I have bought hundreds of watches and only been billed by FedEx twice. Both times it was from Asian country's Thailand or Singapore I think it was. I thinking of buying an old Omega from 1916 from Great Britain. eBay say there is an import"Charge :GBP 156.02 (est. based on the seller accepting your offer) ". Does any one know who this goes too? Is it collected by the USA or the UK? If it is the UK should it not be called an export duty? Has any one else been charged?

 

If they're using eBay global shipping or whatever it's called, eBay collects the import duty plus their commission on behalf of the customs of the importing country.

 

What about VAT? Do you charged it every time you buy a watch from overseas or is it just if you are unlucky?

 

I would stay away from EBay international. Call FedEx international and have thing set it up to bring into country. Sometimes you get hit by customs, sometimes not. If you use eBay or FedEx you will---they register as importers. Or run the blockade. I have heard but never personally seen that this can be done. Remember that uS duty ain't that bad (2.5-3%.). But your local state is probably auditing import declarations. Within about two years, you will get hit with a use tax notice.

 

It is an import tax or duty levied by your country not the UK, of course the amount may be wrong if ebay have done their sums wrong but I doubt it. If you object strongly to it perhaps you should opt out of tax on your income and purchases too. I am being flippant of course but be aware that evasion of import duties can be seen as just as serious in some jurisdictions as evasion of other taxes. Governments like their pound of flesh.

 

Plus, some eBay sellers use it because it clearly absolves them of any responsibility and it's convenient. Ebay global shipping always seems to cost more than it actually should (hence my comment about eBay adding their commission), and in the past I've bought watches and sellers have agreed to ship normally, so I pay duty at my end if requested. However, other sellers have advised they'll only ship abroad using Global Shipping.

To confirm, it's just eBays way of collecting IMPORT duty up front, rather than the buyer paying it upon delivery.