Brownells UK

[Oli.Hanks]

Just bought this https://www.brownells.co.uk/AR-15-BCMGUNFIGHTER-PKMR-HANDGUARD-KEYMOD-PKMR-Handguard-Keymod-Carbine-Black-BRAVO-COMPANY-Polymer-Drop-In-100026755

Brownells uk orginally an american shooting company has a UK site with all of its US stock so the accesories we couldnt get before we can now some cool stuff on there too 

[Guest scalawag]

I can confirm Brownells as a great real steel retailer.  I have bought 2 sets of pistol grips from them over the past year and they are great.  

 

I will only say that some items ship from the states and that can take some time to arrive.  There is no import duty as Brownells ship them to their UK base and then out to the buyer and include any fees in the price/shipping costs.

[AshOnSnow]

Brownells are my go-to for real steel parts. Always been good service, but some items are drop shipped from their US facility, which on the upside gives us a great range of products, but also can take a while to arrive.

[clumpyedge]

15 hours ago, AshOnSnow said:

Brownells are my go-to for real steel parts. Always been good service, but some items are drop shipped from their US facility, which on the upside gives us a great range of products, but also can take a while to arrive.

 

 

As well as on occasion have to pay customs 

[Guest scalawag]

The twice that I have used Brownells in the past year I have not had to pay any import duty.  In fact when they arrive they have UK carrier stickers on them and not US ones.  I think Brownells ship orders fulfilled from the states to their UK base and then ship the items out from there.  They pay any import duties themselves and it is all included in the price for the customer.  That is also why it can take a while for items to be delivered as Brownells hold items in the states until they have a reasonable amount to ship to the UK.

[AshOnSnow]

2 hours ago, clumpyedge said:

 

 

As well as on occasion have to pay customs 

I have never had to pay extra customs duties. Did you order from their US site? I would contact them if this has been the case for you. Their UK site includes VAT and such like.

[Guest scalawag]

If you order from the Brownells UK site they do not ship direct to you from the States.  When you order from the UK site they ship from the US to their UK base, and then ship out the order to the customer from the UK.  If you order via the UK site then you should never incur customs charges, as AshOnSnow said the VAT etc. is included in the price on the UK site.

Someone saying that they drop ship was confusing really as they do not dropship in the usually accepted way.  Dropshipping is where a seller in the UK sells you an item that is held in stock outside of the UK and has it sent directly to you.  In this case yes you can incur customs charges.  But that is not how Brownells UK operate, they are a proper business, and not dropshippers.

 

It is the importer that is liable for any duties to be paid, and that is not necessarily the purchaser.  With the dropshipping model then yes technically you are importing the goods as they are sent directly to you and so are liable for the charges.  With Brownells UK they are the importer as the items are sent to them in the UK and not directly to the customer, so they pay any charges which are then already included in the price you payed on their website as the customer.

 

[clumpyedge]

1 hour ago, scalawag said:

 

If you order from the Brownells UK site they do not ship direct to you from the States.  When you order from the UK site they ship from the US to their UK base, and then ship out the order to the customer from the UK.  If you order via the UK site then you should never incur customs charges, as AshOnSnow said the VAT etc. is included in the price on the UK site.

Someone saying that they drop ship was confusing really as they do not dropship in the usually accepted way.  Dropshipping is where a seller in the UK sells you an item that is held in stock outside of the UK and has it sent directly to you.  In this case yes you can incur customs charges.  But that is not how Brownells UK operate, they are a proper business, and not dropshippers.

 

It is the importer that is liable for any duties to be paid, and that is not necessarily the purchaser.  With the dropshipping model then yes technically you are importing the goods as they are sent directly to you and so are liable for the charges.  With Brownells UK they are the importer as the items are sent to them in the UK and not directly to the customer, so they pay any charges which are then already included in the price you payed on their website as the customer.

 

 

 

I've ordered numerous things from the UK site (I was very conscious of not being on the US site) and have had two deliverers that I remember that I paid duty on.

[AshOnSnow]

That is odd, if you're buying from Brownells UK, I would have  thought that THEY would be the importer.

[Guest scalawag]

This is probably parcel farce again and not really Brownells fault.  Brownells clearly state that VAT is paid by the customer as part of the price displayed on their website.  https://www.brownells.co.uk/Terms-and-Conditions

 

I suspect what has happened is that parcel force have failed to tell customs that the UK tax is paid on this item and you have been charged for it a second time.  They of course also get to collect their Admin fee in these circumstances so it is in their interest to charge you again.  

I would definately contact Brownells and Parcel Force about this as it is clear in the Brownells T&C's that their prices include all UK duty, and the price on the website is what you should pay with the only addition being the postage costs added at checkout.

 

Both of the packages I have received from Brownells have only had Parcel Force address labels on them which is what makes me think that they ship to the UK and then send out the parcels from their UK base.  Of course if you use expedited delivery they may send the item direct to you to speed the process.

 

[Oli.Hanks]

Duty is included in the price 

Forgot to remove the missus ignore that part

[clumpyedge]

16 hours ago, scalawag said:

This is probably parcel farce again and not really Brownells fault.  Brownells clearly state that VAT is paid by the customer as part of the price displayed on their website.  https://www.brownells.co.uk/Terms-and-Conditions

 

I suspect what has happened is that parcel force have failed to tell customs that the UK tax is paid on this item and you have been charged for it a second time.  They of course also get to collect their Admin fee in these circumstances so it is in their interest to charge you again.  

I would definately contact Brownells and Parcel Force about this as it is clear in the Brownells T&C's that their prices include all UK duty, and the price on the website is what you should pay with the only addition being the postage costs added at checkout.

 

Both of the packages I have received from Brownells have only had Parcel Force address labels on them which is what makes me think that they ship to the UK and then send out the parcels from their UK base.  Of course if you use expedited delivery they may send the item direct to you to speed the process.

 

 

 

Agreed it probably is as other purchases from there I haven't paid anything on top. I've ordered from other companies set up the same as brownells and royal mail have decided they want to charge handling fees on top even though it was delivered to the UK warehouse before being shipped to me. Tried to complain but got nowhere so now I just make bigger orders and collect from the shop when and if I can (usually tie it in with visiting friends)