Buying from Japan on eBay - Duty etc?

Buying from Japan on eBay - Duty etc?

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zcacogp

Original Poster:

11,239 posts

243 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Chaps,

Quickie to find out some collective experiences; I've just ordered a lens from a Japanese seller on (UK) eBay. It was a very good price for what looks like a second-hand item in immaculate condition, and probably £60 or so cheaper than the equivalent items sold by UK sellers. However I am aware that I am (in theory) liable for duty and VAT when it arrives in the UK.

Has anyone else bought from a Japanese seller on eBay and, if so, what are your experiences of being caught for such extra charges? Does it happen or do things generally just get delivered. FWIW, it's coming via Japan Post, who will (presumably) feed into the Royal Mail system.


Oli.

Simpo Two

85,148 posts

264 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Not Japan specifically, but it depends what the customs declaration on the package says. If it says 'Expensive lens, value £500' you'll get hit for VAT, import duty and handling fee. If it says 'Gift' or 'Thingy, £10' it may get through. But it might still be opened and checked.

ExPat2B

2,157 posts

199 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Very generally speaking, you are much less likely to incur import charges when goods come from Japan as opposed to America. My 500f4 came from Japan originally and did not incur a charge. I have a friend who runs an ebay business in rare sci fi models and reports less than 10% gets charged. It is good as it lets you take advantage when the pound is strong vs the dollar.

Morbid

179 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
I ordered my 70D from Hong Kong. I didn't have to pay any tax/duty and it was around £200 cheaper than UK prices. I was expecting to have to pay it, so it was a nice surprise when I was just asked to sign for it when it was delivered. It took ages to arrive though - like about 6 weeks.

I've recently ordered a STM lens for video use (in hindsight I should have bought the kit in the first place) from HK and this is due to arrive this week. The seller emailed a fake invoice for £15 should I get any questions from the courier about duty (which I suspect is somewhat illegal). Delviery is about 2 to 3 weeks for this. The annoying thing is I ordered and EF-M STM lens by mistake (rather than EF-S) and that arrived in 3 days (and cost me £12 to return to Taiwan).


Edited by Morbid on Wednesday 29th October 09:44

rottie102

3,993 posts

183 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Morbid said:
I ordered my 70D from Hong Kong. I didn't have to pay any tax/duty and it was around £200 cheaper than UK prices. I was expecting to have to pay it, so it was a nice surprise when I was just asked to sign for it when it was delivered. It took ages to arrive though - like about 6 weeks.

I've recently ordered a STM lens for video use (in hindsight I should have bought the kit in the first place) from HK and this is due to arrive this week. The seller emailed a fake invoice for £15 should I get any questions from the courier about duty (which I suspect is somewhat illegal). Delviery is about 2 to 3 weeks for this. The annoying thing is I ordered and EF-M STM lens by mistake (rather than EF-S) and that arrived in 3 days (and cost me £12 to return to Taiwan).


Edited by Morbid on Wednesday 29th October 09:44
Who on earth are you ordering from? 6 weeks??? Check out digitalrev.com - two days from Hong Kong

Morbid

179 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
rottie102 said:
Who on earth are you ordering from? 6 weeks??? Check out digitalrev.com - two days from Hong Kong
It was Simply Electonics. Price was good but I didn't know about dispatch times when I ordered. Won't be using them again. I'll check out the site you posted.

Morbid

179 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Mmm....the 70D body is around £60 cheaper than I paid at £558 (HK$6,980), but the EF-S 18-55mm STM lens is around £110 (HK$1,380). I paid £69 on E-infinity, and I'm prepared to wait as I don't need it urgently.

zcacogp

Original Poster:

11,239 posts

243 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Chaps,

Thanks. It looks like I just need to keep my fingers crossed then.


Oli.

Simpo Two

85,148 posts

264 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
zcacogp said:
Chaps,

Thanks. It looks like I just need to keep my fingers crossed then.


Oli.
If unlucky you can of course refuse to pay the taxes/refuse to accept it, and it'll be returned to sender - 'taxation backfire'...

zcacogp

Original Poster:

11,239 posts

243 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Yes, but I expect that the sender will (not unreasonably) still charge me for the postage and packing. The advert did state that I would be liable for them, so I wouldn't want to cause him hassle.

Besides, the lens was cheaper than had it been sold in the UK. Even if I get stung for VAT and a handling charge then I will still only pay marginally more than I'd pay for a similar item from a UK-based seller.

Fingers crossed it'll slip through the net however.


Oli.

Simpo Two

85,148 posts

264 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
zcacogp said:
Fingers crossed it'll slip through the net however.
OK, find what day it's due to arrive in the UK, then get down to Mount Pleasant sorting office and do cartwheels in a gorilla suit in their car park. That might distract them enough biggrin

zcacogp

Original Poster:

11,239 posts

243 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
Great, thanks. I'll try that. I will need to buy a gorilla suit to make it work, and the cost of the suit will probably be greater than the duty saving, but I like the principle.

I can't seem to find a gorilla suit for sale in Japan at the moment, but if I was to buy one from there what do you think the odds are of me being stung for duty and import tax?


Oli.

zcacogp

Original Poster:

11,239 posts

243 months

Friday 7th November 2014
quotequote all
Update: Had a letter from ParcelForce yesterday asking me to cough up £55 before they would send the parcel to me. £41.57p of VAT and the rest is their 'Handling Charge'(£13.50). I called them up and asked for the details and they were about as vague as a politician's pre-election promises on everything other than that I would have to pay otherwise they would refuse to deliver the item to me.

Even with this cost the item will still be pretty much the same cost as a UK-sourced item, so I guess there's nothing much lost. It should have been delivered today but I was out, so will probably get it early next week.


Oli.