Buying from eBay USA Question

[pedro]

Chaps,
I'm in the process of bidding on a second hand jacket that's advertised on eBay USA. The last time I bought something from the states, again a second hand jacket, I was screw with about 90 import tax and handling from the royal mail.
My question is this, are you still meant to pay import tax on second hand stuff and is there any simple way of circumventing it ? Maybe getting the seller to declare it as a gift ?
Your thoughts please,
Cheers.
Peter.

 

[Loiq]

two things you can't avoid death and taxes....

 

[Schtum]

Yes, duty it payable on second hand goods. Not every package is caught in the system, though. Bear in mind that declaring a package as a "gift" when it isn't, is a Federal Offence in the USA and many sellers are, therefore, unwilling to do it.

Have a look here - http://www.dutycalculator.com/

 

[pedro]

Yea I've heard that before but I'm sure there was something about Nurses as well . . .

 

[pedro]

Thanks Schtum, I wouldn't want to be breaking any laws now. . .
I do think it's kind of harsh applying to second hand stuff but at least I can now factor that into my bidding.
Cheers.

 

[Loiq]

Yea I've heard that before but I'm sure there was something about Nurses as well . . .

you can't avoid nurses.... cool....

 

[rce]

Make sure what ever you buy falls under the low value scheme.

http://www.ukimports.org/uk_customs_basic_import_advice.html

 

[pedro]

I've remembered it now "There are two certainties in life, death and nurses".
Thanks folks !

 

[STUBBS]

never had a problem but the value on the package stated a low value price

 

[cookie]

...but...if you have the item sent insured shipping, it will have the insured value on a label stuck on the outside. this tends to tip off customs DAMHIK.

 

[Loiq]

I've remembered it now "There are two certainties in life, death and nurses".
Thanks folks !

I hope nurses will be the death of me.... unless they look like Hattie Jackes

 

[gwigglesworth]

Depends on if the seller is willing to distort the truth or not.....

If it is below the threshold then you are OK.. If you go over the low limit then add into the price that you will pay taxed and if the seller is happy to fill out the forms carefully etc and you don't have to its a bonus!

You should be paying Import duty, VAT AND a collection of the debt fee from the delivery firm.

Gifts generally are not taxed.... but again they could be in some circumstances.

 

[Rasher]

I always take into account the duty cost when bidding / ordering from abroad.

In my experience very little gets duty added, but most of what I buy tends to be low value, the only thing I ever got stopped was two visors coming from Ireland.

 

[Steptoe]

In my experience very little gets duty added, but most of what I buy tends to be low value, the only thing I ever got stopped was two visors coming from Ireland.

Three weeks ago I bought a corbin seat from the USA for $150 , postage was $80 and it cost me £26 in duties, vat and the post office fee.

I can live with that.

 

[pedro]

Yes, but the last thing I bought was a Vanson jacket, which saw me stiffed to the tune of about 90 quid. Didn't make it such a bargain after all.

 

[robroy]

Inference and unproven speculation follows, so be warned...

Perusing the internets suggest that if you have items shipped via USPS (US Postal Service) rather than Fedex / UPS / DHL, your odds of paying duty are possibly less, and you are less likely to pay a massive brokerage and handling fee.

UPS and Fedex charge a BIG fee for pre-paying duty and sending you a letter after the fact, so they are motivated to process EVERY shipment for duty.

If it goes via USPS, my theory (and it is just a theory) is that it will be delivered in the UK using Parcel Force and will have more chance of slipping past the customs guys.

On the flip side, if it does get grabbed you are more likely to have a delay and have to go down to the post office to pay the duty. Should still be cheaper, but may take longer.

That's my theory anyway...

 

[mrsroynie]

We've been caught once or twice sending our own excess baggage back in the post. We got the duty we had to pay back, when we explained our circumstances (which were genuine), but it still cost us the shipper's admin fee.

Best bet is to mark the customs declaration as "used clothing".

 

[sloukes]

Best bet is to agree with the seller that the goods are worth £18 and anything above that is their packaging and posting cost
No use of course if it's a valuable item and needs insuring for the value of the goods.....

 

[Tractor Boy]

Ask them to mark a low value on parcel ticket and send the invoice/ bill in a seperate letter, worked when i bought a baglux bag and cover from usa ebay
TB

 

[(RIP) jings]

i bought a leather jacket from fox creek leathers in america last year my brother was in new york on holiday for a week so got fox creek to post the jacket to my brothers hotel and he brought it back in his luggage