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Author Topic: Ebay - international to UK  (Read 2093 times)

NFMike

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Ebay - international to UK
« on: August 19, 2013, 12:14:10 am »

I've just been ordering some stuff (not boats) from the USA and found that ebay now have a thing called "Global Postage Programme" which may interest those who buy from the US.


This programme seems to address a frequent complaint about the nasty surprises that import duty, VAT and fee collection charges can spring on the unwary - or even the wary at times. It appears to cover all this stuff up front. The prices are given as three numbers:
Item cost
Postage
Import charges (confirmed at checkout)


These are in $US with estimated £ for the first two. Using Paypal you get the final total £ value before you finally commit.


I don't know if this applies to other non-EU countries, but it may not as the handling company appears to be Pitney-Bowes in CT. Ebay may of course have arrangements with other companies elsewhere.
It may also only apply to higher values (my order was about £250 + £55 p&p and with import charges grossed just shy of £400).


The charges may be a bit high but are not ridiculous. (The import charges on the above come to ~ £93 and the VAT would be £61+, but I don't know the duty rate, so ~ £30 for duty and fee collection/admin is probably not bad.)

Martin (Admin)

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2013, 09:29:59 am »


This is very interesting, I got stung by HobbyKing who have Very small print in light grey!!!!  >:-o

who duty is it to see the import fees are correct, are they taken at the time of purchase, who takes them and what happens if the goods don't turn up or have to be returned? Also, does it include Customs & Excise fee for paying fees?!?!
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imsinking

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2013, 10:05:51 am »

Have you noticed the increase in non EU postings in the UK EBAY ? America / Australia / Hong Kong / China / Vietnam etc etc , & it'll not be just import duty , if they feel like OPENING  :police:  your parcel , they'll charge you for that too , under a fiver & a gift/toy shouldn't cost you anything extra . . . any more and . . .  <*<   
Saying that I did get a MICRO GEARBOX UNIT from Hong Kong took 6 weeks to get here (UK)for £4.95 post free , a cracker , 10 metal gears & a good quality motor so it's not all bad . . .
Bill
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Circlip

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2013, 11:50:16 am »

Quote
Also, does it include Customs & Excise fee for paying fees?!?!

  And the Post Office's handling/collection charge ????
 
   Regards  Ian.
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NFMike

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2013, 01:22:24 pm »


This is very interesting, I got stung by HobbyKing who have Very small print in light grey!!!!  >:-o

who duty is it to see the import fees are correct, are they taken at the time of purchase, who takes them and what happens if the goods don't turn up or have to be returned? Also, does it include Customs & Excise fee for paying fees?!?!


I believe responsibility for sorting out the fees is with the 'importer', which for most of our sorts of transactions will be the Royal Mail, Parcelfarce, UPS, Fedex, etc.

Accuracy of charges depends a lot on what the sender puts on the customs declaration - both the class of item and the value. If they are wrong the charges will be wrong and all the problems I've had so far have been down to that. A lot of Hong Kong suppliers mark stuff as 'gift' which is risky. Last time I used Hobby King (international) there was an option to let you specify the customs declaration, so they are maybe passing that choice/risk to the purchaser. (I didn't choose gift, but it was only about $8 all in.)

I'm not aware of a "Customs & Excise fee". RM, etc charge a fee of usually £10-£20 for doing all the work of collecting the taxes and passing them to C&E, but that is nothing to do with C&E.

As far as the ebay system is concerned my understanding is that Pitney Bowes will pay all the taxes, etc, and presumably have their fee built in there. The system says I will have no more to pay on delivery.  I'll let you know how that goes in a couple of weeks.

Non-delivery and returns will presumably be just as much of a nightmare as ever. High value stuff should be insured of course, but if it's a $20 bit from Hong Kong I'd probably write it off.  With ebay/Paypal you do of course have other possibilities for a refund.

barriew

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2013, 05:17:15 pm »

Pitney Bowes do have a UK operation (I worked for them for 13 years {:-{ ) and as well as selling mailing equipment, operate mailrooms on a Facilities Management basis. Maybe they are using this operation to handle the UK end.


Hope its a success - it will ensure my pension gets paid for a few more  years  %% O0 {-) %%


BArrie
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Netleyned

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2013, 05:20:35 pm »

Thought you had to be called Frank to work for them %% %%

Ned
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Sandy

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2013, 03:25:02 pm »

I do laugh at the whinging that goes on here about buying stuff from abroad and then getting stung for import duty, tax and handling charges.
 
I've been running old American cars for 30 years or so and it is just the way it is and has always been.
 
Take your price in US dollars and then change that figure to UK pounds and you are in the ballpark for cost.
 
A company called Rock-Auto has been doing what the original poster said for years and it does work very well because it does take some of the 'sting' out of the process by front-loading the tax/duty costs.
 
I've just been ordering some stuff (not boats) from the USA and found that ebay now have a thing called "Global Postage Programme" which may interest those who buy from the US.


This programme seems to address a frequent complaint about the nasty surprises that import duty, VAT and fee collection charges can spring on the unwary - or even the wary at times. It appears to cover all this stuff up front. The prices are given as three numbers:
Item cost
Postage
Import charges (confirmed at checkout)


These are in $US with estimated £ for the first two. Using Paypal you get the final total £ value before you finally commit.


I don't know if this applies to other non-EU countries, but it may not as the handling company appears to be Pitney-Bowes in CT. Ebay may of course have arrangements with other companies elsewhere.
It may also only apply to higher values (my order was about £250 + £55 p&p and with import charges grossed just shy of £400).


The charges may be a bit high but are not ridiculous. (The import charges on the above come to ~ £93 and the VAT would be £61+, but I don't know the duty rate, so ~ £30 for duty and fee collection/admin is probably not bad.)
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2013, 05:22:31 pm »


I think it's the unexpected, hidden or misleading blurb that annoys most of us.
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NFMike

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2013, 05:21:05 pm »

Well, it worked as advertised. Tracked the box from California and it arrived after about 2 weeks. Just the usual signature needed on the doorstep - no extra charges, no surprises. Certainly a better way of doing it than the usual "What'll it be this time?" while waiting.

Sadly DVLA Swansea can't turn a licence round in less time than a big box takes to arrive from 5,200 miles away, so I now have parts with nothing to fit them on  >>:-(

oldiron

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Re: Ebay - international to UK
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2013, 08:25:11 pm »

  I noticed this new "Global Shipping" arrangement last week when I went to buy car parts for a project. Here in Canada we are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. It means we get car, and other parts, from the States without duty, and quite often without taxes if its under $100. The parts I was buying were under $100. These would normally have been shipped via USPS and straight to my door no extra fees. With this new system they wanted to charge me an extra $10 (on top of the shipping fee) for supposed fees and paper work that were not necessary. On top of that they usually ship UPS. That means a signature at the door. If I'm not there I have an hours drive to the UPS depot to pick up my bits. On top of that UPS quite often charges another brokerage fee on top. No gain all the way around as far as I'm concerned. Shipping very often easily exceeds the cost of the item being imported. Just another Ebay shipping rip off.
  If a part arrives by mail that does require brokerage, Canada Post charges me $5 plus whatever the required taxes are.

John
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