Thomann prices?

[Al Krow]

11 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

Of course it’s not the end of the world. But it’s a hell of a worse situation to be in.

Thats like saying, after needlessly losing all your limbs, “hey could have been worse,  could be dead”

You are funny. For me Project Fear finally died with this article.

Of course, feel free to argue if you consider that you're more expert than the guy who wrote it (he happens to be the economics editor).

Either way, I'm not listening to any more claims of "this or that doomsday scenario is going to be the result". It's been mostly tosh so far. Let's see what actually happens eh?

Edited January 3, 2021 by Al Krow

[Doctor J]

Was Project Fear not the creepy demonisation of the EU?

[Dad3353]

[Mod's Hat On]

Strike One ... We're wavering on the cusp of another Lockdown. Stop picking the scabs, and stay on the Topic, please. 

[/Mod's Hat On]

[EBS_freak]

[Baloney Balderdash]

...

Edited January 3, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash
Spotted the moderator warning and got second thoughts about my original comment

[LukeFRC]

I guess the upside is that we all will be able to support our local music stores more

[paul_c2]

Isn't this precisely the point though? We are discouraged from buying from foreign shops such as Thomann, by additional import duties (but also by additional admin) but there is no actual bass guitar shortage in the UK, its more of a first world problem (I am having difficulty sympathising with the guy who is trying to buy a £1700 bass which isn't available elsewhere....I suspect it is).

There are other shops (eg UK-based ones) which can cope with the additional admin and which will take Thomann's trade, if they choose to no longer serve their UK customers. Or they could do the necessary admin to make it happen (that might include setting up a UK base).

It puts the EU on a level playing field with the rest of the world, for shopping.

[Dad3353]

9 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

[EBS_freak]

59 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

Isn't this precisely the point though? We are discouraged from buying from foreign shops such as Thomann, by additional import duties (but also by additional admin) but there is no actual bass guitar shortage in the UK, its more of a first world problem (I am having difficulty sympathising with the guy who is trying to buy a £1700 bass which isn't available elsewhere....I suspect it is).

There are other shops (eg UK-based ones) which can cope with the additional admin and which will take Thomann's trade, if they choose to no longer serve their UK customers. Or they could do the necessary admin to make it happen (that might include setting up a UK base).

It puts the EU on a level playing field with the rest of the world, for shopping.

That’s fine - as quoted earlier in the thread - if vendors are prepared to sell to the UK. That boutique bass guitar brand may not be available through the likes of The Gallery or Bass Direct any longer.

These additional shops you talk of are going to be larger than the small independents... and will ultimately put the latter out of business. Rich will get richer. The poor will be just be thankful for a job.

It certainly doesn’t put the EU on a level playing field. The previous deals with the UK with non EU countries were on the basis of the UK being in the EU. When the UK does stupid tricks like making vendors collect VAT on the UKs behalf, well that makes the UK a pain in the backside to deal with. Check back through the thread for the explanations.

[EBS_freak]

2 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

I guess the upside is that we all will be able to support our local music stores more

If they survive the pandemic and if people have the stomach to absorb the price hikes.

[Eldon Tyrell]

1 hour ago, paul_c2 said:

Isn't this precisely the point though? We are discouraged from buying from foreign shops such as Thomann, by additional import duties (but also by additional admin) but there is no actual bass guitar shortage in the UK, its more of a first world problem (I am having difficulty sympathising with the guy who is trying to buy a £1700 bass which isn't available elsewhere....I suspect it is).

I don't need any sympathy. I just wanted to know, in a thread discussing "Thomann prices", how much the custom duty and handling fee would be for a potential purchase. BTW, the bass I am interested is not available anywhere else as it is a discontinued colour.

[paul_c2]

2 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

 

 The previous deals with the UK with non EU countries were on the basis of the UK being in the EU.

This doesn't sound right. When the UK was in the EU, it was not possible to have trade deals directly between UK and non-EU countries - the deal was doing at EU-other country level.

The UK is now able to make deals with other non-EU countries precisely because we have left the EU.

[paul_c2]

6 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

 

These additional shops you talk of are going to be larger than the small independents... 

 

Do you have evidence, or is this an opinion?

[EBS_freak]

1 minute ago, paul_c2 said:

This doesn't sound right. When the UK was in the EU, it was not possible to have trade deals directly between UK and non-EU countries - the deal was doing at EU-other country level.

The UK is now able to make deals with other non-EU countries precisely because we have left the EU.

