Royal Mail and their Custom handling charges

[citizenB]

I have discovered a knitting wool that is virtually impossible to purchase in the UK. The one store that does sell it has to order it from the UK/Canada once it has been ordered from the UK website.

 

I found a company in the USA that sells packs of "mini skeins" at a reasonable price which allows me to then decide if I want to buy the full skeins. I set up a subscription to join this "mini skeins club".

 

The price including postage is US $ 26.00 Just over £15.00. So I was a little miffed to discover that I had to pay £11.41 for my package before Royal Mail would let me have it.

 

£3.41 VAT and £8.00 handling charge !!

 

I have had to unsubscribe from the club because this is just too expensive each month

[BazzaS]

I have discovered a knitting wool that is virtually impossible to purchase in the UK. The one store that does sell it has to order it from the UK/Canada once it has been ordered from the UK website.

 

I found a company in the USA that sells packs of "mini skeins" at a reasonable price which allows me to then decide if I want to buy the full skeins. I set up a subscription to join this "mini skeins club".

 

The price including postage is US $ 26.00 Just over £15.00. So I was a little miffed to discover that I had to pay £11.41 for my package before Royal Mail would let me have it.

 

£3.41 VAT and £8.00 handling charge !!

 

I have had to unsubscribe from the club because this is just too expensive each month

 

Can you get the price below £15? As then there would be no VAT, and then no handling charge ......

 

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

[citizenB]

Can you get the price below £15? As then there would be no VAT, and then no handling charge ......

 

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

 

Not really Bazza, the lady who runs the club, makes up packs of 6 small skeins (25 yards each) as samples of the new stock each month - and that is the whole idea. To have one skein less, perhaps (which is something I did consider) would be an inconvenience for her and a nuisance for me

[JoeyJoeC]

Do you have to pay customs charges on delivery charges? As citizenb said it was over £15 including P&P, without P&P, it should be well under £15. What did she put on the customs form?

[citizenB]

Do you have to pay customs charges on delivery charges? As citizenb said it was over £15 including P&P, without P&P, it should be well under £15. What did she put on the customs form?

 

On the website, the Subscription merges the postage and the cost of the product and this is how it is shown on the custom form. However, on the form it seems to provide a section for postage and fees and then another section for the value of the contents.

 

Could it be that easy, if she were to recalculate showing the postage separate from the content value it might be allowed through ?

[san_d]

Do you have to pay customs charges on delivery charges? As citizenb said it was over £15 including P&P, without P&P, it should be well under £15. What did she put on the customs form?

Yes, you do.

 

This is the transcript from a correspondence with the HMRC:

Import VAT is charged at the same rate that applies to similar goods sold in the UK and applies to goods over £15 in value. The value of the goods for import VAT is based on the price paid plus postage, packing and insurance, plus any import duty charged.

If the value of the goods exceeds the relief limits, duty and/or tax is payable on the full value not just the value above the allowance.

If customs charges are payable upon importation, a handling administration fee is also charged by the carrier to cover the costs for carrying out customs procedures, paying any customs duties or VAT due and collecting it from the addressee.

More detailed information can be obtained from the Public Notice No.143 "A guide for international post users" via the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users

[citizenB]

Ah, thank you san_d

[san_d]

One thing you can do (I know it's not ethical, but...) is to ask the shipper to understate the cost of the item on the parcel, alternatively to exclude the shipping costs. I do this regularly. Feel free to shoot me.

[citizenB]

One thing you can do (I know it's not ethical, but...) is to ask the shipper to understate the cost of the item on the parcel, alternatively to exclude the shipping costs. I do this regularly. Feel free to shoot me.

 

It is an idea to consider

[BazzaS]

It is an idea to consider

 

I don't think shooting san_d is an idea to consider;)

[citizenB]

I don't think shooting san_d is an idea to consider;)

 

Absolutely not a good idea

[Mr.P]

One thing you can do (I know it's not ethical, but...) is to ask the shipper to understate the cost of the item on the parcel

 

Unfortunately, this would be in breach of the USA postal Service conditions. I believe it runs the risk of a prosecution and fines if the sender was caught.

[ThedaBara]

One thing you can do (I know it's not ethical, but...) is to ask the shipper to understate the cost of the item on the parcel, alternatively to exclude the shipping costs. I do this regularly. Feel free to shoot me.

 

Or… if you know anyone in the States who could buy the wool on your behalf and send it to UK as a 'gift'…

 

 

These charges are a massive rip off!!

[ericsbrother]

US merchants are strictly regulated and licenced as retailers or wholesalers so their hands are very much tied. If they were to try and use the methods above to avoid any payments or charges they will be in big trouble with the exception of getting someone else in the US to buy it and then send it. There is a ceiling on the value of gifts but that is not subject to VAT automatically so people dont check so vigourously. Also, the carriers and Customs dont have experts assessing the value of goods other than specific items like cars and diamonds so the sender can write down almost anything they want.

[citizenB]

Indeed, I don't think I would like to ask the trader to put herself in jeopardy.