Import duty/tax

[Chetcombe]

That's partly why I don't mind and sometimes prefer to do all my shopping online even when buying from a US retailer. Tax is only charged if you purchase in-State. So if I order something from New Jersey I only have to pay face value plus shipping.

And like me, I'm sure you then declare all such purchases on your state tax return and pay state sales tax on everything

[Newportnobby]

I've been clobbered by Royal Mail on all purchases made from abroad - USA & Japan.
Therefore I don't buy abroad any more.
Thanks RM and ParcelFarce for deciding to regulate world trade

[Railwaygun]

the EU importers (Dm-Models and Modellbahn) are worth checking for JApanese goods - and no Importt Duties (to UK)

[Sea Mills]

NN

Why blame the RM?  It is the Government through HMRC who make the rules, and now insist on strict enforcement.   So our Christmas presents from 95 year old mother in law now get caught up in the same mess.   RM have to charge for their time of storage and notifying us - they are just doing the government's dirty work - please don't shoot the messenger.

David

[Chatty]

Here in Australia the threshold is AUD 1,000 on goods imported by post before GST (VAT) is charged.  Imports by other means the threshold is around AUD 250.

The difference being that goods that arrive by "commercial means" will have a Customs Broker somewhere in the mix.  On the other hand if it is through the post Customs have to calculate the amount and collect it through the local post which charge for them for that service.  At AUD 1,000 GST is AUD 100 and they reckon that is about the cost to collect the GST.

There is a very strong push by retailers to have the threshold lowered to zero.  Along with various State Governments they are putting forward a proposal to the Federal Government which, I think, will have a processing fee involved.

The retailers have been revving up the State Governments (in Australia GST is technically a state tax collected by the Commonwealth) about the loss of GST on overseas purchases.  Really,  what they the retailers are concerned about is the loss of sales to overseas interests rather than the GST itself.  The loss of the GST isn't borne out by the actual data and it will still cost more to collect it than they will receive.  But then get never get in the way of State Government and a (perceived) bucket of money.

In model railway items and I think it would apply to other things (I dabble in photograph as well) l I can save up to 50% on local retail.  So in other words the local retailers are trying to bludgeon local consumers into buying at their over inflated prices, even if you can get it.  I will still continue to buy overseas because the savings are still significant.  All I will do will be to shop less frequently and increase the value of the purchase and thereby amortise the on costs.

Don't get me wrong.  I am quite happy to pay the 10% on my overseas purchases.  After all I am keen to have good roads and medical care particularly now at my age.  What upsets me is the processing fee because retailers have to incorporate that into their costs so if State Governments want that money then they should accept the costs of collecting it. 

Sorry I forgot that means less money to spend on (useless) edifices unto themselves so they can get a 30 second piece on the TV and have a nice little plaque on it so their future descendants can say look your grandfather/mother did this.

I getting cynical again.  I must  have forgotten take my medication.  I will do that and sit in the corner and reflect.

Kind regards

Geoff

[trainsdownunder]

As Geoff says over here retailers charge a bloody fortune for the same things you can get from overseas at a lower price.

My recent "Katy" Heritage loco direct from the US cost me $101 AUD inc shipping...... Price in my local model shop $140 as it's a "special limited edition" hard to find in Australia. (not on the internet it's not) Shipping a further $10.

Then they wonder why we go elsewhere. I prefer to support local but some make it hard.

Anyway...  an offer of help is always here if someone needs stuff from DCC-Concepts or other Ozzie sources.

When I challenged a charge sometime ago as for an explanation,I was told it was to cover the cost of calculating any import VAT and the extra time it takes the postie to deliver the parcel plus collect the fees that are due.

I replied asking if they had any vacancies as it looked to be a good job operating a calculator for those few seconds to earn that sort of money and where was the extra time needed.  Even "rhesus" monkey should be able to press the right buttons in under a minute. As for the time taken to deliver the note/collect fees I did point out wasn't the postie delivering other "normal" post to me anyway so there was no special trip.

Never did get a reply.............

Don't mind paying "genuine" taxes but hate rip off handling charges.

