They try their best to streamline everything for a fast delivery.
Jan
So with the advent of the automated process, its a win-win.
The actual VAT and import charges are set by your majesty's government, so no use complaining to the seller or shipper about it. They try their best to streamline everything for a fast delivery.
Jan
Of course. You don't pay VAT on something you export. It is at the import side (the UK in this case) where VAT is charged, depending on amount and type of goods. It's all very logical, really.
Jan
There is some info here but its out of date as it says 'If buying from in the EU' and we are now out but the charges stated will now apply to everywhere including the EU now.
Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad: Tax and duty - GOV.UK
Updated version of the same thing really.
VAT and overseas goods sold directly to customers in the UK - GOV.UK
I bought some £50 ish goods from aliexpress and as 5thelemet says they now charge VAT for UK customers so that actually should save us money as we wont have to pay the couriers charges for paying it on our behalf when it gets to their sorting offices in the UK.
If what you are buying is over £135 you will have to pay duty and also the VAT (if not already payed).
Mark.
Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad: Tax and duty - GOV.UK
Updated version of the same thing really.
VAT and overseas goods sold directly to customers in the UK - GOV.UK
I bought some £50 ish goods from aliexpress and as 5thelemet says they now charge VAT for UK customers so that actually should save us money as we wont have to pay the couriers charges for paying it on our behalf when it gets to their sorting offices in the UK.
If what you are buying is over £135 you will have to pay duty and also the VAT (if not already payed).
Mark.
Ah no, Boris and mates think its a jolly wheeze for the seller to charge VAT and pay HMRC. This is not logical at all 🙂
We (UK) have always had to pay the same charges, when buying from the US and Canada ( or anywhere else)
I dont see what difference it makes, most the thing I have avoided buying, because they're US export and I'll pay VAT and Import Tax, are suddenly far more attractive to me.
Certainly more attractive than buying chocolate from a former British company, owned by the US and then manufactured in Poland.
But,
Meh...
This thread is pretty political and probably flies against the forum rules...a little.
But while opinion is being offered....
I'm happy to have left the EU. That does not make me or anyone that agrees, xenophobes. Sadly the EU has paled from, what some would call, their ideal.
The EU response during the pandemic to their member states, as well as troubled and departing member states, has shown how broken it is. (We were one of the states that helped steer it true)
I am happy to share friends in a few EU cities, as well as family in the US and Canada, and I will visit EU again (once I have exhausted the UK)
I dont see what difference it makes, most the thing I have avoided buying, because they're US export and I'll pay VAT and Import Tax, are suddenly far more attractive to me.
Certainly more attractive than buying chocolate from a former British company, owned by the US and then manufactured in Poland.
But,
Meh...
This thread is pretty political and probably flies against the forum rules...a little.
But while opinion is being offered....
I'm happy to have left the EU. That does not make me or anyone that agrees, xenophobes. Sadly the EU has paled from, what some would call, their ideal.
The EU response during the pandemic to their member states, as well as troubled and departing member states, has shown how broken it is. (We were one of the states that helped steer it true)
I am happy to share friends in a few EU cities, as well as family in the US and Canada, and I will visit EU again (once I have exhausted the UK)
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Oh dear. Given the omnishambles of the UK handling of things and our horrendous death rate I fail to see how you can make this comment (at least until this gets cleared out).
One on topic thing to note. If you are buying something made in EU then there should be no tariffs, but a handling fee from your friendly post service.
IF you are buying from EU something made in China you will have to pay whatever tariff agreed for chinese imports, which will be on top of the tariff already paid when imported into EU. Country of origin for anything smaller than a car is possibly not clear yet to customs on either side so I expect things to evolve.
Over time of course it will get worse. phooey.
IF you are buying from EU something made in China you will have to pay whatever tariff agreed for chinese imports, which will be on top of the tariff already paid when imported into EU. Country of origin for anything smaller than a car is possibly not clear yet to customs on either side so I expect things to evolve.
Over time of course it will get worse. phooey.
Bill, I don't know who is HMRC, but it IS logical. You pay the same but avoid long delays. They do that for you ;-)
Jan
Jan
Let's try with an example:
250EUR of goods from Soundimports.eu
(All in EUR for simplicity)
According to the rules in the page linked by Kram it looks like I'd have to pay (My take):
250+14.95 shipment=264.95EUR
On this value I have to pay
VAT (that's 20%): 52.99
Import charges (should be 20%too):52.99
Total 370.97 plus courier handling fees (between 8 and 15£)...😱
Am I correct?😕
250EUR of goods from Soundimports.eu
(All in EUR for simplicity)
According to the rules in the page linked by Kram it looks like I'd have to pay (My take):
250+14.95 shipment=264.95EUR
On this value I have to pay
VAT (that's 20%): 52.99
Import charges (should be 20%too):52.99
Total 370.97 plus courier handling fees (between 8 and 15£)...😱
Am I correct?😕
No intention to get political and I'd prefer to keep Brexit talk out of it!
I'd just like to understand how would it cost me to buy stuff from Part Express or soundimports and not find out when I paid already!
I'd just like to understand how would it cost me to buy stuff from Part Express or soundimports and not find out when I paid already!
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
So how would it be logical that, if you set up a webshop to sell to UK and EU that you would need to be VAT registered with UK in order to collect the VAT on the order and pay HMRC directly? You can see why a lot of small companies in EU have stopped selling to UK until the dust settles...
I think you pay vat (20%) on value of goods and postage and packaging and insurance if any. Then you also pay duty (2.something%?) which on top of all that. Then pay couriers fee also.
Found at this link:
Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad: Tax and duty - GOV.UK
Custom duty is 2.5% or less...
20% looked far too much!!!
Thanks Kram! and everybody else...
Summarizing:
You pay good and shipment. no doubt there...
You Pay VAT (UK VAT) directly taken by seller or on arrival to destination country.
If more than 135£ you pay custom duty that's 2.5% plus what the shipping company charges for handling and documents (8/15£).
Not sure how it works if they dont exact VAT at sale point, because that could trigger a handling fee from shipping company, I'll get to the bottom of this and give you an update.
Cheers!
Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad: Tax and duty - GOV.UK
Custom duty is 2.5% or less...
20% looked far too much!!!
Thanks Kram! and everybody else...
Summarizing:
You pay good and shipment. no doubt there...
You Pay VAT (UK VAT) directly taken by seller or on arrival to destination country.
If more than 135£ you pay custom duty that's 2.5% plus what the shipping company charges for handling and documents (8/15£).
Not sure how it works if they dont exact VAT at sale point, because that could trigger a handling fee from shipping company, I'll get to the bottom of this and give you an update.
Cheers!
Oh dear indeed Bill. 😀
We are all entitled to an opinion.
We will all persevere, regardless of what besets us, all grow and learn, and all remain different.
Such is the beauty of life.