Overseas purchases....experiences pls
- Thread starter tireebabe
- Start date
My first CL shoes were just seized by customs today, taking their overall price from good value to unsellable if they don't fit. I also got stuffed on the exchange rate which has dropped badly recently and paypal apparently take a bit more too.
Avoid at all costs if I were you. I even had them labelled as "gift". I am GUTTED.
Avoid at all costs if I were you. I even had them labelled as "gift". I am GUTTED.
I think ive been quite lucky ive bought a few items from the US. All have declared the real value but ticked 'return goods' or 'gift' and i have not been charged import tax....yet. *Touch wood*
Just to add the exchange rate from $ to £ sucks for us at the mo.
Just to add the exchange rate from $ to £ sucks for us at the mo.
One experience to date and was charged customs of approx £60. However the mulberry i got for a very good price and it was a rare one (have not seen another one on ebay yet). For me it would depend on the bag and price. If i could wait for a european seller then i would but if it is a special/rare bag that i could get at a reasonable price then i would suck up the customs.
Thanks ladies, you have made my mind up. I have posted 2 designer bags to US in the past and the buyers haven't been charged however I have never purchased any.
It seems that the majority of you have been charged at customs so the chances are I would be too so unless it's a fantastic bargain I'll stick to UK.
It seems that the majority of you have been charged at customs so the chances are I would be too so unless it's a fantastic bargain I'll stick to UK.
Buying within in the EU is fine - you'll obviously get no taxes 
Buying outside the EU then you may well get charged VAT and import duties on whatever amount the shipper has put as declared value (unless the shipper has said it's returned goods I think). It tends to amount to about 30% extra which is a hefty amount
ush:
I have bought jeans and clothing from Revolve Clothing in US many times and just occasionally - say 1 in 5 times - the import office has let my items through with no taxes....doesn't happen that often though and I can only assume it's an oversight on their part
Whatever, jeans are so ridiculously priced over here it still works out a fair bit cheaper to buy them from US 
Marking as a "Gift" only helps if the item is worth less the about £35.
Buying outside the EU then you may well get charged VAT and import duties on whatever amount the shipper has put as declared value (unless the shipper has said it's returned goods I think). It tends to amount to about 30% extra which is a hefty amount
ush:I have bought jeans and clothing from Revolve Clothing in US many times and just occasionally - say 1 in 5 times - the import office has let my items through with no taxes....doesn't happen that often though and I can only assume it's an oversight on their part
Whatever, jeans are so ridiculously priced over here it still works out a fair bit cheaper to buy them from US Marking as a "Gift" only helps if the item is worth less the about £35.
I buy 95% of all my bags from overseas. I agree that for Chloe or B-bags you are better off trying to stick to buying from EU countries as you wont get taxed on those high end prices but if you can find a good deal in the US then it might be worth looking into. Just make sure that the seller states the value that you actually paid on the shipping forms and NOT the retail value or you will be over-charged on customs duty.
Halzer, sorry but I hate your picture...it give me the creeps.
Apart from that, what you say makes very good sense. Do you know the actual percentage charge that US customs would charge. Saw I purchased a bag for £400, so you have any idea what kind of customs charges I may get...I am really clueless in this area.
I have just bought a bag from the US sale price was $690 and have just paid fees as follows ( I have the letter from Parcel Force here): Import Duty £8.14, VAT £48.91 Parcelforce Clearance Fee £13.50 Total £70.55 plus I paid £12 extra so I could have it delivered on Saturday. That was only because I couldn't wait till Tuesday otherwise its no extra to have it delivered. I think you would roughly pay the same. Hope this helps.
^^^ That's about 25-30% which is a good rule of thumb for working out charges.
I've had bags marked "Used" and "Gift" before but still got charged customs. Then I have had items marked the exact same way and got the 30% charges
I really think it's pot luck if it gets through the system and you don't get charged duties....
I've had bags marked "Used" and "Gift" before but still got charged customs. Then I have had items marked the exact same way and got the 30% charges
I really think it's pot luck if it gets through the system and you don't get charged duties....
Thats definitely true, it does seem to be pot luck, in one week I had 2 items coming from the US, a bag got through without having to pay customs while a cheaper new clothing item didnt!!
^^^ That's about 25-30% which is a good rule of thumb for working out charges.
I've had bags marked "Used" and "Gift" before but still got charged customs. Then I have had items marked the exact same way and got the 30% charges