I think I just got screwed by Brownells UK

[Dark Skies]

Obviously a clerical error on Brownells' part as the import duty etc. is included in the purchase price.
If by now you have taken delivery of the part you're entitled to reclaim the excess duty paid.

Anything over £18 from abroad (outside of the EU) is liable to import duty and the Royal Mail have been charged with collecting it as point of contact - charging £8 to hold it and drop their little card through the letterbox. What really enrages me is that import duty is also levied on the cost of postage.

So an item £18 in value is fine but an item £18.50 is going to cost you 20% on the item value, 20% on postage plus an £8 dunked on top. That's excessive.

No, duty is only charged on the value of the goods excluding shipping and insurance costs and is only charged if the value of the goods is over £135.

VAT is charged at the appropriate rate ( 0%, 5% or 20% as appropriate) on the value of the goods plus shipping, insurance and duty if the cost of the goods alone is over £15.

The sterling values will be calculated using an HMRC defined exchange rate on the day of import.

That was how the guy behind the counter at the sorting office told me. Regardless duty / VAT on shipping /insurance to private purchasers is just wrong.

[Polchraine]

FYI the £8 fee you pay Parcelforce is their charge for them paying the import/VAT duty on your package so it can clear customs faster/you not having to deal with customs, nothing else. Why its not done on a sliding scale I don't know as they would charge the same £8 whether you had £18.01 or £1801.00 duty to pay

The amount of work that is needed by PO/RM/PF is much the same for all parcels and if they implemented a sliding scale you would probably find the lowest only just under £8 so very little savings at the bottom end, but a large increase at the top.

They need to intercept the parcel, read the declaration form, decide if the value is above/below the threshold. Then if VAT and duty are payable do the calculation - the time for this will vary depending on the number of items in the parcel. Then complete the paperwork for the customer and HMRC. Collect payment - again the same time whether it is £1 or £1000 and remit on to HMRC.

And if you think that the £8 is excessive, try doing it through a courier or freight company.

[Polchraine]

That was how the guy behind the counter at the sorting office told me. Regardless duty / VAT on shipping /insurance to private purchasers is just wrong.

There is no duty on shipping and insurance. VAT yes, but that is normal in the UK - shipping gets VAT at 20% and insurance has IPT at a lower rate.

[Yogibear]

Nor is it very clear that the prices displayed do not include VAT (even though it is a legal requirement for websites to display tax inclusive prices). VAT is added at checkout.

?? That isn't true, the price displayed is inclusive of VAT. In fact, there is an asterisk after every price shown on the website and when you look at the bottom of the page it says *Prices Incl. VAT, plus DELIVERY" The VAT is shown broken down at the checkout stage though.

Strange

for example, I'm looking at this on my screen


080000984
NRA Instructor Cap
£11.17 *

at the bottom of the page it then says this

* Prices plus VAT, plus delivery

I don't doubt my eyes, but maybe there is a screwy computer thing going on here????

[Polchraine]

Nor is it very clear that the prices displayed do not include VAT (even though it is a legal requirement for websites to display tax inclusive prices). VAT is added at checkout.

?? That isn't true, the price displayed is inclusive of VAT. In fact, there is an asterisk after every price shown on the website and when you look at the bottom of the page it says *Prices Incl. VAT, plus DELIVERY" The VAT is shown broken down at the checkout stage though.

Strange

for example, I'm looking at this on my screen


080000984
NRA Instructor Cap
£11.17 *

at the bottom of the page it then says this

* Prices plus VAT, plus delivery

I don't doubt my eyes, but maybe there is a screwy computer thing going on here????

On my screen, that same item is displayed as:

NRA Instructor Cap
BROWNELLS
(In stock)
£13.40 *
Caps
1 Result
* Prices incl. VAT, plus delivery

[Robert303]

As an ex Customs Officer can I point you to:-
https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty
Duty is liable on the cost of the goods at the EU frontier so includes the cost of the Goods PLUS the Shipping PLUS any insurance.
The Duty on Firearms and Firearms parts is normally quite low. It is the VAT that hurts as it is charged on the above PLUS the duty.

i cannot help wonder when with CAD design and machining certain manufacturers will licence an EU company to make the spare parts to get round ITAR etc.

[Polchraine]

I ordered a bedding kit online from Brownells UK which with carriage came to around £32.00. I just got a card delivered by the Post Office saying they won't release the parcel unless I pay £29.65 Customs Duty, which includes an £8.00 Handling charge - that's still £21.95 duty on a total consignment costing only £32.00! As far as I was concerned these goods were being delivered from the UK. I certainly won't take the risk of buying from them again.

So, have you collected it yet? And what did the documentation say?

[majordisorder]

i cannot help wonder when with CAD design and machining certain manufacturers will licence an EU company to make the spare parts to get round ITAR etc.

You don't "get around ITAR". Documents/Designs are ITAR controlled, if a US company wanted to manufacture in Europe they'd still need an export license for that knowledge!

[RDC]

Indeed, technical data is a bigger ball ache than physical items when it comes to ITAR in my experience.

[ColinR]

I ordered a bedding kit online from Brownells UK which with carriage came to around £32.00. I just got a card delivered by the Post Office saying they won't release the parcel unless I pay £29.65 Customs Duty, which includes an £8.00 Handling charge - that's still £21.95 duty on a total consignment costing only £32.00! As far as I was concerned these goods were being delivered from the UK. I certainly won't take the risk of buying from them again.

So, have you collected it yet? And what did the documentation say?

No not yet - the sorting office only opens when I am at work. I'll have to ask a friend to collect it for me, but I guess that will cause identity problems.