Update, received my bracelet today.
Shipped by DHL from the Netherlands. The package had been opened and checked, it included a commercial invoice as well as a receipt.
No further VAT or duty requested.
Whilst I can understand why that may not be possible, I can vouch for the fact that as a UK buyer, it can be tricky to find UK-based watches amongst a sea of "CONUS only" stuff. There's Chrono24 that offers a location search, but most watches are priced high over there.
Hmm well that's interesting.. in theory, as the total value exceeded £135, you were supposed to pay the 20% UK VAT to the seller (& not the courier).
But this brings up additional concerns: if they start opening parcels to check the contents, the average courier Joe / warehouse operative will be more than happy to slide that nice shiny watch into their pockets, so much for the careful packaging & camouflaging the contents to avoid sticky fingers 🙁
If it’s similar to other non EU countries from the UK the value is dictated by the CN22 or CN23 form when you ship. You have to declare the value and what it is, and that form goes on the outside! You can put it inside and label ‘Customs form inside package’ but that’s an invite to open. Presumably that dictates duty/tax at the country of receipt.
Telephoned UK Customs Office today for information [I wanted to buy a pre-owned watch from the EU].
Told by Officer that as the watch is over £135 - 20% VAT is due also 2.5% Duty payable.
Not worth doing a deal now.
Better off working with USA with the current exchange rates. By the time tax and import are paid it’s more or less 1:1
That is about as meaningful as my wife returning from Shopping saying “it’s such good value, it was 20%off!”
Telephoned UK Customs Office today for information [I wanted to buy a pre-owned watch from the EU].
Told by Officer that as the watch is over £135 - 20% VAT is due also 2.5% Duty payable.
Not worth doing a deal now.
Rather impolite. Exchange rate is approx 30% in our favour as opposed to 10% from Euro. More choice and perhaps better negotiation available to make cost the same as local purchase.
The only other thing to note (and customs have admitted this) is there will be a period of time (period unknown) needed for them to get their act together so short term you might be lucky.
This was the reason for this post. I was interested to see if anyone has actually been charged or slipped through the net so to speak in these early days.
I have just ordered a coffee grinder from Italy, and it would be a bargain if the VAT wasn’t collected. I will have to wait and see.
Sorry, wasn't meant as impolite
What I meant was, what do you mean by 1:1?
one what to one what?
Dollar approx 1.3 to GBP. Vat & import from USA approx 30% so, cost equal.
Like @Spacefruit I was confused with the original comment and if I'm honest I still have no idea the relevance of this.
I understand you are saying the tax and import costs added to the sale cost effectively mean an exchange rate of 1:1.
So for every £1 you spend you get $1 (73p) worth of watch. Only a good deal if somehow $1 (73p) buys you more than £1 stateside surely.
Hence Spacefruits comment about wives and sales
All of this was known before the Brexit vote and after - it’s a natural consequence of leaving the EU customs union and single market. Why more of the general public didn’t realise it, is a separate debate...
