Buying on EBay - Customs/Import Duty Question

Billy Whizz

I'm looking to buy a set of track wheels from wheelandsprocket (http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wheelandsprocket/) and am pretty happy with how the price works out, including postage.

However, I understand there will be a fairly hefty customs charge applied. Does anyone have any experience with importing from the US? If so, any idea how much would be due on a €100 set of wheels?

Caroline_ie

Billy Whizz wrote: »

I'm looking to buy a set of track wheels from wheelandsprocket (http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wheelandsprocket/) and am pretty happy with how the price works out, including postage.

However, I understand there will be a fairly hefty customs charge applied. Does anyone have any experience with importing from the US? If so, any idea how much would be due on a €100 set of wheels?

Get your seller to write the price on the box as 20usd ... That worked for me in the past.

At the same time, I bought a few guitar effects pedals from the US for much more and never got caught with customs and the price was marked at 300usd

Gavin

http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Importing_a_bicycle

Chips Lovell

Billy Whizz wrote: »

However, I understand there will be a fairly hefty customs charge applied. Does anyone have any experience with importing from the US? If so, any idea how much would be due on a €100 set of wheels?

I've bought plenty of stuff from the States. Small packages will generally get through without being charged. However, big stuff will come to the attention of customs.

You'll have to pay 4.7 per cent customs duty on the cost of the wheels + postage. Then you'll pay 21 per cent VAT on top of that.

blorg

It's charged on the total including postage.

So if your wheels cost €100 including postage, add 4.7% = 104.7 and then 21% VAT = 126.69. On top of that there will probably be a handling fee, €5-10.

You may of course get away with it, particularly if it is sent USPS (normal post.)

stuf

blorg wrote: »

It's charged on the total including postage.

So if your wheels cost €100 including postage, add 4.7% = 104.7 and then 21% VAT = 126.69. On top of that there will probably be a handling fee, €5-10.

You may of course get away with it, particularly if it is sent USPS (normal post.)

isn't the duty only charged on the goods value and then the vat charged on the total including postage?

EDIT: just looked on the revenue site http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/pn1179.htm#par6 and there's an ambiguity between sections 5 and 5.

5 says (as blorg says) that the duty is charged on the total including delivery costs but 6 talks about induvidual item exemptions. I'm assuming that the postage costs count as an individual item cost and are subject to the exemption example there.

seems a bit poxy charging duty on delivery costs seeing as it's a service and not an item for import

Billy Whizz

Thank you all, this has been very very helpful.

As for the customs, seems like it's not too excessive. Will probably go ahead and order the wheels.

Cheers for the info! Great for future reference too.

flickerx

Billy Whizz wrote: »

Will probably go ahead and order the wheels.

If you want to save yourself a few quid more, and get some internet community kudos along the way, you should try to ask people here if they want to order anything from wheelandsprocket along with you - there's usually someone looking for stuff, myself included. They will do you reduced postage if you order stuff together, so it works out cheaper for everyone.

blorg

@stuf- it's entirely cumulative. You pay duty on the item+postage cost.

The exemptions apply to very cheap items which allowed in without any duty or VAT.

Individual item exemption applies if there are a number of items in a consignment under the limit, e.g.

Five items valued at €10 each Four items relieved in full. One item subject to Customs Duty (normal rate or 3.5% flat rate) and VAT on its full value (in this case, €10).

Shipping is not exempted in any way. If you think about it, it's obvious why- otherwise sellers could sell you something for €10 and charge €800 shipping to avoid the tax.

You than pay VAT based on that total. Yes, you got that right, you pay VAT on the duty, you pay tax on a tax (note it's the exact same with drink/cigs/cars BTW.)

On top of that there is a fixed service charge that goes to the carrier.

Billy Whizz

flickerx wrote: »

If you want to save yourself a few quid more, and get some internet community kudos along the way, you should try to ask people here if they want to order anything from wheelandsprocket along with you - there's usually someone looking for stuff, myself included. They will do you reduced postage if you order stuff together, so it works out cheaper for everyone.

If I'm ordering anything I'll make sure to let you guys know.

Not actually that sure if I'll order those wheels and I've recently inherited a fully functional front wheel so just need a fixed rear wheel to complete my commuter. Ebay should do.

Will almost certainly be ordering from them in the near future though, I'll let you know.