Try driving goods through the borders as you import and export from the UK and tell me how easy it is (was).

[paul_c2]

4 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Try driving goods through the borders as you import and export from the UK and tell me how easy it is (was).

I can only speak from personal experience - it was easy for me to import my bass from Japan.

[Al Krow]

15 hours ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

Yes, a lot of hassle and I also still don't know how much custom duty I will have to pay for a £1700 bass bought from Thomann. Anyone?

Zero. Nil. Nothing. Zip.

Not a penny of customs duty for anything bought from any EU retailer, such as Thomann.

If you are buying a new piece of kit from Thomann the 20% UK VAT will be EXACTLY what it was before.

In other words for new goods from the EU this is just a:

[EBS_freak]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Zero. Nil. Nothing. Zip.

Not a penny of customs duty for anything bought from any EU retailer, such as Thomann.

If you are buying a new piece of kit from Thomann the 20% UK VAT will be EXACTLY what it was before.

In other words for new goods from the EU this is just a:

As stated before... as long as who you are buying from can absorb the overheads of dealing with the UK.

Edited January 3, 2021 by EBS_freak

[Fternolad]

10 hours ago, Al Krow said:

You are funny. For me Project Fear finally died with this article.

Of course, feel free to argue if you consider that you're more expert than the guy who wrote it (he happens to be the economics editor).

Either way, I'm not listening to any more claims of "this or that doomsday scenario is going to be the result". It's been mostly tosh so far. Let's see what actually happens eh?

I,ts a pity that the writer of the article has convinced himself that life outside of London does,nt exist.

[EBS_freak]

Just now, Fternolad said:

I,ts a pity that the writer of the article has convinced himself that life outside of London does,nt exist.

As long as he’s ok, Jack.

This is the problem, the whole situation is only observed from a personal point of view and people are too selfish to see past their own noses.

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

I can only speak from personal experience - it was easy for me to import my bass from Japan.

I sold a BF SC to a chap in Norway recently and had to fill out a customs form (in triplicate). It had exactly the same information as I had to provide the courier.

Really very straightforward. 

[Steve Browning]

4 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

As stated before... as long as who you are buying from can absorb the overheads of dealing with the UK.

To this extent it is levelling up. If Thomann export outside the EU they will apply the same principles to UK trade. Same goes for any (current) EU business. The UK is added to their 'export' list.

[Al Krow]

5 minutes ago, Fternolad said:

It's a pity that the writer of the article has convinced himself that life outside of London doesn't exist.

Interested you say that - I didn't get that message at all from what he wrote.

It really is a very good article and worth a read.

[paul_c2]

18 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

This is the problem, the whole situation is only observed from a personal point of view and people are too selfish to see past their own noses.

I think its a bit unfair to conflate/confuse the two. I gave an account of my personal experience, only because I think its inappropriate to comment (or become offended on behalf of...) someone else's situation. It DOES NOT automatically make me selfish though!

[Leonard Smalls]

12 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

as long as who you are buying from can absorb the overheads of dealing with the UK.

3 of our suppliers from France and Germany have told us they won't be dealing with the UK any more due to having to collect tax on the UK's behalf!

Funnily enough, they're small suppliers... Our large NL=based houseplant supplier is still selling in the UK as it's worth their while to set up the extra systems necessary. It just means that stuff that's available  in every garden centre in Britain will still be available, but the interesting items that set us apart and our customers love won't, unless we go to the trouble of becoming an actual importer and we don't want the extra hassle either!

Don't know why the UK didn't make it so that carriers collect any tax due - they're used to it! Though last time I bought from the US the VAT was £12.77 and the Royal Mail fee £5, so just a touch more than 25%!

However, I'm sure it'll make Britain great again - what's a little inconvenience when it comes to taking back control of our borders? Though France seemed quite able to shut its borders to the UK the moment there was a new Covid variant despite being a member of the Evil EU!

[AxelF]

23 minutes ago, Fternolad said:

I,ts a pity that the writer of the article has convinced himself that life outside of London does,nt exist.

Classic example of people only wanting an echo chamber that reflects their own beliefs back at them.

In my opinion the biggest issue with society in this country (and probably others too) is the prevalence of 'news' media that is so heavily biased one way or the other - such that people can read only content that is edited towards their beliefs/prejudices, and go through life believing them to be indisputable facts.

Critical challenge is essential, and I believe everyone should go out of their way to seek out and read (factual and well researched!) material contrary to their current opinions.