Hey guys, I've won some new RAM on e-bay, and it turns out it's being posted from the US. Will I get raped for import when it gets here? I seem to remember reading that unassembled PC equipment doesn't get taxed or V.A.T'd when it gets here. HM Customs websites are a bloody minefield of rubbish and can't offer me any help. Thanks for any help. [edit]The value is > £36 btw, but it could be marked as a gift [/edit]
I haven't had PC parts shipped but I've had other things shipped... I paid full VAT on a 120 quid item that I bought WHILE I WAS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY that I shipped here I hate taxes
Well AFAIK, you either put it down as a gift, but if it gets lost, you're screwed, or you put down the value and there's some insurance but you have to pay taxes. like 80% sure that's how it works.
you can get taxed on unassembled computer parts the same as anything else mark it as gift and a low amount, any time that ive sent something across from the states the customs declaration and the insurance value have been seperate. even when you mark it as gift, they still have a go at taxing it *sigh* i seem to recall anything under £17 they dont bother looking at
I imported a matrix orbital lcd from canada a few years ago when you could not get them here. They charged me £30 for a $130 canadian purchase. I expected they would charge about that though.
Every time I've bought stuff from overseas on ebay I've asked that they ship it as a commercial sample of no value hence avoiding the tax, stuff from hong kong and the states seems to get through no problems
The rate is 20% AFAIK and you will be taxed unless it's marked as a gift. However if its a domestic seller I doubt that would matter. Unless you've bought off a business operating on ebay. I ordered some RAM from the states once, I didn't get the letter for the tax for another 3 months or so, so did come as a shock!
The basic rule for stuff bought from outside the EEC is anything under £18 is duty-free, above that you can be charged 17.5% VAT plus extra duty if the VAT is over about £18 (so you're talking goods over about £100) plus the PO can charge around 2% "expenses" for collecting the taxes. More here. You'll notice most DVDs & CDs ordered from abroad come in separate deliveries to keep below the £18 limit. With a single high-value item you're snookered.
Normal shipping : Yes. If they ship it as a Gift : No. When I receive something from the US and its not shipped as a gift, it costs me about 20% of the value. L
Same here, ordered a digital camera in March from the states, got the camera a week later(still in March) and in the middle of June got a letter saying I had to cough up over £40. Dont know why it takes em so long.
