Author Topic: Ebay (Read 4778 times)

MrBump · « **on:** March 31, 2008, 03:30:25 PM »

Does anyone (from the UK) ever buy stuff in dollars i.e. from the states? How does that work? Do you need to pay added tax or anything?

Philly Q · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2008, 03:40:53 PM »

I buy stuff from the States all the time. If you pay by PayPal it even tells you the exchange rate as you make the payment.

There's no additional (US) tax to pay. But if you're importing something worth more than £18 (and it says the real value on the Customs declaration), you'll have to pay VAT and possibly import duty.

Mr Ed · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2008, 03:42:12 PM »

I've bought tons of stuff from America, mainly because it's cheaper - as above, there's no extra tax on smaller things (some pedals, pickups, etc...) but if you order heavier items (large pedals like wahs, pedalboards, guitars, amps...) then you'll have import duty to pay too and that's dependent on the weight so heavier item = eeeeeek!

I very often find that even when buying from America + shipping + import duty can still work out cheaper than buying here.

Jonny · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2008, 04:03:16 PM »

Hmm. I don't suppose you would know how much tax, etc. is added? So you can't really know if it's cheaper before actually buying it?

EDIT: Oh, nevermind. Found a thing on HMRC.

Another EDIT: Which didn't really help seeing as I can hardly understand what they're saying.

Will · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2008, 04:39:42 PM »

Theres VAT (17.5%)
UK duty. not sure how much this is, but you want to add an extra 25% for all customs charges, shipping fee is also taxed

Scotty477 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2008, 04:49:21 PM »

Jonny, the amount of tax etc when importing into the UK goes like this:

VAT 17.5%

Import Duty 3%

............. = 20.5%

In addition you'll need to factor in shipping, which can vary greatly between $100 - $200.

Also you may have to pay broker fees of about £10, for storing the item.

So, take a guitar costing $1,000 that you have seen in the US.

The total you could end up paying can be broken down like this:

$1000 - VAT 17.5%

= $1,175

$1,175 - Customs Duty 3%

= $1210.25

Shipping - $150 (for example)

= $1360.25

Broker fee - $20

Total - $1,380.25

Your guitar has went from $1,000 to $1,380, which although quite a bit more may still be worth doing.

Hope that helps.

Jonny · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2008, 05:06:33 PM »

Machinehead, you're the best! :D

Scotty477 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2008, 05:12:09 PM »

Quote from: Jonny

Machinehead, you're the best! :D

If only that were true ....

Jonny · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2008, 05:15:34 PM »

Quote from: Machinehead

Quote from: Jonny
Machinehead, you're the best! :D

If only that were true ....

Well you have to start somewhere. :P

WezV · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2008, 05:48:59 PM »

watch out for admin charges as well - these vary quite a bit

Royal mail and parcel force = £8, but it gets bumped up to £13.50 if you get the parcel with an express service

DHL's is £10 (or 2%) for businesses and £1.25 (or 2%) for individuals

not sure about all the others but if you are purchasing small value items with express delivery its worth getting it sent DHL rather than USPS express (which willend up with parcel force). Not only that but DHL will deliver first and invoice at the end of the month, bad if you dont know its coming but actually quite usefull as they concentrate on delivering the parcel. Parcel force will attempt one delivery, if you miss it they will send you the bill to pay before delivering the parcel - or even letting you know they tried to deliver the parcel.

These are the charges delivery companies add on to the price of postage for delivering your parcel . DHL's £1.25 seems fair for the little extra admin they have to do but i am not sure how parcelforce justify their £13.50???

blue · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2008, 07:04:26 PM »

i got a dvd from the states which cost £22, royal mail helpfully charged me another £12! it's weird though, sometimes they charge you, sometimes they don't. the strangest was a guitar, i was expecting a fairly substantial bill but got charged nothing!

MrBump · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2008, 07:46:24 PM »

Whoa, very informative!

Thanks, chaps.

kluson · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2008, 08:26:45 PM »

Quote from: Machinehead

Jonny, the amount of tax etc when importing into the UK goes like this:

VAT 17.5%

Import Duty 3%

............. = 20.5%

In addition you'll need to factor in shipping, which can vary greatly between $100 - $200.

Also you may have to pay broker fees of about £10, for storing the item.

So, take a guitar costing $1,000 that you have seen in the US.

The total you could end up paying can be broken down like this:

$1000 - VAT 17.5%

= $1,175

$1,175 - Customs Duty 3%

= $1210.25

Shipping - $150 (for example)

= $1360.25

Broker fee - $20

Total - $1,380.25

Your guitar has went from $1,000 to $1,380, which although quite a bit more may still be worth doing.

Hope that helps.

Sorry but that's not right.
VAT is added on at the end after all the freight and duty charges. Makes it easier and more fruitful for the tax man.
Additionally import duty is not based on weight as in a previous post. Some items which are very light have a very high duty tariff. Import duty is based on the item. Everything which is imported has a different level of import duty levied upon it. These duty rates are found in a massive book also on-line which is known as the customs duty tariff.
Hope this helps

Simon D · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2008, 09:17:39 PM »

Quote from: kluson

Sorry but that's not right.
VAT is added on at the end after all the freight and duty charges. Makes it easier and more fruitful for the tax man.
Additionally import duty is not based on weight as in a previous post. Some items which are very light have a very high duty tariff. Import duty is based on the item. Everything which is imported has a different level of import duty levied upon it. These duty rates are found in a massive book also on-line which is known as the customs duty tariff.
Hope this helps

You are completely correct in saying import duty isn't based on weight, and that duty rates can vary (although a decent rough guide is VAT at 17.5% plus import duty of around 9%).

However, in my experience of having stuff shipped from the USA, I've only ever paid import tax and VAT on the value of the item - I've never been taxed for the shipping. Package sizes have varied from DVDs right up to a guitar body and neck from Warmoth.

mikeluke · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2008, 09:36:52 PM »

The only thing that I got nailed on was some spare parts from my gas BBQ - cost me as much as the BBQ did in the first place!! I've bought loads of guitar parts and never been charged a penny.

I'm looking at a guitar on EVIL BAY from the USA at the moment - shipping is being quoted at a tad over $100 - let's call it £60 and then I am assuming the 3% duty plus the 17.5% VAT on the landed cost (price plus shipping) - we'll see - got to win the bid first!