Trading across the pond

Kevs-the-name

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I have recently been offered a fantastic ‘trade’ from the US

As a UK citizen, Im sure I would have to pay excessive import taxes and shipping costs etc..

Does any body have an idea (and tips) about purchasing or trading abroad?

The ukulele being brought in to UK has an estimated value of around $1400 USD.

How much should I expect to have to pay on top?

Many thanks
KEV
 
Have a word with UK Customs & Excise (or whatever they call themselves these days) ... they'll tell you exactly what duties will apply, freight costs will be down to which service you choose.

If the instrument comes over as a normal postal item, there's a chance it'll slip in under the radar, they simply can't check everything, but if it comes in "courier", apart from costing a lot more for freight, it'll probably be declared by default, though your chances of recompense if the instrument gets damaged in transit are probably better.

You pays your money and you takes your choice ;)
 
I have recently been offered a fantastic ‘trade’ from the US

As a UK citizen, Im sure I would have to pay excessive import taxes and shipping costs etc..

Does any body have an idea (and tips) about purchasing or trading abroad?

The ukulele being brought in to UK has an estimated value of around $1400 USD.

How much should I expect to have to pay on top?

Many thanks
KEV

You could probably get all the correct info by simply using Google.
 
The previous workaround of getting items declared as a "gift" no longer works (used to work in the 1990s, not sure when it stopped). You'll be charged VAT plus about 3% import tax for instruments, and likely some small processing fee. Customs will use the declared value (or the insurance value), and there is a good chance that they will include the shipping costs in addition (yes, you might pay VAT for the shipping costs someone in a different country paid). If no value is declared, or if the declared value isn't believed to be accurate, they'll contact you and ask for some kind of proof, such as an invoice or a listing of a similar item, which they may or may not challenge. It can only be a gift if it is below a certain value (around €45 in Germany, similar amount in other EU countries). Most non-players probably look at ukuleles as toys, so they may accept a low value declaration, but then you have the problem that the sender can't properly insure it for the correct value.
 
Sorry you have to go through all that to get your uke mate.
 
My rule of thumb is to add about 25% (20% VAT plus an inspection fee plus whatever else they feel like charging)

It might depend on how it ties in with any insurance on the package, but one person who sent a uke to me massively under-declared the value on the customs slip, which saved me quite a lot. Just a thought...
 
Import Duty iirc is 4.2%
So Invoiced cost.
Import Duty at 4.2% of invoice cost.
Shipping cost (including any insurance)
Customs clearance charge, say £15, for presenting the documents to Customs.
Add that lot together and then add 20% for VAT.
To speed things through customs, have at least 4 copies of the invoice.
The key to the whole thing is the invoice value, although I believe misdeclaring invoice value is a criminal offense in the USA, so businesses may not be willing to do it.
hth

h
 
Does the ukulele contain any Rosewood? That could be a bigger problem.
 
It does not seem logical/fair to me that on a trade, someone should have to pay full value on an incoming instrument. Obviously they already paid tax once on the instrument they are trading. But, such is life in the world today! Even though I try to avoid complaining, knowing it doesn't provide a solution, it feels good in this instance!
 
We should always try to be fair, but not expect fairness. If we do, we are likely to be dissapointed. At least this injustice is minor in the scheme of things.
 
Does the ukulele contain any Rosewood? That could be a bigger problem.

That is an interesting (and not considered) question.
Yes my KoAloha does have a Rosewood fretboard.
thats gonna cause a problem isn’t it....:(

Recent CITES policy requires a few hoops to jump through and $$$ to move rosewood across borders. As far as I know, and to oversimplify, anything with any kind of rosewood must have it's own passport or certificate. 45 - 90 days processing time is what they promise but . . .

Good luck.
 
I'm wondering what happens if you buy a product overseas, and it needs to be sent back for repairs. Would you pay VAT a second time when you get the repaired/replacement item back?
 
I'm wondering what happens if you buy a product overseas, and it needs to be sent back for repairs. Would you pay VAT a second time when you get the repaired/replacement item back?

No. Items marked as repairs are VAT free. But you do need to prove it e.g. correspondence/invoice for repair etc. Been there.
 
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