Importing from the USA

'They' know how much you paid because the seller declares it on the paperwork filled in at his end. The only way to get the costs down at this end is for the seller to under-insure it and if something goes wrong i.e. it gets damaged or lost you only have the under-insured price to recover.

It's a risk, but it's between you and the seller if you want to take it.

Welcome to rip-off Britain.

:evil:

Nothing to do with rip-off Britain mate. It's because we don't have free trade with the States in the same way as we do with members of the EU. Hence my post about Euro Sceptics...

You don't think it's a rip off when VAT is on the price of the product and shipping combined? On second hand goods as well?

For me the real ripoff, as stevek says, is VAT on the shipping costs, I really can't see any justification for that at all (not convinced about VAT on secondhand goods either but at least can see the argument).

Anyway, the situation is what it is whether we like it or not and it's best to be aware and factor in the additional costs before buying from the US.

True enough Ed, true enough.

stevek":hbawv81r said:

You don't think it's a rip off when VAT is on the price of the product and shipping combined? On second hand goods as well?

Click to expand...

No I don't.

You buy a train ticket here, you pay VAT on it - you just don't dwell on it as it's all bundled into the price of the ticket. Shipping is no different except the company shipping (if based in the States) doesn't pay your VAT - they'll pay tax over there though which will be calculated into the shipping quote.

When the item arrives here VAT is levied on it for both shipping (which has not yet been taxed for UK), and for the item itself.

The only rip off (if you see it that way) is that you are paying two lots of tax - one in US, one in UK.

This is down to us not having a free trade policy with the US in the way we do with the EU countries.

It's not rip-off Britain at all - residents in France or wherever would be in exactly the same situation. Hence my comment before on what we get out of the EU.

Second hand items is a difficult one but they are only second hand in the states. Again, tax has never been levied on the item over here - hence the combined tax on both shipping and item value when said item arrives at a UK port.

Like I said, welcome to Rip off EU...

stevek":2xs951k1 said:

Like I said, welcome to Rip off EU...

Click to expand...

You said rip-off Britain mate, not EU...!

And it's not a rip off, it's different trade policies...

And it's not only shipping from the US where duty would be levied on an item arriving here...

UP THE EU!

DOWN WITH UKIP!

BoyBurning":okbsgijl said:

You said rip-off Britain mate, not EU...!

Click to expand...

Yes, hence the winkie mate.

UKIP? United Kingdom Independence Party?

stevek":2mqu34y8 said:

UKIP? United Kingdom Independence Party?

Click to expand...

Correctamundo!

I never understand what these emoticons or whatever mean anyway...!