Digit33[TK] Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 Hi all, I'm excitedly awaiting the delivery of my AM armour to the UK and by tracking the parcel I can see that it is currently stuck with UK customs I'm expecting Parcelfarce to contact me to get some money off me for import duty and VAT and was wondering what experiences other people have had importing armour into the UK? I've had a look on the UK Revenue & Customs website and it states: "...There are some things that aren't in the UK VAT system at all - they're outside the scope of VAT. They are not taxable supplies and no VAT is charged on them. Items that are outside the scope of VAT include: * non-business activities like a hobby - for example, you might sell some stamps from your collection" Do you think that armour falls into this category? Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-2126_MD[TK] Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Man thats a can of worms!!!!! I strongly suggest u pay quitely. u can end up profiled and every single thing u get will be stopped and sent to customs...... Happened to me down here, i made a fuse the first time customes stopped a box and ever since then all my boxs get set to customes regardless of size and content....... even letters are sent to customes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digit33[TK] Posted February 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Thanks for the reply Joey, I think I'll heed your advice and pay up especially as I'll probably be ordering a few bits in the near future! Just got word that my parcel is out of customs and with the delivery service so hopefully it'll be here later today or tomorrow Thanks again mate, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK3373[TK] Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 I have imported armour to NZ and have not yet had a problem with import duty or customs "touch wood". The item description always says costume parts or something similar. I am sure if it said Stormtrooper Armour I might get lumbered with import duties though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digit33[TK] Posted February 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Found out that I have to pay a customs charge of £16.89 plus a Parcelforce handling fee of £8! I can live with that I've scheduled delivery for tomorrow so then the fun will begin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaptyx Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Best just to pay up and take it. It's flippin ridiculous, but that's UK customs. I have to say that 90% of the stuff I get shipped in is caught these days. I'm sure I'm on some sort of hit list. Customs scum, worse than rebel scum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obievon[501st] Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Okay I have a question, What about shipping from the other way? From the UK to US. What kind of taxes or any other fees are there if I order something from the UK? I've been really thinking of getting some armor from someone in the UK and was wondering what added costs there might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildabeast[TK] Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 My AM armour sat in Canadian Customs for a week and a half, didn't have to pay any taxes or anything, they never even opened the box...just slow.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Wars Helmets Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Okay I have a question, What about shipping from the other way? From the UK to US. What kind of taxes or any other fees are there if I order something from the UK? I've been really thinking of getting some armor from someone in the UK and was wondering what added costs there might be. You will probably be ok since AFAIK import taxes into the US are nowhere near as agressive as the UK/EU The issue in the UK/EU is not actually Customs Duty but in fact its VAT (Value Added Tax - similar to Sales Tax in the US). Across the EU each country has set its "sales tax" and in the UK its currently 17.5%. This is added to EVERYTHING we buy (but unlike in the US in stores the final price includes the tax). Hence, when we buy something from outside the EU, the tax is added. The problem specifically IMPORTING into the UK is that MG government has a nasty way of working this out - basically you get charged Duty for importing the goods themselves(a few percent - nothing major) - but then you have to pay VAT on the whole of the purchase INCLUDING THE COST OF SHIPPING (thats the rip off part). THEN the shipping agents charges you more since the HM Government makes THEM be its tax collector. In reality it adds about 20-22% to the final cost, which was manageable when $2=£1 but not so not $1.50=£1. However the upside for UK people is our stuff is more competative to US buyers. Cheers Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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