Cat Burrito Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I bought two Precision ashtray covers from the US for $24.37 which at the current exchange rate is £15.55 and got stung for over £11 in duties because it was over £15 today. Unlucky or what? The seller listed the items at the correct rate, the import tax was £3.24 and the Royal Mail charge an £8 handling fee for this. I had a look around and it looks like I'll have to take the hit. The seller correctly priced the customs declaration (I wouldn't ask them not to), the value is over £15 and I don't appear to have a leg to stand on. Unless anyone has any bright ideas? It's getting harder to buy stuff these days!? Even the two guys at the sorting office seemed genuinely sympathetic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Send them back and wait for the FX rate to move in your favour? I know, not very helpful. I can feel your pain, but I guess there will always be 'boundary issues' like this wherever the tax brackets are set. Ttill a bummer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 No ideas, but I feel your pain! It happened to me a few times since I moved the UK. The £8 fee is a joke. My future US purchases will be sent to Ireland first and then to me here. The extra postage won't come near £8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_lindsay Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Yup, you just need to grit your teeth and pay the fee mate. No fun, as I know from my own experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 The fee is extortion. Plain and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 And that £13 Parcelfarce handling fee is ludicruous. I recently bawled them out as the kept a set of custom pickups up at the Edinburgh depot for a week without updating their status: they were still showing as being 'held' at Coventry all the while they were languishing in the Edinburgh depot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 (edited) I recently bought a pickguard and pickup for an old 60s Teisco from the U.S. for $27 and got stung a whopping £14 when it landed in the UK!!! Edited August 21, 2013 by BetaFunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 It's a bummer dude.... "I'm sorry it went down like this, And someone had to lose, It's the nature of the business, It's the smuggler's blues." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Unlucky this time Sometimes you get lucky, typically up to $32 I have got away with it, sometimes well above. I have taken the hitt as well. The handling fee is just 'gouging', a well known treatment of the customer in the UK sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 [quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1377107558' post='2183502'] Yup, you just need to grit your teeth and pay the fee mate. No fun, as I know from my own experience. [/quote] Oh I paid it, no choice really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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