Average import duty amount from the US

[sockdeluxe_mikey]

Hello all!

I am for the first time seriously considering importing something from the USA - a bass neck. What would everybody think be the maximum amount (i.e worst case scenario) of import duty I should be expecting? The value of the neck itself will be about 120 dollars, and the postage is about 40.

Thanks for reading

[WalMan]

[quote name='sockdeluxe_mikey' post='1224457' date='May 8 2011, 08:19 PM']Hello all!

I am for the first time seriously considering importing something from the USA - a bass neck. What would everybody think be the maximum amount (i.e worst case scenario) of import duty I should be expecting? The value of the neck itself will be about 120 dollars, and the postage is about 40.

Thanks for reading [/quote]
It'll be VAT @ 20% on the total plus the shipping agents fee to process the VAT which'll probably be another £10

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='WalMan' post='1224462' date='May 8 2011, 08:21 PM']It'll be VAT @ 20% on the total plus the shipping agents fee to process the VAT which'll probably be another £10[/quote]
... and import duty which is (IIRC) 3.9% and goes on before the VAT.

[BigRedX]

You only pay import duty if the item is over £135 or the duty is more than £9.

[karlfer]

Can anyone give me an idea of cost over and above, ie, import duty, vat, handling charges.
Cost of bass about £525, delivery about £65.

Cost of same bass in Britain, £838.

Any advice gratefully received. The bass I am looking at is so close to my ideal aesthetically/sound wise, that I am very seriously considering putting up my US Precision.

Thanks,
Karl.

[Musky]

[quote name='karlfer' post='1361516' date='Sep 4 2011, 08:34 AM']Can anyone give me an idea of cost over and above, ie, import duty, vat, handling charges.
Cost of bass about £525, delivery about £65.

Cost of same bass in Britain, £838.

Any advice gratefully received. The bass I am looking at is so close to my ideal aesthetically/sound wise, that I am very seriously considering putting up my US Precision.

Thanks,
Karl.[/quote]
As a rough guide, you're looking at about 25% on top of the combined cost of the bass and delivery charges, so around £750 in all.

Duty @ £22
VAT @ £122
Handling charges @ £8 - £15

[karlfer]

Brilliant Musky, thanks.
Thats a significant saving of around £75 over buying in Britain.

Only bad bit, gonna have to sell my beautiful USA Precision to fund it .
Karl.

[neepheid]

Just delete the wiki now, I mean seriously - what's the point in it? Not only does no-one look at it, I haven't been able to log into it since the VAT rate increase to change the sums in the article which covers this very question.

Hmph.

[spinynorman]

[quote name='neepheid' post='1361546' date='Sep 4 2011, 09:46 AM']Just delete the wiki now, I mean seriously - what's the point in it? Not only does no-one look at it, I haven't been able to log into it since the VAT rate increase to change the sums in the article which covers this very question.

Hmph.[/quote]

The wiki isn't exactly prominent, that menu above the banner is the last place I look for anything.

[karlfer]

[quote name='spinynorman' post='1361887' date='Sep 4 2011, 04:29 PM']The wiki isn't exactly prominent, that menu above the banner is the last place I look for anything.[/quote]

Now I know where it is!
Ta,
Karl.

[molan]

Of course, if the marked, & insurance, value is lower than the final purchase price then the duties charged will be correspondingly lower as well.

Not that I'd ever recommend this practice but I have heard of people doing it. . .

[Horizontalste]

[url="http://www.dutycalculator.com/"]http://www.dutycalculator.com/[/url]

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1362157' date='Sep 4 2011, 08:25 PM']Only thing is if the insurance is needed you'll have hard job getting refunded at proper value.[/quote]

Word of warning if thinking of asking the seller to declare lower value, firstly, if the seller is genuine and honest, and the item gets lost/damaged, then you'll only get the insured value in compensation.

Worse still, if you don't know the seller, as will often be the case, [i]this[/i] could happen (Assuming item is high value wihich is the majority of US purchases, cheaper items dont tend to be much different, certainly not worth the added risk of it flying half way round the world); Imagine you buy a bass for $4000, you ask the seller to declare it as a $500 bass. This save's you about a grand on fee's. The seller, puts an empty box in a carton, and sends it to you, you pay £50 charges and get the package home, open it, have a heart attack, then contact the seller, who says he packaged the instrument, you claim, and get $500. He gets your $4000, gets to keep the guitar he never sent, worth $4000, and pays nothing. Nice work fella!! You hear about this more and more in the vintage market, simple rule, dont risk it, if you want it, buy it, declare it legitimately. Or better still, fly yourself for £500, have a few nights in the US, carry it back, tell 'em its yours, spend all the potential duty fee's on more guitar gear!!

Edited September 4, 2011 by Rick's Fine '52

[WalMan]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' post='1362455' date='Sep 4 2011, 11:47 PM']Word of warning if thinking of asking the seller to declare lower value, firstly, if the seller is genuine and honest, and the item gets lost/damaged, then you'll only get the insured value in compensation.

Worse still, if you don't know the seller, as will often be the case, [i]this[/i] could happen (Assuming item is high value wihich is the majority of US purchases, cheaper items dont tend to be much different, certainly not worth the added risk of it flying half way round the world); Imagine you buy a bass for $4000, you ask the seller to declare it as a $500 bass. This save's you about a grand on fee's. The seller, puts an empty box in a carton, and sends it to you, you pay £50 charges and get the package home, open it, have a heart attack, then contact the seller, who says he packaged the instrument, you claim, and get $500. He gets your $4000, gets to keep the guitar he never sent, worth $4000, and pays nothing. Nice work fella!! You hear about this more and more in the vintage market, simple rule, dont risk it, if you want it, buy it, declare it legitimately. Or better still, fly yourself for £500, have a few nights in the US, carry it back, tell 'em its yours, spend all the potential duty fee's on more guitar gear!![/quote]
...and do also bear in mind that Customs are not fools and do have people who know the value of instruments. Try and under declare value on postage, or walk it through Green and there is a chance (possibly small but a chance all the same) that the bass will be seized and you've lost the lot - well you could always hope to buy it back from a Government auction.

