Buying strings from US - a warning

[Clarky]

Like wateroftyne I have been trying to track down a set of LaBella 760FL flats (none in UK it seems). I bought a set from a US seller on eBay which it appeared would be a few quid more than the standard UK price, but I was happy to pay the extra to get hold of them (I wanted to put them on my Jazz to 'finish it off', having installed an Audere preamp). I have never been charged customs/duties on relatively low value US items in the past, including strings, so I assumed I was safe from this.

So you can imagine how chuffed I was to have to hand over nearly £12 to collect them from the Mail sorting office - HM Customs had charged me £3.70 VAT but had applied an £8 "handling charge" which is I presume a fixed amount but is clearly out of all proportion to the value of the goods.

All-in-all this set of strings has cost me close to £45, vs Stringbusters price (when in stock) of £28

They better bl**dy last for ages!

[wateroftyne]

Nightmare... C'mon, Stringbusters! We need you!

[bumnote]

did they come through royal mail or parcelforce?

[Clarky]

Royal Mail

[Toasted]

Parcelfarce charge a £12 handling charge - but to be fair to them it's the same if the duty is £3 or £3000 quid.

[Mickeyboro]

[quote name='Toasted' post='633259' date='Oct 22 2009, 10:58 AM']Parcelfarce charge a £12 handling charge - but to be fair to them it's the same if the duty is £3 or £3000 quid.[/quote]

I don't think it's fair. I just found out Halifax are charging £1 a day for agreed overdrafts, be they 50p or £500. That's a bit unfair too IMO!

It's all about squeezing the little people....

[Musky]

This is a good reminder to us all - VAT is applicable to all purchases outside the EU over £18 (unless it's a gift, in which case it's £36). Small and lower value items seem to get less scrutiny than more expensive stuff, but they're still not exempt from being charged. As Clarky found out, on lower priced items it's not the VAT that hurts, it's the admin charges.

[Beedster]

Hate to be the negative vibe merchant here but couriers/RM are generally pretty transparent about these things. I'm guessing the reason that Stringbusters aren't stocking them at the advertised price at present is because - as a result of changes in exchange rates, duties etc - it's no longer economic to do so. In other words, if they had them on sale for £45 no-one would buy them!

Rest assured Clarky that La Bella flats live for years so your transaction is still economic in real terms.

Oh, and let me know if you don't like them

Chris

[Dread Bass]

Serves you right for buying flats

[Toasted]

[quote name='Mickeyboro' post='633269' date='Oct 22 2009, 11:06 AM']I don't think it's fair. I just found out Halifax are charging £1 a day for agreed overdrafts, be they 50p or £500. That's a bit unfair too IMO!

It's all about squeezing the little people....[/quote]

It's all about little people not reading T&Cs.

[cetera]

[quote name='Toasted' post='633387' date='Oct 22 2009, 01:10 PM']It's all about little people not reading T&Cs.[/quote]

Well this litlle person is taking his current account elsewhere now

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='Mickeyboro' post='633269' date='Oct 22 2009, 11:06 AM']I don't think it's fair. I just found out Halifax are charging £1 a day for agreed overdrafts, be they 50p or £500. That's a bit unfair too IMO!

It's all about squeezing the little people....[/quote]

That's to pay for all the gymnasts in suits delivering £5 notes to their customers with the current account.
Why don't they use the lift like the rest of us?

[hubrad]

[quote name='cetera' post='633550' date='Oct 22 2009, 03:25 PM']Well this litlle person is taking his current account elsewhere now [/quote]
That's the spirit!
If more of us were willing to change accounts the banks would have to show some kind of willingness to keep us where we are.
Back on topic, if you're buying from outside EC, then you've got to budget for taxes and charges. Thes are your responsibility and nothing to do with the seller. If the powers that be let your parcel through without having to pay then it's a lucky bonus.