Stacker Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Not really sure about this. What if you didn't want the bass shipped outside the USA? I'd love to know how HMRC get their pound of flesh from the USA end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Are you sure you are not confusing this with USA sellers who will ship to you internationally using some super fast courier and in their listing will state "no customs charge at point of delivery to you", or some such phrase. What they don't say is that you will just get the import tax bill in the post later ! It's a bit manipulative IMO. You still get to pay the tax, just not actually at the time they deliver to you, or collect it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 25, 2013 Author Share Posted August 25, 2013 No, auctions state custom charges are calculated when the item is won; there's even a breakdown of what you'd expect to pay on the auction page itself! Unless I've got this totally wrong................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 [quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1377452590' post='2187716'] No, auctions state custom charges are calculated when the item is won; there's even a breakdown of what you'd expect to pay on the auction page itself! Unless I've got this totally wrong................ [/quote] I noticed this the other day and was equally sceptical. Unless ebay have some arrangement with HMRC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970 Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 yeah i'm not into this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 25, 2013 Author Share Posted August 25, 2013 [quote name='1970' timestamp='1377458748' post='2187828'] yeah i'm not into this [/quote] Me neither! I can just see the clowns at Coventry charging you as well. What happened to freedom of choice? Must look into this further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 [quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1377433434' post='2187405'] Not really sure about this. What if you didn't want the bass shipped outside the USA? I'd love to know how HMRC get their pound of flesh from the USA end. [/quote] Do you mean the 'Global Postage Programme'? If you do then do an internet search for that phrase and all will be revealed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 (edited) [quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1377461763' post='2187877'] Do you mean the 'Global Postage Programme'? If you do then do an internet search for that phrase and all will be revealed. [/quote] I saw that when I looked at the particular auction I was looking at. And now that I've looked at it further I'm definitely not happy about an additional and non-UK third party taking control of import/VAT charges (although VAT is not directly mentioned). I'd like to hear of this process being successfully concluded at the UK end before I went near it. I mean, if you know you're gonna be due, say, £300 to HMRC and it gets paid via paypal when you completed the auction payment process and then, a week or so later, your bass/guitar is being held up by the International Hub in Coventry cos it's awaiting payment of charges. If it works, well and good, but I'm cynical enough to see payments being delayed or not received by Parcelforce on behalf of HMRC. On a more positive note - does this payment of charges up front sound the death knell for Parcelfarce's underserved and hated £13 'handling charge'? Edited August 26, 2013 by Stacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 Aannnd here we go! See post 2. [url="http://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Payment-Topics/GLOBAL-POSTAGE-SYSTEM/td-p/422567"]http://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Payment-Topics/GLOBAL-POSTAGE-SYSTEM/td-p/422567[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 ebay is also adding on charges within the postage cost and various handling fees within the import charges.Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 And this, from section 4c of ebay's GPP T&Cs:- [b]Risk of Loss.[/b] Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, as between you and your Seller, the risk of loss or damage to a GSP Item shall remain with your Seller until the GSP Item is accepted at the U.S. Shipping Center. As between you and Pitney Bowes, risk of [b]loss or damage to a GSP Item shall transfer to you from Pitney Bowes and/or its third party parcel processing service providers when the GSP Item leaves the U.S. Shipping Center.[/b] However, your purchase may be covered by the eBay Buyer Protection policy and the PayPal Purchase Protection policy. Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Sounds like a shocking system that is well avoided. I'm glad you brought it to my notice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 [quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1377501613' post='2188095'] ebay is also adding on charges within the postage cost and various handling fees within the import charges.Nice! [/quote] There are a lot of negative posts on the ebay community forums about this. It seems that you end up paying more in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 [quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1377499346' post='2188081'] Aannnd here we go! See post 2. [url="http://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Payment-Topics/GLOBAL-POSTAGE-SYSTEM/td-p/422567"]http://community.eba...TEM/td-p/422567[/url] [/quote] A read through that should warn most people off. At face value it seemed such a good idea, but when I saw the name Pitney Bowes.. Sadly, Ebay don't give a sh1te past their fees structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 It strikes me that, since many of us here buy from USA on Ebay, this might be made a sticky or given some level of importance so this issue is rather more visible and talked about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 It's certainly worth analysis and discussion. I took the decision today to email tbe USA seller and ask him if he'd opt out. If he doesn't, I'm not wasting my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Is VAT actually due on second hand/used items? don't think it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Applicable Duties and VAT are due on all items imported into the UK from outside the EU, whether they are new or second hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobpalt Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I have bought a couple of watches from the States, and the pre payment thing worked fine with no overcharging. No Parcelforce handling fee either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Nothing useful to add, but I found the line "It's hard enough convincing US sellers that they won't be eaten by goblins if they sell abroad." hilarious, having had to do such convincing in the past Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 VAT is only paid on freight, for some weird reason. Seller got back to me and is happy to avoid the GPP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Guitar centre ship to UK now and offer this, you pay upfront and I guess they pay HMRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I wish there was a setting on eBay where you could exclude sellers in the US from searches, but allow the rest of the world. Judging by some of the charges they must be paying protection money not to get eaten by the foreign shipping goblins. I saw the GPP and assumed it was typical American capitalism; invent a service that isn't needed and over charge for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 [quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1378848172' post='2205640']I wish there was a setting on eBay where you could exclude sellers in the US from searches, but allow the rest of the world.[/quote] I wish the eBay iPhone and iPad apps would actually show me items located in the UK when I ask for it. Unless Poughkeepsie and Genoa have secretly ceded from their conventional countries to join the United Kingdom, they are failing dismally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 [quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1378851081' post='2205705'] I wish the eBay iPhone and iPad apps would actually show me items located in the UK when I ask for it. Unless Poughkeepsie and Genoa have secretly ceded from their conventional countries to join the United Kingdom, they are failing dismally. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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