Buying abroad tip!

[Gizmo750]

Hi all,

Noticed a couple of threads on here mentioning import duty etc charged by UPS and the good old VAT man on stuff bought from the USA.

Just a little tip you might like to try - it has worked for me many times.

If you can convince the friendly retailer / seller in the States to mark the goods as "service replacements" then you can step around the import VAT.

Hope that helps someone

 

[Limited Edition]

...and as an international member, I would be glad to help out UK members by sending them items. I have sent "gifts" to the UK before and the receiver was not charged any VAT.

Regards,

Don

 

[Alps]

yep, i have recieved "Gifts" from the states with no probs

 

[RichardM]

Marking them as gifts isn't always the problem, its the value on the invoice (and you have to fill out an invoice showing the contents of the package and value). Even in you receive a $200 gift the vat man will charge you and if you don't put the true value on the forms it won't be insured by the courier. I don't know about service replacements though.

Thanks for the offer Don, I might well take you up on that next time!

 

[Ian B Walker]

Don is right, working in the parcel business if you have your parcel marked as "No Commercial Value" or "Samples" you can get away with it depending on what mood customs are in at Coventry

 

[rirhill]

I have just come back from holiday and I bought two Tag watches from the Duty Free in the Caribean. I saved £600 on my watch and £350 on her watch. I must admit I was c_apping myself as I walked through the NOTHING TO DECLARE lane. It could have got very expensive. But we get such a raw deal over here. From memory Trainers are the same price in NY in dollars as pounds over here and I always bought my cameras over there as again they werea 1/3 as cheap.

Cheers
Ian