EU problems and Brexit

Nickie said:

This is why it's called Evilbay. One of my friends used to sell on it, but got off two years ago because of the ridiculous expense.

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On the other hand, I remember having to pay to put a small ad in the local newspaper if I wanted to sell something. It would run for a week and then end, whether I sold the item or not.

I've all but given up selling anything on line. Here in the USA the postal rates have gone up so much that some items (a double tenor gig bag) where cheaper than the shipping costs. Craigs list attracted multiple scammers, so that local option wasn't good. I guess I'll just have to keep them.

I tried to sell a few items through the classifieds here but withdrew them.

Postage is so expensive it wasn't worth it. Royal Mail quoted

chris667 said:

I tried to sell a few items through the classifieds here but withdrew them.

Postage is so expensive it wasn't worth it. Royal Mail quoted

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I suppose that this is thread drift but maybe some overlap as postage rates to the EU changed on Brexit, or rather I believe that there were some standardised postal rates across Europe and that they will no longer automatically apply here.

Within the U.K. it cost me, via Royal Mail, about a fiver to post my last Soprano sale and about a tenner for my last Concert sale. I keep meaning to investigate cheaper carriers.

My sales have been via eBay and whilst it isn’t perfect I still find is very much better than the alternatives. Sales of cheaper large items can be barely cost effective but to an extent so long as I don’t make a loss I’m not that fussed: better sold to someone who’ll get pleasure from the item than for it to end up in landfill. eBay also allows for local collection, sale prices achieved aren’t as good - better if you live in a large City like Manchester - but the time spent packaging items up has a cost so there might be some trade-off there.

Facebook have a market place too which I understand works well, I don’t do Facebook so haven’t used that facility.

IIRC you have a nice Bruko available for rehoming. A recent Bruko sale on eBay eventually went for a very good price and will have seen a happy buyer and a happy seller (some money in the hand for something that’s otherwise gathering dust and taking up storage space).

With the current difficulties I won’t buy from or sell to the EU; hopefully, at some point, the Politicians here and in the EU will get their act together and get on with making the situation that we’re in work much better for all concerned. If I buy overseas it’s mostly from China; I’d rather buy from the U.K. but sadly our manufacturing base isn’t what it once was so some goods just aren’t made here any more. I’d rather buy a Uke - and other stuff - made locally in Europe than one made far away in China too, but as I mentioned above the politicians need to resolve some issues first.

As Pete Howlett stated, the big problem for UK based makers is being under the VAT threshold rate. It effectively places a 20% price increase in instruments going to any EU country. Being over the VAT threshold automatically introduces far more paperwork. All round it's a lose lose situation for us low volume makers. That's what we are seeing in other industries too, it's the small producer who is being badly hit.

This is my second attempt at sending a soprano to Austria via DPD ..this time all info was submited correctly and guess what ? yes it's still in limbo out there in customs with myself and the recipicant both online and telephone trying to resolve the issue...While another soprano that was destined for Germany is still out there in " No mans land" waiting to be returned :deadhorse:

Timbuck said:

This is my second attempt at sending a soprano to Austria via DPD ..this time all info was submited correctly and guess what ? yes it's still in limbo out there in customs with myself and the recipicant both online and telephone trying to resolve the issue...While another soprano that was destined for Germany is still out there in " No mans land" waiting to be returned :deadhorse:

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Here in the UK if we order a package from any other region out side the UK we usually get a card posted through the letterbox saying "we have package to be picked up at the depo and duty to be paid, please bring driving licence or other i/d".....It costs the royal mail nothing to do this as they have Postmen out there all the time...Other Couriors come to the door with item and ask for payment on the spot.

Well 2nd attempted delivery failed again with the Uke to Austria it’s now on the way back to me again :wallbash:...DPD admits that they had all the correct documentation, but nobody at the depot bothered to tell the recipient that they had the parcel and we’re awaiting duty payment...although they had the email address and local phone number.
Meanwhile the uke I sent to Germany has arrived back here and this time I’m using a different courier UPS to see if they can do any better.

One might be forgiven for thinking that our Continental Cousins are creating problems where there need be none. Perhaps I’m being cynical but if it were to be the case then such actions help nobody and definitely aren’t a way forward. Perhaps it’s not the Continental way - sometimes we’re imperfect too - but I think always best to try to be nice to your neighbours and to try to amicably resolve disputes with them. IMHO that’s the civilised way to live and you never know when you might be glad of help from your neighbour.

Use Transglobal Express Ken. Then you can chose your service and they produce the paperwork. You need to do these things:
Product codes: Ukulele: 9202908000. Case (if you include one) 4202125000. On the invoice you must have this statement: No batteries; All materials used either CITES exempt or not on CITES list.

You may also be required to have an EORI number which you get from HMRC

And on and on it goes. This is why I no longer do business in Europe!

Oh and another thing I have learned. VAT will be charged on pre-owned work. No exemptions as before.

Pete Howlett said:

Use Transglobal Express Ken. Then you can chose your service and they produce the paperwork. You need to do these things:
Product codes: Ukulele: 9202908000. Case (if you include one) 4202125000. On the invoice you must have this statement: No batteries; All materials used either CITES exempt or not on CITES list.

You may also be required to have an EORI number which you get from HMRC

And on and on it goes. This is why I no longer do business in Europe!

Oh and another thing I have learned. VAT will be charged on pre-owned work. No exemptions as before.

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Thanks for that Pete...I did use the product codes and everything else that was needed..but if the recipicant is not informed that they have the parcel and duty is required like what happened twice. Then after a short while (4 days) it gets returned to sender...and according to tracking it says delivered.

The intended recipient is the importer, technically known as the 'importer of record'. It will be interesting to see how things are done coming from the EU to the UK. At the moment there doesn't seem to be a great deal of checks. That won't last forever.