BS: Rip-off rant with happy end

Subject: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 21 May 16 - 11:06 AM

I sent for a gift from US for a friend. It came to just over the £15 limit for VAT so customs added over £3 VAT, Post Office added £8 to collect the £3. So with postage this almost doubled the original price. Package had in large letters DO NOT DELIVER UNTIL CHARGE PAID. Our postperson was obviously too ashamed to do this, just put it through the letter box!
Result!
Still PO'd though.

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: gnu
Date: 21 May 16 - 02:21 PM

Common sense and chivalry. I miss it. Sniff.

Subject: RE: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 May 16 - 02:28 PM

Yeah, postage between the US and UK has become ridiculously expensive. I see books online that I would love to have, but the postage and tax now makes them unreachable.
Good excuse to travel and visit bookshops in person, I suppose.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 May 16 - 12:44 AM

Back in the early part of the 21st century I bought loads of CDs DVDs and music gear from the USA
and saved substantial amounts on UK rip off prices.

But if I recall the exchange rate was significantly in our favour back then.

It seems after 9/11 and dramatically increased homeland security, shipping charges from USA rose to exorbitant levels...???

At around that same time UK Govt reduced the tax threshold on purchases
so it was no longer even viable to buy a bunch of CDs from a USA seller.

Over that threshold we get charged import duties and VAT not only on the products, but also the total shipping fees...

So instead of buying guitars from USA ebay sellers every month or so like I used to,
Now I've only bought 1 guitar in the last 5 or more years.... 😢

Subject: RE: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 22 May 16 - 08:44 AM

I suppose it came as a shock because the items I buy from US are usually CDs, T-shirts or cheap second hand books and have previously been under the Customs limit. Now that the limit is so low and postage charges have shot up (and VAT is charged on both, I will restrict my buying to the UK in future.

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 May 16 - 10:40 AM

A good few years ago, I bought six harmonicas from the US, a model I couldn't get here. I had to pay the import duty and the VAT as well as the shipping, but the price was so much lower in the US that I ended up paying what I would have paid for them here had they been available.

But that wasn't the most remarkable thing. I rang the shop in the US to order them at three in the afternoon UK time, so around 9 am US time. They arrived the next day at midday UK time, just 21 hours after my telephone order. I imagined the guy in the shop putting the phone down, grabbing the harps, dashing to the airport and loading them personally on to the flight, then organising a courier to pick them up at the other end who then high-tailed it straight down to Cornwall!

Subject: RE: BS: Rip-off rant with happy end
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 May 16 - 10:55 AM

I know it's selfish, but one of my reasons for wanting to stay in the EU is I can still get bargain price gear from German musicians mega stores
without all the extra costs of buying from USA...