M7 COS

I got caught out before when I bought something from the US, I ended up with a bill from FedEx for import taxes.

Do you have to pay tax on all items? Or is it only on items over a certain amount?

I'm looking to buy something from the US that's $70 + $25 postage, will I have to pay a percentage on top of that?

CheeRS

Christian and Beccy

iTrader: (14)

Yes, for Car parts you should pay around 3% of the total value of the item, then VAT (at 17.5%) on the final figure.

Some people get the sender to mark the parcel 'Gift' or 'Commercial Sample', or state a lower value on the Invoice/Declaration!!!

The obvious problem with stating a lower value is that if it gets lost, you are pretty much stuffed.

M7 COS

Thanks mate.

It's not car parts though, but a pair of football boots, will the tax be different?

CheeRS

Christian and Beccy

iTrader: (14)

I imagine it will be roughly the same. Its the VAT bit that hurts.

I have received 3 or 4 items from the US and only paid Tax on one of them.

CabrioTurbo

lol depends if customs look at it or not... 9 times out of 10 they will do nothing especially if its only a small package and labeled 'gift'

CabrioTurbo

even better if they are 'childs' boots as kids stuff is Zero rated and no duty/vat has to be payed!

DanRSturbo

I bought 2 pair's of Nike Air Jordan's from the states and had to pay a slight tax on them Yet the replica General Lee's I bought, i din't pay a cent so to speak. Some sellers pay the tax for you

S1

You have to be a bit careful. I know of a bloke who ran a model shop that imported RC cars/spares from the states and never paid any duty. He than ordered a rather expensive RC helicopter and got stung for the duty. He was then investigated and made to pay duty and fines on all the previous stuff he had imported over the previous couple of years.

motherhupit

I've got bike parts from ebay from the us just get him to mark it as gift, the british customs are wankers thou u'll probally have to wait 2 weeks while it goes through the batty boys headcourters

2HOT4U

what about ordering a sony psp thingy? as ive heard that they are very cheap out there????

RANJ

mark as gift, value under 100USD and you will be ok

2HOT4U

but i wont be able to get a shop to do that for me ?

Al Bags

You might Susan .. Ask them .. They understand the problem!

2HOT4U

ooo cool, so does anyone know of any americam websites etc that are reputable?

Al Bags

I used these guys before ...

http://outpost.com/

Just remember that your item "MAY" get caught by the handling agent's system .. Then they will either send it, then try to bill you for duty (If any) handling, and their other bits .. or Customs themselves, depending on how the delivery is done.

So .. you may just receive it .. or get caught for duty/VAT, etc.

The chance you take

Al Bags

That site very slow at the moment Susan .. It's approaching mid-day over there .. Everyone's probably on there!

Stavros

Ive ordered a few things, only once been stung for tax, and even then we put the value for far less than it was worth so wasnt much.

If you got a decent courier service you should be able to track the items progress and the chances of it going missing are slim to fuck all anyhow.

Ginge !

or pay rhys to send it for ya

Christian and Beccy

iTrader: (14)

Its OK getting your purchase marked as worth next to fook all, but if it goes missing or you have to make a claim or whatever, you will only get (at most) what the stated value was.

When I made a purchase for over Ł500, the sender marked it as 'Game Boy Controller' with a value of $50. I then didn't pay any Import Tax, but if it did go AWOL, its only 'worth' $50.

Gamble only with as much as you can afford to lose.

M7 COS

Thanks for all the replies.

I think I may risk it.

CheeRS

MikeR

I have sent alot of stuff from the us back to the UK and mark it as gift. or i used to fly back this way regualy and never got bothered,

But i agree with C + B there is a risk that if under priced you will only get what you say it is worth not the real value,


Mike

nickyboy

As i work with imports on a daily basis the gen is as follows:

Gift allowance is $38, anything more is taxable (10% duty and 17.5% vat).
Putting gift on the customs form wont make a difference unless the item is declared under the above amount.
If it is sent mail then chances are you get away with it, customs "tend" to concentrate on express couriers as thats how companies etc get their parts and have no problem with paying duties etc.
You parcel wont be looked at by anyone unless it is chosen for inspection by an officer so writing gift etc all over it wont make a difference.
Making a false declaration on official paperwork in the US is a federal offence so dont expect the sender to help too much.

Thats the long and short of it, there are exceptions and some things get through. There is also different rates of duty for different items but that tends to be antiques/limited edition items etc

SS1

iTrader: (3)

nickyboy

i agree its hit and miss if you get caught

YOUR quote

You parcel wont be looked at by anyone unless it is chosen for inspection by an officer so writing gift etc all over it wont make a difference.
Making a false declaration on official paperwork in the US is a federal offence so dont expect the sender to help too much.

Al Bags

Thats what the immigrants are doing then, I reckon ... Posting themselves here through the bloody mail!
Obviously, loads get through .... Bloody disgrace