Question: Packages sent over seas

[Marrinan]

To my European "kinsmen in the engraving sprit", Not being a world traveler with just the one senior trip to Southeast Asia in 72 to do a little project for the ASA then brought home and dispersed never to see each other again and a oath to never discuss under penalty of law for treason my trip I need a little information.

I would like to send a few packages to some engraving friends as gifts. I made the mistake of sending something insured through post office and that friend was faced with an import duty of over $100 for a cheap knife. I had no idea the problems it would cause. How does one go about sending a gift to Great Britain and avoid the import duties. Surly Christmas presents and the like don't have to pay import duties? Advice would be appreciated. Thanks Fred

 

[Weldon47]

"Sample, no commercial value".....

W

 

[Artemiss]

As Weldon says, 'zero value' & 'gift' are the main things Fred.

However, with zero value, you won't be able to insure against loss, but you'll need to take that risk if you want to save import duties.

Customs have really clamped down on everything coming into the UK. It used to be 50/50 if you'd escape this tax, but alas, no more. I miss the 'good ole days'

Also, be aware if sending a knife here, customs will 'have a look' to ensure the blade is no longer than 2 1/4 inches (I think that's our legal carry length these days, but best to check). Although we can own blades longer than this, we need to have 'good reason' to carry them. Unfortunately customs tend to be a little 'enthusiastic' with this law, on occassion!

It's pot luck if the knife finds its way back into the packaging. I've heard some nightmare stories of knives going missing due to customs checks. I've only ever had one slight issue, where the packaging wasn't really retaped very well, but all the knives did make it to me... eventually!

Cheers,
Jo

 

[Jörmungandr]

As Weldon says, 'zero value' & 'gift' are the main things Fred.

However, with zero value, you won't be able to insure against loss, but you'll need to take that risk if you want to save import duties.

Customs have really clamped down on everything coming into the UK. It used to be 50/50 if you'd escape this tax, but alas, no more. I miss the 'good ole days'

Also, be aware if sending a knife here, customs will 'have a look' to ensure the blade is no longer than 2 1/4 inches (I think that's our legal carry length these days, but best to check). Although we can own blades longer than this, we need to have 'good reason' to carry them. Unfortunately customs tend to be a little 'enthusiastic' with this law, on occassion!

It's pot luck if the knife finds its way back into the packaging. I've heard some nightmare stories of knives going missing due to customs checks. I've only ever had one slight issue, where the packaging wasn't really retaped very well, but all the knives did make it to me... eventually!

Cheers,
Jo

Aye... Same thing in Sweden, and most things below 100 dollars or so used to slip by the Swedish customs. But now they make sure we pay All our taxes, and of course, since we pay taxes we need to pay a tax and a fee so that we can pay tax . All sounds a bit funny, but hey, at least a cute nurse helps me out when I get burnt/cut bad enough so that I have to visit the hospital .

//DQ

 

[mrthe]

In Spain if a package proceed from a particular ( no business man) if the value is over $60 you have to pay around the 25 % porcent of the value + the value of the shipping, if the price is over $200 the tax increase around 30/35% and you have to justify the value , with invoices.
If you buy fron a professional , taxes starts at $30 value.

 

[Marrinan]

To my European Engraving and Scrim Friends, I make a fixture to go into the vice which allows you to move the center of rotation to any point in a six inch direction. Two simple adjustments, one the X axis on the vice jaws, the other on the fixture itself the Y axis and Any point on the square becomes the center without moving the vice. Sold a bunch of them and had several repeat customers and customers who have had me make them in other sizes. I have given them to a couple of well known engravers for their input and unfortunately I doubt they even tried them. I know one was never used. I wanted to send a couple over seas to see if they would be of interest there. Over here they always sell out as soon as batch was made up. Lots of positive feed back and many who use them daily. I would not want to cause customs problems for you folks so I will just forget the idea. http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?6969-Fred-Marrinan-Centering-Fixture&highlight=marrinan is the description of the fixture. All or any overseas friends are welcome to copy the fixture. would be happy to answer any tech questions about it so you can build or have made locally. Fred

 

[Brian Marshall]

With all the government screwups and taxes that we have in the US - I think we are pretty lucky in this one aspect, at least compared to the UK and Europe.

I can't imagine trying to set up, run a shop and make a decent living with the kinds of taxes, duties and "fees" that some of you have to pay - just for basics.
(and that is apart from the incredibly expensive shipping fees)



We take overnight shipping from one side of the country to the other for granted these days.

Merchants like Amazon offer "free" (with membership) 2 day shipping. The $80 fee is a bargain for me - fuel and time saved is well worth it.

