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crystalbear Crystal Bears
Derby
Posts: 37

I dont understand this (my English not that brilliant!!)

Quote from Sassy's website: "International Orders: Please remember that it may take 2 weeks or more for your package to arrive. The buyer is responsible for any duty, fees and/or taxes on International orders. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY TO FIND THE "DUTY FREE" LIMITS AND ANY FEES YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY. You can divide your order into 2 or more orders to keep the total value of each package below your "Duty Free" limit. Please make a separate order for each one."

I have looked at Custom website.. way over my head as It only mention alcohol and fags... nothing about fabric.. I must have overlook something.

Can someone explain how this work?? I am hoping to order lots of fabric.. but thinking about how much order to pay before I make separate order..

I am in England UK

bear_cry

Jaina Emo Bears
Dudley, West Mids
Posts: 862

Hi Crystal.

You are allowed a certain value of purchased items tax free purchased from abroad ; Up to £18.

Anything over that you will usually pay 20% VAT like you would included with items bought from a shop here, Plus a Post Office handling fee. If your total order is over £135 you MAY have to pay Customs Duty as well. So that would all add up.

if Customs get your package, you get a letter from Royal Mail stating how much you owe, and you can pay online. Once your bill is paid you get the goods.

Smaller packets don't always get stopped; but I am sure if you kept making orders of just under £18, they would soon cotton on!

Seems to me like your best bet is one order, under £135. That way, only one postage; your 20% and handling fee. I think the fee depends on the value also. I think it was about £12 last time I paid one.

it may be better to try and source the stuff you want from the uk if you want a lot, Emmary Bears sell some of Sassy's fabrics.

Karon Posts: 751

OMG I've got £36 worth of mohair coming.

Hope I'm not charged VAT.

Will bear it in mind in the future!

bear_ermm

rowarrior The Littlest Thistle
Glasgow
Posts: 6,212

Anything you import over £20 you should pay VAT (at 20%) on regardless of where it comes from, and Royal Mail/Parcel Force charges £8 handling fee on top of that.  Sometimes you get lucky if it's near £20 and they don't charge (although theoretically one should still pay the VAT) and sometimes you don't

Karon Posts: 751

I obviously have been lucky in the past  :crackup:

susiray Bear-Hands
Algarve, Portugal
Posts: 482

when i order anything because its about 27% here i always order just under 18 euros for each package then i dont have to pay import tax. you pay extra p & p on each package but it still works out cheaper in the long run.
you have been luckly Karon, the first time i ordered sassy i didnt think and i paid $150 of fabric then 52 euros import tax  :twisted:

as you can imagine i had to be pick up off the floor in the post office  :crackup:

big hugs
Susan

Jaina Emo Bears
Dudley, West Mids
Posts: 862
rowarrior wrote:

Anything you import over £20 you should pay VAT (at 20%) on regardless of where it comes from, and Royal Mail/Parcel Force charges £8 handling fee on top of that.  Sometimes you get lucky if it's near £20 and they don't charge (although theoretically one should still pay the VAT) and sometimes you don't

That's not nessicarily true Katy, if you are buying within the EU, you don't pay VAT. Outside of the EU you are liable.

Can you tell I buy online from other countries alot  bear_rolleyes

rowarrior The Littlest Thistle
Glasgow
Posts: 6,212

Well, even that's not quite right!  See the bit about EU Special Territories...

From HMRC:

Customs Duty
Customs duty is a tax charged on importation of goods produced outside the European Union (EU). You won't have to pay Customs Duty if you're travelling from the EU, or buying, ordering or sending goods to the UK from the EU for your own use. For a list of countries in the EU, see the guide under 'More useful links'.

Customs Duty allowances
Customs Duty is only payable on goods from outside the EU over a certain value. This value depends on whether you're bringing the goods in yourself, or they're being sent by post.

If you're a traveller arriving in the UK from outside the EU, you only have to pay Customs Duty if you exceed your duty free allowance.

If you're posting goods to the UK, or ordering them from a non-EU country, you only have to pay Customs Duty above a certain value.

Custom Duty rates for specific products
Customs Duty is charged as a percentage of the total value of the goods - that is the sterling equivalent of the price paid abroad.

To work out the percentage, each type of product is given a 'commodity code'. This tells you what the Customs Duty rate percentage is for that particular product, based on whether it's being imported or exported.

There are around 14,000 different classifications. The duty rate percentage for each may vary according to the country the goods come from. The average percentage is between 5 and 9 per cent, but it can be as low as 0 per cent or as high as 85 per cent.

To find out the Customs Duty rate for a product you can contact HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) VAT, Customs and Excise Helpline. See the later section 'Getting more help and advice' below.

Customs Duty in different situations
You can find out more about how Customs Duty and other taxes, duties or restrictions apply in the guides on bringing or sending goods to the UK under 'More useful links'.



Import VAT
VAT is a tax normally charged on the supply of goods (and services) made by a VAT registered business in the UK. For goods brought in or sent to the UK from the EU there's no extra VAT to pay unless you're ordering or sending purchased goods from one of the EU Special Territories, such as Jersey or Guernsey, in which case you'll have to pay Import VAT.

The EU 'Special Territories' are The Aland Islands (Finland), The Canary Islands (Spain), The Channel Islands (UK), The French Overseas Departments of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Reunion and Mount Athos also known as Agion Poros (Greece).

Goods imported to the UK from outside the EU are subject to Import VAT, unless they are brought in as part of your duty free allowances.

Import VAT rate
The percentage charged is the same VAT rate that applies to similar goods that are sold in the UK.

The Import VAT percentage rate is applied to the total value of the goods. In the case of goods brought in this is the sterling equivalent of the price paid abroad, as shown on the receipt. In the case of goods posted from outside the EU, it is the amount on the Customs Declaration, which includes the price paid for the goods, the cost of transport, postage and packing, insurance and any duty that may be payable.

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