Ebay US and import charges...

GT-Steve

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Sure I saw something about this in here the other week, but can't seem to find it now.

Basically I've seen something on eBay US and I was going to click the button of (financial) doom, when I noticed under the postage costs on the main ad was an 'import charges' section and price too, and that it would confirm this at point of payment.

It's basically a brake lever, BIN is $50, shipping $12 and the Import duties quoted at $17.

Do I have to pay these duties at point of sale, without a choice, or can I do the old fashioned trick of getting the seller to mark the value down and slip it under the radar.

It's hardly going to be a big package, and arouse many suspicions??

Any advice?
 
There was a thread.

That seems very high for duty. Especially as customs won't charge any at that level

All other goods

If you order or send purchased goods other than alcohol, tobacco, perfume and toilet water from a country outside the EU then you:

don't have to pay Excise Duty
may have to pay Customs Duty on goods with a value that exceeds £135
will have to pay import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £15

Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/buying.htm
 
I second what Pyro Tim says.

I have imported a lot of archery kit in the past, as all the best stuff comes from the US. I have never paid duty to the seller; duty is levied by Customs when the item enters the UK.

Don't forget to factor in the admin charge.

This is the cost of doing and submitting the paperwork, and it's done by the carrier. If the seller uses the USPS, then over here it will be the Post Office, and they charge £8.00 for smaller / cheaper items. I have known other companies charge as much as £30 for doing the same thing.
 
I have charged up to £150 to do it Neil, but that was importing yachts. They are charging it as DDP, or delivered, duty, paid and there is something about it on ebay. Request that they only ship it DAP, which is delivered at place, and means you will pay any customs charges direct. You will probably have to explain it to them, as they will probably be ignorant to the terminolgy
 
All depends on the seller and their knowledge of the system. I bought some electronics from the US that cost £680. The seller marked the customs paperwork as a non-working component with a value of $80. So no customs duty for me :D
 
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