Damonjames Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 I’m sure this thread has been done, but I’m a simple guy and can’t figure out the new search function 😄 Mods, feel free to move if not appropriate. So ive seen something, just trying to figure out how much it’s going to cost once landed here and also if anyone has organised shipping from this side (seller not keen to organise international shipping) anyone have any experience with this recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 (edited) I bought my Veillette Citron in the USA. If you buy goods online from outside the EU for delivery to the UK, you'll have to pay Customs Duty (if over £120 value) and Import VAT (if over £18) on top of the purchase price (including duties), though Customs Duty is waived if the amount of the calculated duty payable is £7 or less. The equation is: Cost of the bass + cost of courier + tax (20%?). Remember that HMRC will not release the gear till you've paid the Tax. Edited February 1, 2018 by TheGreek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 It's about 25% tax/duty on the total price, that includes the cost of shipping. So instrument+shipping costs+25% = the total you'll pay. Plus possibly a fee from Royal mail or Parcelforce if you use USPS to ship it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 Thanks mate, did you organise the courier or the seller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Damo, it's rarely worth it nowadays mate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 5 minutes ago, karlfer said: Damo, it's rarely worth it nowadays mate. ...unless it's really obscure...like a Veillette Citron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 2 minutes ago, TheGreek said: ...unless it's really obscure...like a Veillette Citron. Yup, lots of exceptions, usually based around "hard to find". I shouldn't really have made such a generalisation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obbm Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 If any part of it is Rosewood then isn't CITES now an issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Should also keep in mind currency exchange rates. Today it's £1 = $1.43 but you wont get that, Paypal will probably be £1 = $1.36. Bank transfer is no better. There's a transfer fee to go with the crappy rate they'll give you. @Damonjames You can arrange postage via the USPS website easy enough but then you need to rely on the seller boxing it up properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Done it a few times. Last time it arrived after a week or so, though the tracking said it hadn’t even been picked up yet. There was no duty to pay - until a bill arrived about three months later!! I should have moved. Fwiw I booked the courier myself with TNT through Parcel2go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 30 minutes ago, kodiakblair said: Should also keep in mind currency exchange rates. Today it's £1 = $1.43 but you wont get that, Paypal will probably be £1 = $1.36. Bank transfer is no better. There's a transfer fee to go with the crappy rate they'll give you. @Damonjames You can arrange postage via the USPS website easy enough but then you need to rely on the seller boxing it up properly. USPS will become Parcelforce once it reaches the UK. They add £25 clearance charge on top of whatever you end up paying in import duty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Be aware of CITES too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 Thieves, the lot of em!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 @ambient I'd be more concerned with the seller packing it. I had one ask for $40 extra for the cardboard box, another said he was shipping with the neck off to save packing space. That time he'd forgot he'd sold the bass with a case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 Does anyone recall what the actual shipping costs were? Just trying to get a ball park figure in my head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Between $109 to $129. That's been my experience with USPS on 20 basses imported over last 3 year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Seriously considering importing a bass from the US, even with the postage & import duty, it's still working out cheaper than buying one in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 just Run the numbers, and it’s killed the idea dead. Bloody VAT man!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 I work at a company, and have contacts with others, who import stuff from the USA all the time. I've managed to put basses (and other gear) onto pallets of goods. I'd always been prepared to pay duty but they've never been picked up. Maybe you've got a mate in distribution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 42 minutes ago, cheddatom said: I work at a company, and have contacts with others, who import stuff from the USA all the time. I've managed to put basses (and other gear) onto pallets of goods. I'd always been prepared to pay duty but they've never been picked up. Maybe you've got a mate in distribution? He has now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Hah, happy to help if I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 I could ask a family friend, but I’m not so sure that a bass would pass through as a “gift” 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 5 hours ago, Damonjames said: I could ask a family friend, but I’m not so sure that a bass would pass through as a “gift” 😂 Gifts over £39 are liable for VAT, if the Gift is valued over £135 then you also have the Import duty to pay. HMRC get you every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 11 hours ago, kodiakblair said: Between $109 to $129. That's been my experience with USPS on 20 basses imported over last 3 year. I think that's not far off what I paid to import my VC. Good ball park figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yank Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 25% on top of cost? That's crazy! I'm amazed any of you play imports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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