SL low price ?

[AlexP]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

here the thing. I bought stuff from Asia and Euro before. NEVER get hit with VAT/tax via DHL or UPS. ONLY FEDEX do this crap.

[phovsho]

I get hit every time! In New Zealand anything with declared value over around USD 250 will get 15% VAT plus handling charges.

[jaapv]

here the thing. I bought stuff from Asia and Euro before. NEVER get hit with VAT/tax via DHL or UPS. ONLY FEDEX do this crap.

You mean you struck it lucky and didn't get noticed by customs a few times. I very much doubt that the carrier has anything to do with it. The crap comes from your government.

[phovsho]

Absolutely.

[rafikiphoto]

If your customs department has levied tax on an import you are entitled to demand the receipt from the courier. It is quite normal for any transporter to charge a fee for dealing with importation on your behalf. Indeed you should demand the tax receipt in case you are ever challenged on re-entry after taking the item abroad with you.

[jaapv]

I have never found a way to avoid being presented with an invoice and receipt in such cases. It is always included with the shipping papers by any carrier.

[satijntje]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

just curious to know;

How does it work when a British private person orders a camera from HongKong, does he or she has to pay VAT when the item enters the UK?

 

John

[cirke]

In Germany  I have to take my car to go to the customs (Zoll), they open the packet in front of me and I have to pay something

[jrp]

They should.

[thighslapper]

just curious to know;

How does it work when a British private person orders a camera from HongKong, does he or she has to pay VAT when the item enters the UK?

 

John

 

20% VAT on the declared value plus postage costs ....... and an 8 GBP handling fee (13.50 for express) ...... on anything over 15 GBP 

 

Hong Kong vendors have a selection of devious ploys that seem to avoid most of this ..... and some even guarantee to reimburse you the VAT in the event you get charged it. 

 

In my experience it's all hit and miss ...... very small items seem to get ignored by customs even if the declared value is over the limit. Sometimes they just can't seem to be bothered and 'forget' to add a charge. 

 

Of course you can ask them to omit any paperwork, declare a small nominal value and take your chances ...... but then you have a selection of potential future pitfalls to contend with if anything goes wrong ...... 

[phovsho]

Including if you declare a value less than the true value - to reduce likelihood and cost of VAT - and the parcel gets lost or the goods broken during shipping, then your recourse in terms of insurance is limited to the declared value. Then there is the possibility that the customs department - not sure what they are called in the U.K. - comes after you.

[jaapv]

20% VAT on the declared value plus postage costs ....... and an 8 GBP handling fee (13.50 for express) ...... on anything over 15 GBP 

 

Hong Kong vendors have a selection of devious ploys that seem to avoid most of this ..... and some even guarantee to reimburse you the VAT in the event you get charged it. 

 

In my experience it's all hit and miss ...... very small items seem to get ignored by customs even if the declared value is over the limit. Sometimes they just can't seem to be bothered and 'forget' to add a charge. 

 

Of course you can ask them to omit any paperwork, declare a small nominal value and take your chances ...... but then you have a selection of potential future pitfalls to contend with if anything goes wrong ...... 

As I understand it they use a combination of way points in various countries which allows them to -legally- avoid customs charges. Dubai often figures in their chain.  This explains why they gather a relatively high number of complaints  about slow response with prolonged delivery times. The thing is stuck somewhere in a customs warehouse and they have to figure out which one...

[cirke]

very small items seem to get ignored by customs even if the declared value is over the limit.

 

none in Germany :-)

 

I ordered once a Visible Dust kit from USA, even for a small sensor cleaning kit I had to drive to the customs and pay something

Now I buy only in Europe

[scott kirkpatrick]

I once had a spanking new M9 delivered to me at a meeting in the US, but the meeting was cancelled.  The package, in its plain brown wrapper, with a declared contents of "used camera" and valuation of $99, was sent to me in Israel via priority post.  I was invited to the central post office for an unboxing.  Even in its plain grey cardboard outer wrapper, the contents didn't look terribly used, and could be looked up on Google.  Fortunately, I had had it addressed to "Prof.  Kirkpatrick" at my office in the Hebrew University.  The manager of the inspection unit took over, and informed me that he and his wife had met at our university, "the best years of our lives..."  We agreed on a valuation of $1000, calculated the 19% VAT, and I took it home.

 

scott

[satijntje]

I had taken up contact with a HongKong based company that sells cameras and lenses via the UK without charging VAT.

Just wondering who is responsible to charge the VAT, is it the seller or is it the buyer?

Would a buyer that gets the articles from the HK company via the Uk without VAT being charged handle against UK the national  law?

This would not only be fraud but also unfair competition against sellers in the EU!

BTW, this is the text that I received from that company :

 

HI,

We are Hong Kong company, therefore, our price does not have any VAT or tax.
We issue invoice but not VAT invoice.
The price you see in website is final.
We send stocks from HK to UK then dispatch, therefore, there is no import tax also.
Thanks.
best regards,

[jrp]

As you point out, this looks like tax evasion.

[Alo Ako]

Maybe Hongkong as a former member of the commonwealth has a special status.

[jrp]

Not while the UK remains in the EU.

[thighslapper]

If you keep an eye on the news you will see the EU has imposed a billion plus euro fine on the UK for allowing imports from the far east without the normal draconian EU import restrictions and duty/taxes.

 

However it is not clear whether this is due to collusion or just incompetence....... 

 

This illustrates the point that after Brexit the UK is very unlikely to get a trade deal similar to the current EU arrangements ...... otherwise it will just provide a hole in the dam through which all manner of stuff can be channelled into the EU that can be imported cheaply under whatever dodgy arrangements we have with the rest of the bandits selling goods abroad. 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[IkarusJohn]

I get hit every time! In New Zealand anything with declared value over around USD 250 will get 15% VAT plus handling charges.

 

 

The Government has tightened up recently - it used to be that for purchases under $400.00 they didn't bother collecting the GST.  Now it's supposed to be different. 

 

It doesn't seem to, though.  If it comes in by FedEx, they collect the GST and their administration fee.  If it comes in NZPost, through YouShop, NZPost send a letter (yep, a letter) asking for the GST.  Sometimes the goods have been returned to sender before you get the letter; Kafkaesque but that's the way it goes.

 

Recently, I've had lots of items bought online, couriered directly to me (not by FedEx) where I haven't been charged the GST - I see no rhyme or reason to it.