AliExpress and Irish Tax

andrewfaulk · 21-08-2021 11:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117777690#Comment_117777690

The continued existence of fastway and other suggests otherwise

Furze99 · 22-08-2021 5:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117786740#Comment_117786740

Have used DPD to deliver at times and never had an item returned. Generally if you contact a commercially run business, they will at least reply. An Post obviously couldn't give a fig about customers when they fail.

andrewfaulk · 23-08-2021 10:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117789554#Comment_117789554

You aren't an Post' customer, who ever books the shipping is, so most likely the Ali shipper..

Also comparing DPD/DHL/UPS or FEDEX to An Post is hardly an accurate comparison, DPD and other couriers would be getting paid far more to deliver a parcel within Europe than An Post would be getting through the UPU(Universal Postal Union) for delivering a Chinese package..

ohnonotgmail · 23-08-2021 10:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117784643#Comment_117784643

they get a 3.50 fee for every parcel they manually process. how much work do you expect them to do for 3.50? that is about 10 minutes or less of someone's salary.

autumnalcore · 23-08-2021 3:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117777611#Comment_117777611

With that attitude why would aliexpress fix anything! Lucky for you that other people are plaguing them for refunds and this will get resolved to your benefit.

Furze99 · 24-08-2021 2:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117791918#Comment_117791918

I am an An Post customer - I paid c €5K to them last year. The least I expect is an explanatory reply when they fail completely to deliver a parcel that I've paid them to deliver.

Jim_Hodge · 24-08-2021 2:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117797332#Comment_117797332

In fairness, the thread is about An Post collecting tax on cheap packages coming from China, in line with Revenue rules.

emy · 07-09-2021 8:11pm

I just got a message from Anpost regarding custom charges I have to pay for an item valued by them at 10.54 euro, I do not know where did they get that price, I paid just 6.91 euro for it, strange. It seems that from now on we will be paying for any item, does not matter the value of it.

Description:

SCREWDRIVER

Item value:

€10.54

Customs Charges pay by date:

30 Sep 2021

Customs Charges to be Paid:

Import Duty = €0.00

Excise Duty = €0.00

VAT = €2.42

An Post Fee = €3.50

Total = €5.92

Jim_Hodge · 07-09-2021 8:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860096#Comment_117860096

Did you pay postage & packaging in top of the €6.91? The declared value seems to be €10.54

You do now pay vat on all items from non EU countries irrespective of value.

emy · 08-09-2021 10:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860161#Comment_117860161

I got it from amazon.uk, I did not know that the seller was from China. The price was £3.62 and postages £2.65, paid in euro, total was €6.91.

Jim_Hodge · 08-09-2021 10:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862247#Comment_117862247

Hard to figure that one. It's like the value was shown as 2x 3.62 plus postage.

You'd imagine the charge should be €5.09: VAT on €6.91 plus admin fee.

emy · 08-09-2021 10:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862344#Comment_117862344

Yes, you right. I sent an email to Anpost, I wait to see what they are going to say.

cromelex · 08-09-2021 10:57am

I got a parcel from AliExpress delivered around the 20th of August, and there was no Custom's charge on it. I am not sure if it is a case of some sellers putting in the information properly, and others doing it incorrectly.

Mine was from Ugreen, around 10 euro worth of USB cables.

Jim_Hodge · 08-09-2021 10:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862426#Comment_117862426

It seems some Aliexpress sellers are not doing things correctly.

whelzer · 09-09-2021 8:45pm

Ordered a tiny item from Ali...€2.29

Got the text/email from An Post;

0.52 VAT

3.50 Charge

4.02 Total

Thought sod that, they can keep it (I would have probably paid it), item dropped through the door minutes later....

con747 · 10-09-2021 10:26am

Ordered a test item from AliExpress for €2.00 and it arrived yesterday with a label stuck over the original Chinese label stating it was sent from Belgium.

inki · 13-09-2021 9:28pm

An post sends me message about custom charges to be paid and the next day the item is delivered. Items bought on ebay where VAT was already charged at checkout.They say they will return to the sender if customs won't be paid, so why do they bring me the items the next day so? Does this mean that I could forget about paying customs and ignore their message. This morning I received a package in the post box together with the form for the customs to be paid for this item. I don't know what to do? Revenue says to go to an post. An post says to go to seller. Rubbish. Could I have consequences for not paying the an post customs once the items are delivered to me already?