[ParkeNd]

This issue is regularly debated on photographic websites by people who ask almost every month if anyone has dealt with internet retailer XYZ who has prices 20% lower than the main retailers and a UK address somewhere in suburban England. This always turns out to be one of now several sellers (not eBay) who trade in the UK and ship from Hong Kong and appear to offer their own guarantees rather than the camera companies own guarantees. The pivot point of the debates are always VAT. Far from being lauded as bringers of fabulous news for cash strapped UK photographic hobbyists the OPs are generally regarded by most as scumbags who are undermining the UK photographic shops who have no chance to avoid charging VAT. The logical extension of this debate would be that prospective customers would use a UK camera shop as a place to view prospective purchases then when they had decided between a Canon or an equivalent Nikon leave and buy it from retailer XYZ who has this address in a UK town. Eventually the UK shops go bust with the loss of UK jobs.

[MikeDunn]

Save £2 buying from abroad ?  Why bother ?

Save £200 quid ?  You betcha.

Would I buy in-country if the prices were broadly similar ?  Yup.

Are they ?  Nope.

[ParkeNd]

Save £2 buying from abroad ?  Why bother ?

Save £200 quid ?  You betcha.

Would I buy in-country if the prices were broadly similar ?  Yup.

Are they ?  Nope.

If the issue is about VAT then this is just about UK law being adhered too. It's also possible to buy stolen goods to save money.

[MikeDunn]

I resent your implication.

Did I say I try to avoid VAT ? No.

The fact remains that retailers from abroad are very often cheaper to an extremely large degree.  If you are unaware of this fact, then research it before accusing anyone of either VAT dodging or being involved in stolen goods !

[ParkeNd]

I resent your implication.

Did I say I try to avoid VAT ? No.

The fact remains that retailers from abroad are very often cheaper to an extremely large degree.  If you are unaware of this fact, then research it before accusing anyone of either VAT dodging or being involved in stolen goods !

I have no opinion about it one way or another. I am merely passing on objectively parallel discussions on other forums from other hobbyists. How individuals spend their own money is a purely personal decision.

[Tdm]

As the Canary Isles are outside of EEC VAT rules all my deliveries from places like Hattons come VAT free. If I were to visit Hattons shop personally when over in the U.K. they would be obliged to charge me VAT making the goods more expensive than ordering them online (even taking into account the postal charge).

The only place I can get a discounted price for model railway items in the U.K. is at a train fair or similar.

Buying such things as Cameras and Laptops at large U.K. stores such as John Lewis is O.K. as I fill in a Global Refund Form which I deposit in the Customs Box at the Airport, and 2 weeks later I get the full VAT charge credited back to my Bank account minus a small Admin charge. By the way I found John Lewis to be cheaper than all the specialist PC Suppliers when I bought my last Laptop from them.

At 20% on large orders VAT can considerably inflate the price you pay, so legally paying for things VAT free does make a difference. The equivalent of VAT in the Canaries is an I.G.I.C. tax which shopkeepers and restaurants sometimes charge and sometimes don't, and due to the Economy was recently increased from 5% to 7.5%.

Please don't all emigrate here at once - there isn't room on the Island!

[Newportnobby]

NN

Why blame the RM?  It is the Government through HMRC who make the rules, and now insist on strict enforcement.   So our Christmas presents from 95 year old mother in law now get caught up in the same mess.   RM have to charge for their time of storage and notifying us - they are just doing the government's dirty work - please don't shoot the messenger.

David

David - if HMRC are strictly enforcing this, why do Royal Mail tell me it's a post code lottery as to whether you cop for charges? I don't have any issue with being charged (a) as long as I know up front so I can factor this in to the overall cost and (b) as long as I know that Joe Bloggs down the road somewhere will be treated the same as me (apologies to any Joe Bloggs who may be reading this )
I'm not necessarily shooting any messenger but asking them to operate with a level playing field.

Now with Mods hat on - this is an interesting thread so I'd hate to see it locked so could I please ask folks to think carefully before posting. We don't need it to get heated

[Lawrence]

I don't think it was implied you did try to evade paying VAT or bought stolen goods Mike, perhaps you have misunderstood ParkeNd post referencing discussion on another forum on the matter. 

Mind you, if the caps fits   

[Luke Piewalker]

I'm blaming RM/Parcel Farce, because the one time I had something coming in from abroad they abjectly failed to notify me. I eventually found out where it was by asking the sender in the US for a tracking number. I then phoned Parcel Farce, who as far as I could gather had the wrong address. I paid the outstanding charges and had them forward it to the local post office on the basis I had a better chance of proving to them that the parcel was for me.
I went to the post office, ready to do reasoned argument.... and was handed a parcel with my name and address on it... 
It was one week away from being returned to sender... 

So that's why I blame RM... well... Parcel Farce actually, I get on quite well with Royal Mail.... I used to part own an organisation very like them you know...