Thomann prices?

[wambamalubop]

53 minutes ago, Kev said:

For sales under £135, the shop can charge the UK VAT.  If they choose to do that, there will be 0 costs/no handling fee when importing.  Thomann are collecting VAT for orders under £135, so there should never be any charge at all if you order from them.  So it hasn't slipped through the net, its just worked, albeit quicker than mine!

Good to know.

[EBS_freak]

The penny is finally starting to drop for people...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277

[taunton-hobbit]

One possible upside is that UK customers will be far more likely to buy within the UK ?

😎

[TheLowDown]

The fact that so many people are experiencing problems means that it's bad for trade, which means that it's bad for the government. If people just stop buying from abroad then that will force governments and retailers to introduce some easing measures.

Edited January 21, 2021 by TheLowDown

[Kev]

Problems? Surely not...

[EBS_freak]

58 minutes ago, taunton-hobbit said:

One possible upside is that UK customers will be far more likely to buy within the UK ?

😎

Assuming that whatever you are trying to get is available in the UK... remembering any products that are sold in the UK but manufactured about are also subject to import. For example, in the BBC article, a key point is that it was one of her favourite European clothes manufacturers.

Edited January 21, 2021 by EBS_freak

[Jack]

58 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

The penny is finally starting to drop for people...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277

Trust me, I spent 6 years as an adult teacher, mostly in citizenship. People do not have the faintest idea how this will impact their daily life.

 

"I can't wait to leave Europe so that we don't have to accept any more Syrian refugees, ever since Syria joined the EU there's been millions of them." Genuine quote from a middle-aged man on one of my courses last year. He was a business manager for a posh supermarket. Drove an Audi.

[EBS_freak]

3 minutes ago, Jack said:

Trust me, I spent 6 years as an adult teacher, mostly in citizenship. People do not have the faintest idea how this will impact their daily life.

 

"I can't wait to leave Europe so that we don't have to accept any more Syrian refugees, ever since Syria joined the EU there's been millions of them." Genuine quote from a middle-aged man on one of my courses last year. He was a business manager for a posh supermarket. Drove an Audi.

It's ok though, cos now they can buy an Aston Martin.

[Jack]

8 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

It's ok though, cos now they can buy an Aston Martin.

In news not related to Brexit, I'm considering selling my Defender. 

 

1. Can I charge more now? It was made in Britain!

2. What foreign car should I get to replace it?

[Woodinblack]

7 minutes ago, Jack said:

2. What foreign car should I get to replace it?

Nissan? Or wait a year then pretty well anything

 

[paul_c2]

5 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

The penny is finally starting to drop for people...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277

 

"She was surprised when she then received a text from courier company DPD, containing a link asking her to pay £58 in customs duties, VAT and additional charges for her £180 order.

On top of that, the UPS courier for the second parcel showed up at her door several days later, asking for an extra payment of £82 for her £200 coat."

So people aren't aware that there's import duty??? I guess its possible....but I think most people know import duty exists. As for UPS charging £82 for a £200 item when the rate of import duty is max 25%, they're taking the P and it seems, taking commercial advantage of a situation.

 

[jrixn1]

.

Edited June 22 by jrixn1

[Eldon Tyrell]

Disclaimer: Sorry if this has been discussed earlier but I cannot check all 21 pages of the thread😉

Seeing custom duties getting mentioned here: I thought we do not have to pay custom duties when ordering from Thomann. Is this not the case? Only VAT and handing charge, no?

[paul_c2]

5 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Isn't it customs duty first, then VAT on top?

Something like...

Customs duty: £200 x 1.12 = £224
VAT: £224 x 1.20 = £269
UPS handling fee: £269 + £13 = £282

 

Clothing is 4% duty and VAT is 0% or 20%. So their handling fee is £37.20 (if its a 20% VAT rated item). 

[Kev]

24 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

 

"She was surprised when she then received a text from courier company DPD, containing a link asking her to pay £58 in customs duties, VAT and additional charges for her £180 order.

On top of that, the UPS courier for the second parcel showed up at her door several days later, asking for an extra payment of £82 for her £200 coat."

So people aren't aware that there's import duty??? I guess its possible....but I think most people know import duty exists. As for UPS charging £82 for a £200 item when the rate of import duty is max 25%, they're taking the P and it seems, taking commercial advantage of a situation.

 

It’s a useful story, as it will bring it to some people’s attention.

But how anyone can complete a sale that almost certainly said Ex Vat in more than one place think that they wouldn’t be charged VAT is difficult to imagine, especially if it’s someone who regularly shops online and noticed the prices drop by about 20% this month, assuming the shop aren’t being naughty of course.

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, paul_c2 said:

So people aren't aware that there's import duty??? I guess its possible....but I think most people know import duty exists. 

 

As she probably has no interest on what is on the news, seeing as her whole life she has been able to treat things in the EU the same as here, why should she be aware of import duty and vat? This is all new to a lot of people. Honestly ask 100 people in the street what the rules are from getting something from the EU and I would be incredibly impressed if more than 5 people know. Its one of those things that is so clear it needs a government minister to say 'we have been perfectly clear' about.

