Question

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10 Oct 2006
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Hi, I was wondering if you buy for example a headset from an online auction site but the item is based in USA. Will it be shipped to my home safely? Or will there be any mishap ( such as item being held by the custom ). And do I have to pay VAT? Or just let it ship over and hopefully it will just go over.
 
There are a few different considerations here, what is the item worth? From memory you have a fairly low limit on what would not attract duty (~£30 or so but I'm happy to be corrected here) so if it is under that then it should be fine in terms of extra charges.

If it will be shipped to your home safely depends on the seller, his packaging and the vagaries of both the domestic and international postal services.

I don't believe you would pay VAT as such, you'd pay duty on it which amounts to the same thing in effect.

Finally, yeah you could just purchase it and see what happens, it might or might not get stopped depending on the value anyway.
 
when recieving commerical goods from abroad you have to remember:

a) you pay VAT
b) duty

however if it is marked and stated as a "gift" on the shipping advice...this generally means you dont...

however if you luck is really bad then you had it...

also do remember to take into consideration costs incurred when shipping these goods back for RMA etc? like for example who pays for that?

unless you are getting a mega discount it may just benefit you to pay the little extra and purchase it from a UK based bona fida company to say the headache in the long run.,....otherwise its on luck
 
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