Buying bits from USA

[Gav]

I am interested in buying a few bits from USA ie, hot foot off ebay, and some stuff from trick marine........... anyone any idea of what sort of costs are involved in shipping etc?

Ta

[Jon Fuller]

My experience is, that it's virtually impossible to know exactly how much duty you'll end up paying, till you've payed it!...ask TD!

[Gav]

Right ok, how is the duty paid? and do they open the package to find out what it is so they can decide how much i pay?

[Jon Fuller]

when the delivery arrives at your house, the kind DHL man, or equivelent, who's company collects the duty and vat on behalf of the customs and excise boys, won't let you have your parcel till you've paid, and yes, I think they are entitled to open stuff if they please.

[JamesM]

Shopping cost obviously depends on the weight and size of an item, also who's shipping it. I bought something off ebay from a private individual, the package was about 500mm x 250mm x 200mm weighing about 2kg and I paid $30. I payed $110 for a package of a similar size and twice the weight this time from a business. I guess they charged me for packaging it up to and their time to sort out the documentation. Also in that case the items were worth alot more so the insurance would have been a fair bit higher.

Duty is as far as I'm aware VAT plus a £10 surcharge. They don't open the package they go by the value of the item as described on the accompaning documents. You can ask the person shipping it to put it down as a gift on the paperwork and then you wont pay any duty. Strictly speaking though thats tax fraud and I guess if there is no value on the accomanying paperwork and it gets damaged or lost you may lose out.

As for paying the duty some times the shipping company ask you for it at the door other times they will phone you in advance and you can pay then and there by debit/credit card.

[JamesM]

I also payed $80 shipping from the states for a tiny box with 3 small gauges and a sender in it, again from a business, and yet only $20 for another ebay purchase of similar dimensions and weight this time from Hongkong.

[Hydrostream]

from the US and shipping costs.

Props, usualy about $40, and takes about 7 days or $10 and wait 6 weeks.

Misc. parts like gaskets and small pieces in box roughly 1'x1', $25

Jackplate $35, but 6 weeks by surface

The cowl mold, FedEx wanted $960 for each box, there's 2!
Eventualy got it shipped at a better price!

I've only been charged VAT on about half of the stuff, depends if it comes with the mail or by courier.

Oh yeah and a 20' container with a boat in it, that cost a bit! I did have to pay VAT on that...

I have found US postal service to be the best, if you can get an idea of what the package will weigh, by weighing the old part or a similar part go here, http://ircalc.usps.gov and calculate the cost, it's usualy spot on.

Also I don't think you pay VAT on waranty returns

[Jon]

As far as i am aware Duty & VAT are added as follows:

Duty is charged as 10% of the combined value of: Purchase Price & Shipping Costs.

Vat is charged as 17.5% of the combined value of: Purchase price, Shipping Costs & Customs Duty.

i.e.

Purchase Price: £500.00

Shipping: £120.00

Duty: 10% of £500 + £120.00 = £62.00

VAT: 17.5% of £500 + £120 + £62.00 = £119.35

Total cost of £500.00 purchase at point of delivery: £801.35.

The Duty & VAT value must be paid upon delivery.

ALWAYS CHECK EXCHANGE RATES BEFORE BUYING FROM OVERSEAS.

[sinkunit0]

i,ve just had a dual cable kit for a merc and a nfb dual cable helm sent air mail to the uk $55. the total value of the purchase and post was £97.10 .the duty i paid on this was £12 and clearing charge of £8

[Taz]

Ah if your lucky enougth to have a friend in the postal office like i do you wont pay a dime!

[FrenchPhil]

Hydro,

How much for the container ?

[Foolish]

If its of Ebay.com ..most users know the score and will send it as a "Gift" or a "replacement" ( under warranty ) ..... ALWAYS ask them to send the "INVOICE" seperate to avoid valuation of taxes

have recieved shite loads in the past from America / hong kong etc.......... never paid a bean

[Hydrostream]

Originally posted by FrenchPhil
Hydro,

How much for the container ?

€3000 for the container hire and shipping, then about another €500 for handling, yard fees and haulage etc. Plus VAT on the total, no duty on boats here!

BTW, I found a lovely HS vector for sale in the Netherlands on a website earlier, nice yellow one, just like Instigators. €3200, I wish I found that a year ago. Also, it's listed as new, I think, the site is in dutch! I wonder if there's a set of molds somewhere?

[Foolish]

€3000 for the container hire and shipping, then about another €500 for handling, yard fees and haulage etc. Plus VAT on the total, no duty on boats here!

"hydrostream"

if it's in europe why would you need a container ?

feck me if it's on a trailer ..... TOW IT !!
( or hire a truck for parts) ...you could do it for a lot less than 3500 euros and still fill the gaps with DUTY FREE !

[Hydrostream]

Originally posted by Foolish


"hydrostream"

if it's in europe why would you need a container ?

My boat came from Boston.

[Foolish]

my fault "Hydrostream" i misread the post

just realised that you are in "Dublin" ... Hence the use of the "EURO'S"

[Hydrostream]

While we're on the subject of shipping, the molds for the alien cowls arrived in today, get this!
I went to the shipping co. sorted out what I owed them and went to the depot to collect the boxes. I handed the customs release forms to one of the warehouse guys and he goes off in a forklift to look for them. The guy walks back out to me a few mins. later shaking his head saying they're not here! He called the office and another guy comes down saying they have been put on a plane to Dubai.
This is turning into a joke, I bought these back at the start of December, and so far have nearly a grand into them with initial cost, shipping, VAT, duty and airport & handling charges!
I can only laugh at it at this stage....

Does anybody even still want one???

[Gav]

Well, ............today it arrived, my nice new hot foot pro!

No duty
No vat

[Foolish]

guess that is due to the wonders of ebay