Shipping to UK from US

pigalle74

Member
Apr 7, 2009
3,628
1
I shipped a package from US to UK via usps priority mail. According to the tracking number, it attempted to deliver in the UK, but the buyer says she saw her mail man and he didn't have the package for her. She asked me if it is being delivered via royal mail or parcel force. Can anyone help me which agency my buyer is supposed to inquire? Thank you!
 
Possibly, if you look at the USPS tracking site, you can work it out. I just went back and checked a couple of mine to test it. The packages sent Registered Airmail were handled by Royal Mail and had an initial code of HWDC. The packages sent by Express Mail Service EMS were handled by Parcelforce and all have Coventry Parcelforce as the first coding destination in the UK. They have very different systems and fees for delivery depending on whether it is handled by Royal Mail or Parcelforce. Hope this helps.
 

PF tracking has been down the last couple of times I needed it (and appears to be down now), but I could still see what was going on with PF via my home country postal tracking service.
 
Oh, thank you so much ladies- my buyer totally freaked out, but she said they actually never attempted delivery and that she has to pay VAT first.

Ah.. the old UK duties. If she has to pay VAT she may also have to pay a UK mail "handling fee" too, depending on the amount. It could be up to 13 pound for Parcelforce. This is something that only seems to apply to the UK and perhaps 1 or 2 other countries - a handling fee (additional to VAT or Customs Duty) for delivery of mail in certain circumstances...
 
Ah.. the old UK duties. If she has to pay VAT she may also have to pay a UK mail "handling fee" too, depending on the amount. It could be up to 13 pound for Parcelforce. This is something that only seems to apply to the UK and perhaps 1 or 2 other countries - a handling fee (additional to VAT or Customs Duty) for delivery of mail in certain circumstances...

The item is only $100 and weighs 2lbs- I wonder how much she has to pay???
 
Anything up to 40% of the declared value plus postage (depending on the postal service used).

In the UK, you can only import 18 sterling worth of goods before being taxed (around 27 USD) or if someone sends you a gift then you get the equally generous limit of 36 sterling (around 54 USD).

Only Fedex in the UK will deliver items and then bill you later (always a nice surprise). Royal Mail and Parcelforce will both collect monies owed before they delivery.

I had a Fedex customs bill for 27 sterling (41 USD) on an item valued at 80 USD.
 
I sold a handbag to a lady near Mitcham, UK and they will not release the bag until she pays an additional $86USD for the "handling fee". She sent me an angry email asking how I could have gotten the shipping so WRONG and will I reimburse her for this fee. I CLEARLY stated in my listing that, "all taxes and duties are the responsibility of the buyer." I wrote back explaining how the UK does impose this tax and has nothing to do with the shipping charges I established via USPS International Priority. She thinks it's ME who is at fault for the inflated "shipping charge" when in fact it is really the UK imposing duty,correct?
 
I sold a handbag to a lady near Mitcham, UK and they will not release the bag until she pays an additional $86USD for the "handling fee". She sent me an angry email asking how I could have gotten the shipping so WRONG and will I reimburse her for this fee. I CLEARLY stated in my listing that, "all taxes and duties are the responsibility of the buyer." I wrote back explaining how the UK does impose this tax and has nothing to do with the shipping charges I established via USPS International Priority. She thinks it's ME who is at fault for the inflated "shipping charge" when in fact it is really the UK imposing duty,correct?

I replied to your PM and sent you some, hopefully, useful links.
 
USPS usually gets handled by Parcelforce, in my experiences buying from the US anyway. Their handling fee is ridiculous - £13 on top of whatever VAT has been accumulated.
DHL only charge £1.50 handling fee, but their shipping is more expensive anyway, so I guess it's lose/lose, lol.
 
for my items worth around $100 US, I had to pay about £20 in VAT and Handling Fees (this is the bulk of the total amount). They will leave a card to say they couldn't deliver it because there is customs to be paid and the VAT (tax) and Customs boxes will be ticked.
You will have to buy stamps to the exact amount, stick it on the card and post it if you want them to deliver or there is the option to pay on line. You have the choice to ask it to be delivered on a particular day too.
You just have to decide how much you want the item!
 
for my items worth around $100 US, I had to pay about £20 in VAT and Handling Fees (this is the bulk of the total amount). They will leave a card to say they couldn't deliver it because there is customs to be paid and the VAT (tax) and Customs boxes will be ticked.
You will have to buy stamps to the exact amount, stick it on the card and post it if you want them to deliver or there is the option to pay on line. You have the choice to ask it to be delivered on a particular day too.
You just have to decide how much you want the item!

The alternative is to use Registered Airmail or equivalent to the UK. You can insure. Royal Mail handles these in the UK. Their application of customs duty seems to be more lenient than Parcelforce's. From my experience of shipping to the UK, Royal Mail will record the item at delivery, so there is proof of delivery for eBay purposes. Technically Royal Mail can also charge a handling fee, but theirs is capped at 8 pound and they don't seem to impose it as much as Parcelforce do.