Up until here of late, most items didn't even have sales tax if shipped from out of state.



Personally, now that they are beginning to charge me sales tax from other states - I'm wondering about "taxation without representation".

Should we not get to vote on how that state spends the tax money? Residents do...


Brian


I believe it was 6 years ago, I received some antique tools from England. I couldn't believe that the British government charged me a "War Tax"!

I have nothing to do with whatever war England is charging this tax for - and never will... What do I get for the $70 they charged me?

 

[Marrinan]

War Tax? In the history of the USA we have been at war with someone 213 years of out our nations history. A total of 9 years without a war we will have that tax. Maybe other taxes could go down if we would just stop interfering with other countries but I digress.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Fred,


It was listed exactly that way on the customs form I received... "War Tax".

How is it possible that one country can charge residents of another to support their wars?

I wrote the folks at UK customs and asked them exactly what my involuntary donation was gonna be used for? What could I expect to receive? Never got a reply.


B.

 

[Artemiss]

I believe it was 6 years ago, I received some antique tools from England. I couldn't believe that the British government charged me a "War Tax"!

Well, that's one I've never heard of over here!

 

[Brian Marshall]

Joanne,

Apparently nobody thinks well of the idea? (Excepting those who get to play with the money in the end - and some of it was MINE)

http://www.wri-irg.org/campaigns/tax_resistance

http://www.conscienceonline.org.uk/about/war-tax-resistance/




Brian

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Also, be aware if sending a knife here, customs will 'have a look' to ensure the blade is no longer than 2 1/4 inches (I think that's our legal carry length these days, but best to check). Although we can own blades longer than this, we need to have 'good reason' to carry them. Unfortunately customs tend to be a little 'enthusiastic' with this law, on occassion!

It's pot luck if the knife finds its way back into the packaging. I've heard some nightmare stories of knives going missing due to customs checks. I've only ever had one slight issue, where the packaging wasn't really retaped very well, but all the knives did make it to me... eventually!

Cheers,
Jo

Are you sure about this Jo? It is not illegal to own any knife, you're just not allowed to carry them in public. Switchblades, drop-knives, etc are not allowed to be sold or carried but if you have one in your own home you're not breaking the law as such.

If you weren't allowed to sell lock knives or fixed blades, etc., or blades over 2" more than 75% of Heinnie Haynes' stock would have to go!

It is not illegal to own lock knives or a knife with a blade longer than 3", you just can't carry it in a public place without good reason.

 

[rayf24]

Marcus you are correct on this I look at this law about 8 months ago and it is as you said.
As for the duty tax anything over £15.00 they can charge tax on
Over the last couple years I have purchased item from USA AND ASIA sometimes you pay some you don't , one item was £16.50 including postage ended up paying a further £15.00 for duty . Import tax . Plus handling charges yet other item get through with charge even when over £50 I guess its luck of the draw.

 

[Artemiss]

Are you sure about this Jo? It is not illegal to own any knife, you're just not allowed to carry them in public. Switchblades, drop-knives, etc are not allowed to be sold or carried but if you have one in your own home you're not breaking the law as such.
It is not illegal to own lock knives or a knife with a blade longer than 3", you just can't carry it in a public place without good reason.

Yes, you are correct Marcus, and that was what I was trying to say, but obviously making a very poor job of it, I'm afraid. Apologies for confusion.

Although, I did think our 'legal carry' size is 2 1/4 inch blade?! (Nope, apparently not... just checked BB and it is 3 inches!... I am now no wiser, but better informed)

Customs will let longer blades through, but I've heard a couple of people say, this was the reason given, why customs stopped their shipment!

Jo

 

[Marrinan]

I thought that the free trade agreement NAPTHA or whatever it's called did away with that. I guess we are the only ones who let people import without taxing and duties. It is why some many of our businesses have left the country. I am going to have to write to congress about this. If Europe is not going to play fair why should we. Maybe the could use the money to round up folks with no visa's and ship them back. it should be high enough to force companies to return to the US.

 

[Idaho Flint]

Personally, now that they are beginning to charge me sales tax from other states - I'm wondering about "taxation without representation".

Brian, I work in IT for a company that does business internationally. We have been charging tax on web orders for years now. The tax we collect is not the tax for the state where the company resides, but for the state where the package is being shipped. Every year we pay those taxes we collect to each and every state where we collected it for.

I doubt that the web site that you are referring to collects the tax only to go into their state. If they did, those other 49 states would go after them hard. I bet they two are collecting the state tax for each individual state. That way the money is going back into your home state.

Mike