Buying Tackle From The States

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA) · Aug 29, 2007

I am lining up some reels from the states via E-bay.

What is the liklihood that they will get caned for import duty making the whole exercise from a cost saving perspective pointless?

Has any one any experiences to pass on?

Lewis Baldwin · Aug 29, 2007

Hello Mate,

If the reels cost less tham $76 you wont get stung but if it's over then there is a likliehood it will cost a fair whack. If you can liase with the person your buying them off and get him to put on his customs declaration that they are valued at less than $76 you should be fine. Or the other option is to try and pass them off as personal possessions left behind on holiday.

Cheers Lewis

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA) · Aug 29, 2007

Cheers Leiws.That is top advice.I think the reels are less than that soI may be OK.

John H Member of THE C.S.G.. & The A.T. · Aug 29, 2007

No personal experience, but my son purchased a guitar from the States andI believe the extra tax involved came to about 30% (about an extra £80-00)

There is some leeway if classed as 'a gift' but I would assume that would only apply if taken through customs in person.

Wolfman Woody · Aug 29, 2007

I used to import some stuff from the USA and duty was only 6% if I remember correctly. Mind you, I was already VAT registered, but if you aren't they'll charge you that as well.

There is a lower limit though and I think Lewis is correct.

Neneman Nick · Aug 29, 2007

Nigel,a while ago i won a couple of auctions in the usa via e-bay for a couple of heddon crazy crawler lures(brand new)from the same seller.The total value of the lures only came to about £5.00 and the p&P wasn`t much more either.

When the lures eventually arrived about a month later, i also got a card from yhe post officetelling me that if i wanted the said lures i would have to collect them from my local sorting office and stump up £12.00 for the priveledge.

Wheni went to collect them and asked why the extra money??? i was shown the paperwork and it turns out that the seller had bumped up the price of them so they could claim back extra money if they went missing in transit,they also ticked the wrong box on the postage labelling...because of this,i had to pick up the import duty or tax etc....

I have however orderedlures from another seller in the states,saved myself a packet and had then delivered quick as a flash and had excellent service allround from them.I would not hesitate to reccomend this other seller to anyone on this website etc....

If i can find the paperwork,i can let you know what the charges are etc... so you dont get stung for duty/tax etc....

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA) · Aug 29, 2007

Cheers Nick, that would be helpful.

Proceed with caution looks like the watchword.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 29, 2007

Nigel,

Get the seller to declare them on the Customs form as an "Unsolicited Birthday Gift"

That always used to work for me sending 'presents' back to the UK.

Trisantona · Aug 29, 2007

Private sales are usually OK,businesses usually put a sticker on declaring tax and then you will get stung.........btw.postage from Canada is VERY slow..about a month..USA couple of days ,Russia about 4 days,Australia one week,Finland 5 days,......must stop collecting these bloody centrepins.

Neneman Nick · Aug 29, 2007

Taken from the wrapper the lures came in/label stuck on by HM Revenue & Customs....

Please note that goods imported into the european union with a value over £18,or £36 in the case of gifts,are subject to customs charges.

Any queeries etc.....HM Revenue & Customs,mount pleasant postal depot,farringdon road,london,EC1A 1BB or 0207 2392449.

Peter is right in saying the sender should tick the box declaring the contents are a gift.

I do have some other detail somewhere that explains it in more detail but can`t find it at the moment.

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA) · Aug 29, 2007

Blimey, I may as well get the reel new over here than risk tax.

Whatever happened to the free movement of goods?

Tony Rocca · Aug 29, 2007

I have bought stuff ftom the states recently, didnt have to pay the duty.

Someone told me that it depends which carrier is used.

Steve Clements · Aug 30, 2007

You can move goods alright, just be aware you will probably pay for it.

I ordered twice from the states, once without tax once with, lI was buying lures and a spare spool, roughly the same value.Sometimes it misses the system but dont bank on it.

The Monk · Aug 30, 2007

A mate of mine used to do regular guitar runs to the US, he`d take out an old batterred cheap copy and buy something decent over there and bring it back in the same old bateered case he went out with/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

S-Kippy · Sep 2, 2007

I'm a Customs Officer andthis is the position.

To all intent & purpose allowances only count if the goods are accompanied and/or duty & tax paid in the UK.If you import [which is what you are doing] goods from the US they are liable to customs duty [variable rates] and VAT at 17.5% on the value of the goods PLUS shipping costs.I would guess for fishing tackle you've got to reckon on 20-25% tax plus {I think] a charge from the Post Office for collecting it on HMRC's behalf.There is the C hannel Islands thing about single items below £18 being free hence Tesco,Amazon etc shipping DVD's from Jersey but the Law is frankly too complicated to explain.From the States you're looking at duty & VAT on pretty well everything.

The shipper completes a Customs declaration and what he says [normally] is taken as read.The Unsolicited gifts,undervalued goods swindles etc are all well known and any package is liable to be opened.Most wont be but its up to you if want to chance it.Legally speaking any deliberate attempt to avoid paying the duty/tax is smuggling and you could end up with the goods being seized plus a fine of up to 3 times the duty paid value of the goods to get them back.Inrough terms that would be £350 +on £100 worth of gear.The boys at the postal depots are pretty good at spotting a "wrong un" but these places handle an awful lot of post

I've bought stuff from the states myself [all proper of course] but it has to be a REALLY good deal for the sums to add up....but then I cant afford to getcaught because of what I do.

Those are the odds.Place your bets & jolly good luck !

Trisantona · Sep 3, 2007

Thanks for that Brian,nice to get something off a taxman,lol,seems your last line says it all,bit of a gamble ./forum/smilies/confused_smiley.gif

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA) · Sep 3, 2007

Brian,

Many thanks for that pretty definitive advice.

Just one further query.Do the rules apply to second hand goods won through an e-bay auction for example?

S-Kippy · Sep 3, 2007

Nigel

I'm afraid so.In essence charges apply to all goods imported into the EC from outside unless eg you are returning to the UK from [say] the US and bringing your "duty paid" belongings with you.

I've checked the position out and here are the maths.Fishing tackle [rods & reels] from the US are liable to 3.7% duty and 17.5% VAT.This is chargeable on the cost of the goods plus any freight charges so on [say] £100 of "delivered value" you are looking at £3.70 duty plus £18 odd VAT.Add to that the PO handling fee of approx £8 and your £100 reel is now a £130 reel.Assuming the reel alone was around £80 to start with it suddenly doesn't look like a bargain anymore.

I'm told that unofficially the cussies only charge VAT on items up to £200 in value.I can't vouch for that because it smacks of somebody being lazy but if true then its £17.50 per £100 of delivered value PLUS £8 for the PO.Its now a £126 reel.As a rough guide you've got to be thinking a third again by the time you've paid all charges.

Doesn't apply from the EC because Monsiuer paid the import duty and French Vat when he imported it from China.I've bought stuff from France without any problems or charges.This is where your "free movement of goods" comes in.Unfortunatley though they might think they own it the USA is not [yet] part of the EC !

Thats the deal.Some people might say the chances of your reel getting stopped & examined as being slim but I couldn't possibly comment.

Brian

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA) · Sep 3, 2007

Cheers again, Brian.

On your calculations, if you get hit for the duty you may as well have bought it from the local shop which is whereI shall probably now be heading!

Wolfman Woody · Sep 3, 2007

Tell you what Nigel, you sort out what you want and where to get it from and we'll pop over to USA-side in my little boat tonight and smuggle the rods and reels back here.

I just need about 650 gallons of petrol for the journey so not too bad eh? I have the life preservers too, in case you're worried.

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