con747 · 15-09-2021 12:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117887008#Comment_117887008

Afaik they don't release items that are due charges before they get paid so I would imagine it was not due any customs or vat charges. I would not be worrying about it. An Post are in a bit of a mess with the new system so most likely just a mistake.

emy · 23-09-2021 1:10pm

I just got my "screwdriver" this morning by postman. I do not know how the customs put that price of €10.50, even on the package is written €6.76. I paid no custom charges. The guys from Anpost are desperate to make money, charging everything coming for non EU country.

whiterebel · 23-09-2021 1:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117928683#Comment_117928683

Its an EU Regulation. If An Post were so desperate to make money they wouldn't be sending back so many parcels.

Jim_Hodge · 23-09-2021 1:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117928683#Comment_117928683

There's nothing but hassle for An Post in this. They are certainly not making any money out of it.

timple23 · 27-09-2021 9:48am

So in general are people getting packages delivered even though they aren't paying the VAT An Post are asking them to? I have been asked to pay VAT of 26cent plus the €3.50 fee. If I ignore it, am I likely to receive my package?

10000maniacs · 27-09-2021 10:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117944215#Comment_117944215

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117928762#Comment_117928762

.

That is ridiculous. 26 cents tax was due?

Jim, the way for An Post to avoid all this hassle is not to bother collecting 26 freaking cents tax on the item. (in the voice of William "D-Fens" Foster in the movie Falling Down)

Have some kind of system whereby if the tax liability is over €5.00 (Or whatever cut-off point makes it worth it for them), collect it. Otherwise let it go .

It's amazing, stuff that you think would be common sense is actually not everywhere you look in Ireland.

And you get people boo-hoo-hooing about how bad An Post have it? 26 cents? Seriously?

Jim_Hodge · 27-09-2021 2:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117944429#Comment_117944429

An Post only get €3.50 handling fee irrespective of the duty to be paid. It's not their call whether duty is to be collected or not.

10000maniacs · 27-09-2021 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117945607#Comment_117945607

Well if that's the case, then the government should err on the side of common sense, wade in there and reform the process. Collecting 26 cents is ridiculous and a waste of taxpayers money.

It probably costs them €10- €20 in wages and administration to process that 26 cents.

Jim_Hodge · 27-09-2021 4:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117945729#Comment_117945729

EU regulations. They don't want to make it easy to import cheap Chinese, or any other non EU, tat.

whiterebel · 27-09-2021 4:13pm

If the system works correctly, it won't cost them anything extra to process an import worth €1 or €100. Serious exporters to the EU will pay Taxes, so either way its a win/win for Ireland/EU.

10000maniacs · 27-09-2021 4:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117946052#Comment_117946052

In the USA in the 60's/70's they called Sony/National Panasonic/Hitachi electronics products tat in a similar derogatory way.

But we all know this was total and utter BS. The same with Chinese products in 2021.

Not everything that comes in from China is tat, better then anything the EU/USA are producing currently electronics wise.

I can see why the EU wants to protect it's market. But what's coming in from China ain't tat.

And if EU regulations are forcing An Post to collect 26 cents in tax, that system is tat. Needs to be redesigned.

Jim_Hodge · 27-09-2021 5:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117946164#Comment_117946164

If the VAT is 26 cents then it's hardly superior quality electrical goods. So it's cheap tat.

I never said all Chinese goods are tat - far from it. The €1.11 plus p&p, however, is not buying quality electronics.

10000maniacs · 27-09-2021 11:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117946584#Comment_117946584

There you go again, making your "tat" assumptions.

I ordered a bag of 8 Schottky diodes for €1.99 from China. As good as anything sold in the EU.

That's where the EU parts companies probably source them in the first place and then charge 10 times the price.

I saved myself a bundle and cost an EU distributer about €15 in lost sales.

Here's another good example of why its a good idea to look further afield for the stuff you need.

You need a nice little basic radio for travelling or camping. Multi band radio with excellent audio. Try that German guy on eBay. It's only €85.

Well the same radio is on AliExpress for €17 all in. Good to shop around. Is it still tat if it's €17 from China instead of €85 from Germany?

(This is as an example to further my point only, I have no affiliation with AliExpress whatsoever)

AliExpress and Irish Tax

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