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

6 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

As she probably has no interest on what is on the news, seeing as her whole life she has been able to treat things in the EU the same as here, why should she be aware of import duty and vat? This is all new to a lot of people. 

 

Yup, and yet these people were encouraged to vote for something about which they had absolutely no clue of the ramifications. I find it difficult to find sympathy for those now being stung with charges simply because they were too stupid or too lazy to consider the consequences of their actions. Whilst those who voted for it with their eyes open knowing full well what was likely to happen have absolutely no right to complain. They got exactly what they voted for. Those who didn't vote for it on the other hand, have my full sympathy. 

[Cato]

12 hours ago, Kev said:

It’s a useful story, as it will bring it to some people’s attention.

But how anyone can complete a sale that almost certainly said Ex Vat in more than one place think that they wouldn’t be charged VAT is difficult to imagine, especially if it’s someone who regularly shops online and noticed the prices drop by about 20% this month, assuming the shop aren’t being naughty of course.

In the same article there's a guy who got hit with £147 of import duties, taxes and other charges on a pair of £300 boots.

I was aware that there would be increased costs for buying goods from Europe but I would never have put them as potentially high as 50% on top of the listed price.

I seriously doubt many people would.

I buy a lot of outdoor gear from Alpine Trek and I was considering Thomann for a new guitar as they're one of the very few places that actually seems to have stock at the moment, but I won't be ordering anything from Europe until I can see a set-in-stone price for the whole transaction before I buy.

Edited January 22, 2021 by Cato

[Woodinblack]

12 hours ago, Kev said:

But how anyone can complete a sale that almost certainly said Ex Vat in more than one place think that they wouldn’t be charged VAT is difficult to imagine, especially if it’s someone who regularly shops online and noticed the prices drop by about 20% this month, assuming the shop aren’t being naughty of course.

Having an involvement in running an online shop, you would be amazed what people don't read and then ask you about, even when they have had to go past pages saying it.

also seeing something that says 'ex vat' is a) something people have never really needed to deal with before as everything had to include vat (unlike buying in the states for instance), and b) not something to lead you to assume that you would be charged £82 on a £200 order

[EBS_freak]

3 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

Yup, and yet these people were encouraged to vote for something about which they had absolutely no clue of the ramifications. I find it difficult to find sympathy for those now being stung with charges simply because they were too stupid or too lazy to consider the consequences of their actions. Whilst those who voted for it with their eyes open knowing full well what was likely to happen have absolutely no right to complain. They got exactly what they voted for. Those who didn't vote for it on the other hand, have my full sympathy. 

Indeed. How the public could be trusted to vote on something that they knew absolutely nothing about, I'll never know. That is why we have people that understand and are paid to act in our best interest... or not.

I would argue with your comment about those who voted for it knowing full well what was likely to happen - I would wager not. 

[Kev]

26 minutes ago, Cato said:

In the same article there's a guy who got hit with £147 of import duties, taxes and other charges on a pair of £300 boots.

I was aware that there would be increased costs for buying goods from Europe but I would never have put them as potentially high as 50% on top of the listed price.

I seriously doubt many people would.

I buy a lot of outdoor gear from Alpine Trek and I was considering Thomann for a new guitar as they're one of the very few places that actually seems to have stock at the moment, but I won't be ordering anything from Europe until I can see a set-in-stone price for the whole transaction before I buy.

Well, Musik-Productiv are certainly still charging VAT and state their price includes all duty and custom fees, so that should be a total price.  Currently waiting for a delivery of a £465 parcel, which will test this I guess. 

[EBS_freak]

13 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Having an involvement in running an online shop, you would be amazed what people don't read and then ask you about, even when they have had to go past pages saying it.

also seeing something that says 'ex vat' is a) something people have never really needed to deal with before as everything had to include vat (unlike buying in the states for instance), and b) not something to lead you to assume that you would be charged £82 on a £200 order

I would also wager that a lot of online shoppers wouldn't even know the difference between ex vat, plus vat or inc vat. As you imply, it's always been the case of, add to bag, check out, parcel arrives.

[CookPassBabtridge]

I do feel some sympathy for people that didn’t expect these charges as in fairness I’m only clear on the situation because I regularly buy bass parts from Europe and kept an eye on the situation. Ironically I’d potentially not be aware if I wasn’t a bass player.

Am going to place a parts order with Warwick soon (who are selling ex VAT to the UK now) having worked out the fees I’ll be due to pay on arrival. Some of the costs quoted in the BBC article do seem very high though - I ordered a bass from Japan recently and the total cost was what I expected. I.e. an extra 20% VAT and a relatively modest handling fee. I think the handling fees may be a set amount for everything though, so it would make up a bigger proportion of the total cost if you bought something less expensive.

In short, the change for me is that when buying from Europe I wait to do it in bulk or avoid buying lower value items.

[Steve Browning]

24 minutes ago, Kev said:

Well, Musik-Productiv are certainly still charging VAT and state their price includes all duty and custom fees, so that should be a total price.  Currently waiting for a delivery of a £465 parcel, which will test this I guess. 

Interesting. I will be very interested in the result.

[ezbass]

Handling fees sounds like an opportunity for some firms to fleece buyers. The BBC article being a case in point, VAT is fair enough, but how much for ‘handling’?