Importing from China - Using EMS.

Gamer_T · 21 May 2010 at 00:20

Hi guys,

I'm expecting some goods from China arriving via EMS. AFAIK, EMS don't have any lines in the United Kingdom, so when EMS deliver the goods to the UK, do they designate a courier company to deliver them to their customer in the UK?

Cheers

meghatronic · 21 May 2010 at 00:23

Usually they leave them at Customs and you have to drive and get them.

(RM/Parcel Force/Fedex etc. will delivery them as you thought)

Gamer_T · 21 May 2010 at 00:27

I wonder if there will be a C.O.D charge with these then. Hmm

greywolf · 21 May 2010 at 00:32

Will probably go to Parcel Force, then if it got stopped in customs you will be sent a letter from Parcel Force asking you to pay the shown amount before they will release the parcel. Usually £14.50 handling fee + VAT + import duty, plus you have to go down to the local depot to pay, and make sure you take the letter and ID.

Strife212 · 21 May 2010 at 00:34

It's parcelforce.

EMS isn't a company its a worldwide agreement where certain firms deliver the post.

iamTakeo · 21 May 2010 at 00:38

The hobby store that I use for RC Heli's states that EMS is more likely to incur customs charges, and rather opts for standard Airmail (for lower value items like spares), Kinda neat too, cause it comes hand written address like a gift, with no proper invoice so Customs can't assess how much it's worth.

I wish we had global
FREE TRADE PLEASE

Werewolf · 21 May 2010 at 01:26

iamTakeo said:
, Kinda neat too, cause it comes hand written address like a gift, with no proper invoice so Customs can't assess how much it's worth.

I wish we had global
FREE TRADE PLEASE

That's not quite true, if Customs don't have a declaration of the value/invoice they can//will look it up (they have access the internet etc as well!) and assign a value based on what they can find for either that particular item, or a similar one.
That valuation can be considerably higher than the price you paid, as they can go by the RRP etc, whilst you might have got it for well under that.

Aod · 21 May 2010 at 07:03

Werewolf said:
That's not quite true, if Customs don't have a declaration of the value/invoice they can//will look it up (they have access the internet etc as well!) and assign a value based on what they can find for either that particular item, or a similar one.
That valuation can be considerably higher than the price you paid, as they can go by the RRP etc, whilst you might have got it for well under that.

this is true. nevertheless, there are thousands and thousands of incoming EMS speedpost packages from China/HongKong every day - customs only check one in 10, or so i hear.

if it isn't checked, or if it is checked but HMR&C don't want any money from you Parcelfarce will just deliver it to you without further cost.