Customs costs from Blue Tomato - and other EU eTailiers

A snowHead

Anyone ordered from Blue Tomato recently (over GBP 135) ?

Did you have to pay customs/import duty to get your order ?

Their T&C state for outside the EU (except Switzerland) VAT is removed and you have to pay customs duties and vat separately. Elsewhere their FAQ on payment says VAT is removed for outside the EU excluding Switzerland and UK and state that anywhere else may attact vat and customs. Their on line chat just told me everything is included. But I'm not entirely convinced because of the published T&C.

A snowHead

I would go by the T&Cs than someone on online chat. I have ordered stuff from europe & it is still luck of the draw if I get hit with customs + VAT or not.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

The rule is:

1. take off vat in sender country
2. calculate customs duties based on item price,
3. add VAT to the total incl. postage and handling charges and customs

So it usually ends up a bit more expensive than pre-brexit.

An example

I want to buy a blue widget from the EU. Cost is 100 euros
Cost ex-vat is 80 euros
customs charges at 4%: 3.2 euros
postage is 10 euros
handling charges are 25 euros
total: 118.2
UK Vat at 20% (say) and grand total is 142 euros.

Prebrexit it would have been 110 euros so you are paying 25% more. For more expensive items the hit is less.

Note: handling is applied by the carrier. Customs depend on the item, could be a lot more if there are anti dumping rules.

Note 2: some retailers include everything as BT claims. I've ordered from Wiggle recently and the price I was shown at the end was all that I paid.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Purchased Skis and bindings from Snow Country in the Netherlands last month. They shipped via UPS, delivery and handling if I recall correctly were charged a POS, just had to settle the VAT with UPS (£102).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks for the replies on this. Just posting back an update in case anyone else searches for similar.

I ordered from snowcountry.eu in Netherlands in the end, as they were clear on the what was in and out, and it was as @davidof explained. Sold ex. vat. The carrier, in this case UPS, bills you UK import costs (vat custom etc) and their handling fee, via a link which you prepay before delivery. Fairly simple. Only downside is I found a lack of transparency in the import cost itself - ie. no breakdown of what the payment charge is made up of, ie, vat and customs, so you can't check it's correct. Anyway what they billed me seemed reasonable and around what I expected so no grumbles.

Anyway similar costs to mentioned by @Bob. In my case board was 395 ex vat, plus shipping brought it to £408. UPS billed me about £92 for import costs comprising their handling, vat and any customs.

I did notice Glisshshop conditions stated theirs are inclusive so nothing to pay on delivery so I would probably consider them too. I'd ordered skis from glisshop pre Brexit and it was pretty seemless and Id use them again (had one issue with brake sizes which Glisshop subsequently resolved).
I'd also have no problem ordering from snowcountry again.
In any case I would check source of manufacture of any kit though, if its in the EU not a problem, but if outside I understand it can be more complex.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Many EU sites will cover important duty. I ordered a snowboard from Ekosport this year and the price includes taxes, nothing to on delivery.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Gazzza, did you get any queries from UPS, or a simple 'pay X'. I've ski's and bindings with them from Sport Conrad, currently waiting to see if my answer to their cryptic question on whether I have an eori or Deferment Approval etc... Was a lot simpler buying sails for my dinghy, I just paid in full up front.

After all it is free

@hamilton, I bought some Ebay skis (from Poland) - they (Polish Customs or UPs, not sure) would not release the skis until I gave them an EORI number!!

I couldn't figure why a private individual would need an EORI, but had to get one...

https://www.gov.uk/eori

On a related matter-

Does anyone know the charges I would incur buying skis from a shop in the USA? I've seen a pair on Ebay but they do not specify UK import duty or any US charges. I know I'll have to pay 20% VAT.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@welshflyer, the only charge on top of vat that I had to pay was a nominal charge for broking to UPS... Was approx €10.
Iirc some products ( eg cameras) might have a 'duty' rate in addition to vat... But not certain.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

You can look up the duty payable in The Tariff, browse it here https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/browse
Skis and snowboards should be 2% duty and 20% VAT from any country.

snow reports

Just sharing my experience with Sport Conrad.
Ive been looking for specific skis with certain topsheet color and length and the only option was available was on Sport Conrad.

payed 251.26 EUR without the tax + 15 EUR delivery
thats 237.19 GBP off the card

The UPS Import Charges were total (GBP): 59.69
--Government Charges: 47.49
--Brokerage Charges: 12.20

You know it makes sense.

Our new stuff goes to our French address now.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Glisshop is great, had a fair bit of kit from them and it's always arrived no problem without additional fees.

Help!!

Customs costs from Blue Tomato - and other EU eTailiers

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