Cheaper US Imports?

[TWINSET]

Just seen these on another forum;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Losi-4-Threaded-Rock-Crawler-Shock-Set-w-Springs-4-LOSA5082-NIP-/271285457275?pt=Radio_Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f29df917b

The real interesting part is the shipping service;

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/shipping-globally.html

The shipping charges also include import duty etc. which hopefully means an end to paying £8-£13 to ParcelForce to collect the fees at this end

On the shocks there's no import duty

and on $133 import, charges are calculated at $31 - $26 of that is VAT @ 20% then a few $ more for import duty

No idea if eBay get a cut too

[JWeston]

My buddy recently bought an RC10 this way. No surprises. Great stuff.

[bromvw]

I've also seen this recently on a number of the larger USA R/C sellers sites . I could be wrong but it appears that HMRC allows volume sellers to make a arrangement with them whereby the import duty is paid in advance of shipment . As you point out Andy it does offer you the chance to avoid the Parcel Force fees .

No Doubt Ebay / Paypal ( same company ) are in on the arrangement as they are managing the transaction for both the Buyer and the Seller and therefore become liable for the payment of the tax's / Duty's .

Somehow I can't see Ebay/Paypal doing the goverments work for nothing so they must be applying a fee to the Seller for this service .

[z00ter]

I bought a dyntech o1r NIb the other night fom a us seller which also offered this,... well that was on the 18th, so will see when it arrives (if it arrives?) if I have any bad surprise!

[TWINSET]

No Doubt Ebay / Paypal ( same company ) are in on the arrangement as they are managing the transaction for both the Buyer and the Seller and therefore become liable for the payment of the tax's / Duty's .

Somehow I can't see Ebay/Paypal doing the goverments work for nothing so they must be applying a fee to the Seller for this service .

Reading through the T&C, a shipping company sorts out all the financial issues;

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html

1. Customs service. Based on information provided by your Seller and obtained during the processing of your order, Pitney Bowes will manage the exportation and, through third party customs brokers, the importation clearance of GSP Items that you have purchased including, as applicable, remitting your payment of import charges to applicable customs and tax authorities, preparing required documentation, making necessary filings, and providing customs authorities with information needed to clear the shipment through customs.

The carrier will apply the relevant charges to the seller via the shipping charges - so eBay will get whatever their percentage is on shipping anyway.

We use several US suppliers at work now, they've partnered with FED-EX to offer a similar service.

The postage charges will be slightly more exepensive, but US charges have never seemed that high in comparison with domestic postage rates

[bromvw]

Looking at it objectively it seems like a good arrangement . I really resent having to pay Parcel Farce a handling fee on imports . On top of the customs duty it makes items from the USA prohibitively expensive . Much better to pay up front and avoid this IMO monumental government enforced robbery .

[MadInventor]

Looking at it objectively it seems like a good arrangement . I really resent having to pay Parcel Farce a handling fee on imports . On top of the customs duty it makes items from the USA prohibitively expensive . Much better to pay up front and avoid this IMO monumental government enforced robbery .

It also may the case that various government departments have leaned on Ebay to put measures in place to limit the amount of customs duty being dogded in various countries, so this may Ebay's way of placating them, and they may not necessarily be taking a cut on it (Yet!).

It will certainly make US sellers seem like a more attractive proposition. I've always shyed away from them as they are obliged to put the full value on items, but it seems more and more people are getting nobbled by customs on HK/china purchases, so this may be the way to go in future.

[bromvw]

It also may the case that various government departments have leaned on Ebay to put measures in place to limit the amount of customs duty being dogded in various countries, so this may Ebay's way of placating them, and they may not necessarily be taking a cut on it (Yet!).

It will certainly make US sellers seem like a more attractive proposition. I've always shyed away from them as they are obliged to put the full value on items, but it seems more and more people are getting nobbled by customs on HK/china purchases, so this may be the way to go in future.

The only other way I can see around it is to have someone make a purchase on your behalf and to then send you what are 'effectively' second hand goods at the value they state on the package . As their sending a gift the value they place on the item is purely subjective obviously

[30YrsL8r]

What could trigger this:

Exclusions. You alone are responsible for any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to (or made available for pickup at) the delivery address specified by you.

[TWINSET]

The only other way I can see around it is to have someone make a purchase on your behalf and to then send you what are 'effectively' second hand goods at the value they state on the package . As their sending a gift the value they place on the item is purely subjective obviously

Yup, 'mates in the states' are definitely the way forward (cheers guys, you know who you are ) - even more so when sellers won't ship to the UK in the first place

[TWINSET]

What could trigger this:

Exclusions. You alone are responsible for any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to (or made available for pickup at) the delivery address specified by you.

Surcharges, penalties and fines would come in if goods were deliberately undervalued and discovered - Using low BIN auctions to produce low value receipts as a cover for high value private sales could be one such instance - although there's little beneift in that to the private buyer/seller

eBay have to cover themselves for every eventuality