There was a duty case a couple of years back, albeit not for an instrument but clothing, where the value was under declared and the UK purchaser swore blind it was the overseas vendors doing & nothing to do with him. innocent party etc., etc., and he still lost the lot.

Yes I know people have got away with getting values under declared, or walking through Green, but is it worth the possible hassle!?

Consider if you need to return under warranty for any reason. There's added risk/cost there too.

Work out the likely VAT/Duty costs, plus shipping. Is it still markedly cheaper than the UK? Are you bothered about additional cost of a return under warranty? If it is cheaper and you are happy with the other then go for it. If it comes though the couriers and they don't pick up the VAT, then HURRAH! You've saved a bit more than you expected, but just be aware of all the possible downsides

[KiOgon]

[quote name='Horizontalste' post='1362391' date='Sep 4 2011, 10:54 PM'][url="http://www.dutycalculator.com/"]http://www.dutycalculator.com/[/url][/quote]
That's handy Harry thanks for that, I did my sums yesterday & just saw your link - it came out 2p different nice one.

I can't wait to see what the actual bill will be

Cheerz, John

Edit: Just to clear up any possible misunderstanding - the "2p different" above is two pence diiferent, not to be confused with [color="#FF0000"][b][size=3]2 P basses for sale[/size] [/b][/color]- link below

Edited September 5, 2011 by KiOgon

[KiOgon]

[quote name='WalMan' post='1362739' date='Sep 5 2011, 11:59 AM']or walking through Green, but is it worth the possible hassle!?[/quote]
That reminds me of a few years back - on arrival at Jakarta international airport - in the customs hall there were only 2 green channels - & a very large sign above;
[color="#FF0000"][size=4][b]The penalty for smuggling drugs is DEATH[/b][/size][/color]
Makes you think

[chris_b]

Many US sellers (the reputable ones) won't undervalue items because they can be prosecuted for fraud.

[uncle psychosis]

Posted this at musicradar the other day but its probably of interest over here too:

I noticed the other day that Guitar Center (massive US chain) are now shipping to the UK. Here's what they claim, based on a visit to their website:

All prices in pounds sterling
Duties and VAT calculated at checkout
Low international shipping rates
Guaranteed landed costs (no additional charges at delivery)
Free shipping over $300

[algmusic]

I bought some cymbals, for what I thought was a great deal by the time you added the 25%, it was no longer a great deal..

[bremen]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1224484' date='May 8 2011, 08:34 PM']You only pay import duty if the item is over £135 or the duty is more than £9.[/quote]

Are you sure? I thought it was more like if the item was worth more than £20 or so, £40 if it's declared a gift.

[chris_b]

It used to be £18.

[neepheid]

[quote name='bremen' post='1362800' date='Sep 5 2011, 12:55 PM']Are you sure? I thought it was more like if the item was worth more than £20 or so, £40 if it's declared a gift.[/quote]

You are confusing VAT with Import Duty. They are two distinct and separate charges.

[bremen]

[quote name='neepheid' post='1362826' date='Sep 5 2011, 01:13 PM']You are confusing VAT with Import Duty. They are two distinct and separate charges.[/quote]

No I'm not.

VAT is 20% on everything. Import duty is (mumble)% on everything above £18 (thanks Chris).

[neepheid]

[quote name='bremen' post='1362838' date='Sep 5 2011, 01:25 PM']No I'm not.

VAT is 20% on everything. Import duty is (mumble)% on everything above £18 (thanks Chris).[/quote]

VAT is 20% on anything above £18 (commercial) or £40 (gift). Import Duty (Customs Duty to give it it's official name - separate and distinct from Excise Duty) is only payable on goods of a greater value than £135. It is waived if the Duty works out at less than £9.

Copied and pasted from the horse's mouth:

If you order or send purchased goods other than alcohol, tobacco, perfume and toilet water from a country outside the EU then you:
don't have to pay Excise Duty
may have to pay Customs Duty on goods with a value that exceeds £135
will have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18
Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under.

If you're sending or receiving a gift from outside the EU:
Excise Duty is payable on any alcohol or tobacco products.
Customs Duty is payable if the value of the gift exceeds £135, but will be waived if the amount of duty is £9 or under.
Import VAT is payable if the value of the gift exceeds £40.
To qualify as a gift:
It must have been sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in the UK.
The Customs Declaration must be completed correctly (see link below).
It must be for the use of either you or your family.
There must be no commercial or trade element and it must not have been paid for by the recipient either directly or indirectly.
It must be of an occasional nature only - for example for a birthday or anniversary.
If it's perfume or toilet water it must be within the allowances described in the earlier section 'Perfume and toilet water'. If the allowances are exceeded than charges apply on the excess.

See [url="http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/buying.htm"]http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/buying.htm[/url]

Edited September 5, 2011 by neepheid

[KiOgon]

[quote name='bremen' post='1362838' date='Sep 5 2011, 01:25 PM']No I'm not.

VAT is 20% on everything. Import duty is (mumble)% on everything above £18 (thanks Chris).[/quote]

An example 'mumble %' from the website:
"Notes on duty & taxes rates Fender precision bass has an [u][size=3]import duty rate of 3.7%[/size][/u] and VAT rate of 20%."

Edited September 5, 2011 by KiOgon