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ShooterCBGear and Customs/Tax

T

Trojan

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Was thinking of getting some gear from these guys, as Multicam Tropic carriers in the UK are ludicrous. About $261 + $70 shipping worth of goods (£230).

For those of you that have shopped there - how often do you get hit by customs?

How can I calculate the total extra charge in the UK? All the sites I try and use have premium pricing models.

My understanding is that I will get charged:

£46 (20% of £230, VAT)

£5.50 (2.5% of £230, customs duty)

£51.50 added to the bill.

Is this correct or is it even more?

 
Ask them to quote it as $10 on the packaging if it's less than $100. Most will anyway. On bigger stuff they usually won't, but they will quote it as half the value or even less if you ask.

Also, it's even more: You have to pay a courier charge of £13.50. Like you say, a lot of the sites will charge you for getting the proper tax code but it's only going to fluctuate a couple of percent either way anyway so it's not like it matters much.

 
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proffrink said:
Ask them to quote it as $10 on the packaging if it's less than $100. Most will anyway. On bigger stuff they usually won't, but they will quote it as half the value or even less if you ask.

Also, it's even more: You have to pay a courier charge of £13.50. Like you say, a lot of the sites will charge you for getting the proper tax code but it's only going to fluctuate a couple of percent either way anyway so it's not like it matters much.
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$330 1/2 is about $165. About £115. Excludes Customs duty (2.5%) and brings VAT to about £23. + Courier charge of £13.50 = £36.50

Suppose an extra £40 isn't that bad. Still, pretty hefty like. Do all couriers add a charge? Why would china retailors quote half of big orders but not say something even smaller, like $50?

 
They all do, yeh. I think Royal Mail/Parcel Force is £13.50 if it's worth over £50? £8 if it's under £50. Not sure. If it's coming via Hong Kong Post or EMS then they hand-off to Parcel Force or Royal Mail when it hits the UK.

Quoting lower values is a risk - not legally, but because if that item is lost or damaged in transit then they'll only get reimbursed up to the value they declared. WGC - for example - will only go to 50% so they aren't totally out of pocket if it's lost on its way to you.

Under a certain amount (£135) you don't pay duty anyway. You'll only pay VAT and the courier charge: https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

 
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proffrink said:
They all do, yeh. I think Royal Mail/Parcel Force is £13.50 if it's worth over £50? £8 if it's under £50. Not sure. If it's coming via Hong Kong Post or EMS then they hand-off to Parcel Force or Royal Mail when it hits the UK.

Quoting lower values is a risk - not legally, but because if that item is lost or damaged in transit then they'll only get reimbursed up to the value they declared. WGC - for example - will only go to 50% so they aren't totally out of pocket if it's lost on its way to you.

Under a certain amount (£135) you don't pay duty anyway. You'll only pay VAT and the courier charge: https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty
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I see. Makes sense. I thought it was a legal issue.

But yeah, checked that it excludes custom duty, the post went over that.

 
You may also want the slowest postage option. I've had now 9 packages from HK all with (as it turned out) marked down values, but in every instance I picked 'speedpost' I got some kind of charges.

 
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Sacarathe said:
You may also want the slowest postage option. I've had now 9 packages from HK all with (as it turned out) marked down values, but in every instance I picked 'speedpost' I got some kind of charges.
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That's happened to me with WGC before, even though most people don't get hit, figured it was because I paid extra for the speed, I got hit by an extra too :)

How much did you end up paying in charges?

 
Trojan said:
That's happened to me with WGC before, even though most people don't get hit, figured it was because I paid extra for the speed, I got hit by an extra too :)

How much did you end up paying in charges?
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I think the package was worth $400, marked as $30 - I paid £14.

 
Sacarathe said:
I think the package was worth $400, marked as $30 - I paid £14.
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All in you paid an extra £14?! Please tell me the magical shop you had to go to. What risks do you have as it was marked so low? If the package was damaged would you only receive $30, or could you just as easily Paypal claim it back?

 
All the HK shops will mark it low with a few select exceptions likw WGC, Redwolf and a couple of others. Just ask them.

 
Trojan said:
All in you paid an extra £14?! Please tell me the magical shop you had to go to. What risks do you have as it was marked so low? If the package was damaged would you only receive $30, or could you just as easily Paypal claim it back?
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I did not request anything, some (many) just do it anyway. This particular package was caught by customs - but they just slapped on the minimum amount.

There are no risks if you're not party to the decision to mark down the value - because if the package goes missing, how could you know that was the case.

 
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In my experience the import duty on clothes can be a lot higher than 2.5%

More like 10-20% depending on what it is and where it's coming from.

 
Are you sure that's import duty and not VAT?

 
Sacarathe said:
I did not request anything, some (many) just do it anyway. This particular package was caught by customs - but they just slapped on the minimum amount.

There are no risks if you're not party to the decision to mark down the value - because if the package goes missing, how could you know that was the case.
Click to expand...
Right, so If I ask, I'm on a loss. I suppose it wouldn't matter either way though, Paypal would sort out any issues should they arise.

Was the £14 just the courier charge then? Do only select parcels get looked at by customs?

 
Trojan said:
Was the £14 just the courier charge then? Do only select parcels get looked at by customs?
Click to expand...
The way it usual works is that the couriers charge pay the customs charges and then charge you a fee for the privilege of doing something which you did not ask them to do.

I believe the way it works is that they charge a flat fee and any charges you are due are within the flat fee and if they exceed the fee the courier eats it - I don't think this applies for VAT - I think that's separate. Tbh I don't know too well, I just know if I have to pay 20% plus more than £15, I'm being overcharged.

 
Well people have easily mixed up dumber things on here.

So you've paid 40% tax on your import? That's ridiculous.

 
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Well I guess the solution is to just quote it lower. Most companies already do, and the rest (with some exceptions) will do it if you ask.

 
old topic i know but i this still the case with SCB gear ,looking to get a couple of PEQs but either via here or ebay so thought id ask befor ei do it

 
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