Ebay

[Scotty477]

Just to clear up any confusion, the customs duty for a guitar import is given as between 3.2 and 3.7%. Slightly higher than the 3% I gave earlier - soz  :oops:

A full list of item custom duties is contained in this link.


http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_PROD_009989&propertyType=document

[kluson]

thanks for that.
 I can assure you all that VAT is added right at the very end, let's just say you'll have to trust me on that one.
 If you want a rule of thumb which is worst case, generally and NOT in every case, you should use 25% as a total adder it's not usually far out to get a guitar in from the USA.
 EG
 Guitar cost in US £1000 ( $2000 roughly converted in GBP)
 add 25% and you woun't be a million miles out at your landed cost. In this case it would be close to £1250  in your hand, nothing more to pay.

hope this helps
The thing with the US is the greater choice of things.
Japan was great as a target to import things when the yen was at 240 earlier in the year but now it's got a lot stronger the edge has come off, its below 200 at the mo

 all the best

[kluson]

sorry forgot this bit which is the part which explains that VAT is added to goods and SERVICES eg freight,
 got to make a living some how! To pay for all the guitars

[Scotty477]

thanks for that.
 I can assure you all that VAT is added right at the very end, let's just say you'll have to trust me on that one.
 If you want a rule of thumb which is worst case, generally and NOT in every case, you should use 25% as a total adder it's not usually far out to get a guitar in from the USA.
 EG
 Guitar cost in US £1000 ( $2000 roughly converted in GBP)
 add 25% and you woun't be a million miles out at your landed cost. In this case it would be close to £1250  in your hand, nothing more to pay.

hope this helps
The thing with the US is the greater choice of things.
Japan was great as a target to import things when the yen was at 240 earlier in the year but now it's got a lot stronger the edge has come off, its below 200 at the mo

 all the best

My sums don't get that figure. Mine is a fair bit more and I'm hoping you can show me where I'm going wrong.

Seriously, this isn't a 'your wrong - I'm right' post at all. I want it to be the lower figure you have.

Anyway, my calculations go like this;

Guitar - $1,000
+ shipping - $150 (average price for US to UK)

= $1,150

Add customs duty (take the highest given rate of 3.7%)
$1,150 x 3.7%
= $1,184.50

Then add VAT (17.5%) to the total, as you describe
$1,184.50 x 17.5%

= $1,391.78

Add in any broker fees and storage and the final figure will be just over $1,400.

That comes to about 40% over the original price of the guitar. Obviously the variables are the shipping cost and the actual amount of customs duty.

Even with a lower shipping cost of $100 and the lowest customs duty of 3.2%, I still make it around $1,345 in total for a $1,000 guitar (34.5%).

Please tell me I'm talking out of my backside here  :D

If it's the figure you've worked out, I'll seriously consider buying a few guitars from the US.

Again .. this is not a flame post.

Cheers

[noodleplugerine]

With that it seems that even with the exchange rate at 2:1, you pay £700 for a £1000 guitar.

Worth it to some extent, but I'd rather pass :x

[Will]

My sums don't get that figure. Mine is a fair bit more and I'm hoping you can show me where I'm going wrong.

£1000 including shipping I presume
and they way things have gone with me, shipping is taxed

[kluson]

thanks for that.
 I can assure you all that VAT is added right at the very end, let's just say you'll have to trust me on that one.
 If you want a rule of thumb which is worst case, generally and NOT in every case, you should use 25% as a total adder it's not usually far out to get a guitar in from the USA.
 EG
 Guitar cost in US £1000 ( $2000 roughly converted in GBP)
 add 25% and you woun't be a million miles out at your landed cost. In this case it would be close to £1250  in your hand, nothing more to pay.

hope this helps
The thing with the US is the greater choice of things.
Japan was great as a target to import things when the yen was at 240 earlier in the year but now it's got a lot stronger the edge has come off, its below 200 at the mo
 
 all the best

My sums don't get that figure. Mine is a fair bit more and I'm hoping you can show me where I'm going wrong.

Seriously, this isn't a 'your wrong - I'm right' post at all. I want it to be the lower figure you have.

Anyway, my calculations go like this;

Guitar - $1,000
+ shipping - $150 (average price for US to UK)

= $1,150

Add customs duty (take the highest given rate of 3.7%)
$1,150 x 3.7%
= $1,184.50

Then add VAT (17.5%) to the total, as you describe
$1,184.50 x 17.5%

= $1,391.78

Add in any broker fees and storage and the final figure will be just over $1,400.

That comes to about 40% over the original price of the guitar. Obviously the variables are the shipping cost and the actual amount of customs duty.

Even with a lower shipping cost of $100 and the lowest customs duty of 3.2%, I still make it around $1,345 in total for a $1,000 guitar (34.5%).

Please tell me I'm talking out of my backside here  :D

If it's the figure you've worked out, I'll seriously consider buying a few guitars from the US.

Again .. this is not a flame post.

Cheers

Oh now you've blown my theory to the wife I'm in big trouble.
 You are of course smack on, By the way this is healthy discussion. I was away with the fairies this pm, the figure is 40%
 Many apologies for my misleading post
 Yours Humbly

 :oops:

 better get myself back to Lesbania
 Sorry meant to add I didn't think it was a flame , taken in good heart

[Jonny]

So from the first post of this page. To the one above me. My hopes have been shattered to a billion pieces into the Atlantic Ocean.

It's can be illustrated thusly:

 :?  :o  :D  :o  

[kluson]

Hi Jonny,
 Don't give up there are still savings to be had and a much better choice of guitars, have a look at someone like Marks Guitar loft if you're ever after a great Gibson Historic, he always has some real nice ones, gives great honest descriptions and can be trusted, he packs then really well as well
 good hunting, sorry I have put a smile in there and driven it to a frown!
 many apologies :oops:

[Scotty477]

I dunno Jonny.

Now that I know exactly how much more a guitar from the States can cost, it makes me more confident on bidding on US auctions that have 'bargain' status.

Plus, there's always the chance that Customs will miss your guitar ....  

[mikeluke]

I am still watching one.... will let you all know how it goes! Or doesn't!

[Philly Q]

Plus, there's always the chance that Customs will miss your guitar ....  

Doesn't happen often... a set of tuners or a couple of pickups will frequently sneak through, but guitars rarely avoid the inspectors' "eagle" eyes.  :(

[mikeluke]

Phil - as one Taff to another you could at least maintain an air of optimism until HMRC nail me! (Or whatever they are called these days)

[Philly Q]

Mike, I apologise, fingers crossed for you.  

(And we never did mention that Six Nations, did we...?)

[mikeluke]

Phil..

Well - first part of the plan worked - I have just to flog the Yam SG500B that I bought last week now - here is the object of my affection - well, this week anyway

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330223406983