Internet ordering from the USA

[a4cabrio]

Could anyone help me please, I'm looking to get a new pair of trainers from footlocker, they aren't available on the EU site but are on the US site, if I was to order them via the US site, would I receive them without any hassle or would UK tax have to be paid on them, if yes, how would it have be paid??  Or worst case scenario, would I not get the trainers at all and lose my money???

[hyperblue]

Yes, you'd pay import duty and VAT on them. The courier will send you an invoice which needs paying before they are delivered.

[a4cabrio]

Damm it, I thought more money would have to be paid on top, and idea how much would have to be paid on trainers I'm paying $169 for??

Thanks for your help

[tbc]

they will take every opportunity to shaft you for a customs fee

the yank customs consider a lot of clothing 'designer' , including shoes

I have had a lot of items still stuck in customs and had to get a refund

and it was a rare jacket that cost a lot of money

[stemll]

According to http://www.dutycalculator.com/

It'd be about £25 VAT and no duty (assuming zero postage which it won't be). Duty is waived if it works out to less than £9 or if value of goods (plus postage and insurance) is less than £135. The carrier will also charge you a fee for handling this. Carriers like UPS will pay for you so the delivery is not delayed and then invoice you the tax + their handling. Duty would be 16.9% if over £135 (I think, there are something like 14000 classifications to determine the rate).

So cost of goods + postage + insurance * 16.9% (if over £135)
Add on the carrier's "clearance handling" fee
Then add VAT onto the new total.

[a4cabrio]

Thanks for the help, I think I'll just hang on another few weeks and see if they go on sale over here, if not I'll chance my arm and order them from the US and see how much I get stung for.

[dave stew]

a4cabrio said:

Damm it, I thought more money would have to be paid on top, and idea how much would have to be paid on trainers I'm paying $169 for??

Thanks for your help

You're paying $169 for a pair of pumps?

[Beartato]

I've mainly ordered bits for my bike from the US and including delivery I've found that a rule of thumb which will get you to within a ba'hair of the total cost is change the $ in front of the price of the item to a £.

There have been a few other things (books, rare albums etc) I bought which have slipped through the net and I've had to pay no tax on them. Unless the tax rules are different for those things. And trainers too. It's all massively confusing to me, but then I ain't so good with the thinking.

[Flibble]

There's no VAT on books, so if they're under the threshold for import duty you're in the clear there. Not sure on albums or the like.

IME customs charges are very random as to whether they're applied or not; had quite a few things come through without charges.

[amirzed]

how mich do you want these trainers?

[simer553]

Would setting up an Aramex (or similar account work)?

You basically get the merchadise delivered to a US address then the courier 'collect' it and deliver to your 'home' address.

It costs but might be cheaper than the delivery charge from the retailer? Dunno if the customs rules still apply here as you are technically 'collecting' your stuff?

[a4cabrio]

dave stew said:

You're paying $169 for a pair of pumps?

Yeah, works out to £108, I've found the same trainers on sale in the uk, but not in the colour I want and the uk sellers are charging £140, so as usual, we get ripped off in the UK

[a4cabrio]

amirzed said:

how mich do you want these trainers?

I'd have a better idea if I knew the potential charges I could be facing

[a4cabrio]

simer553 said:

Would setting up an Aramex (or similar account work)?

You basically get the merchadise delivered to a US address then the courier 'collect' it and deliver to your 'home' address.

It costs but might be cheaper than the delivery charge from the retailer? Dunno if the customs rules still apply here as you are technically 'collecting' your stuff?

Thanks, I'll look into it and see if it's something I could do

[davepoth]

a4cabrio said:

dave stew said:

You're paying $169 for a pair of pumps?

Yeah, works out to £108, I've found the same trainers on sale in the uk, but not in the colour I want and the uk sellers are charging £140, so as usual, we get ripped off in the UK

You will pay more than £140 to buy them from the USA, without a doubt.

[bimsb6]

Post up the details i am off to vegas today .

[Angelus]

a4cabrio said:

Yeah, works out to £108, I've found the same trainers on sale in the uk, but not in the colour I want and the uk sellers are charging £140, so as usual, we get ripped off in the UK

I don't think it's much of a rip off. If you take the shipping, duty and VAT that the retailer has to pay on top of the goods, I don't think has 10% profit? What sort of margin does your employer make? (Assuming you're not in the public sector)

[Nickyboy]

simer553 said:

Would setting up an Aramex (or similar account work)?

You basically get the merchadise delivered to a US address then the courier 'collect' it and deliver to your 'home' address.

It costs but might be cheaper than the delivery charge from the retailer? Dunno if the customs rules still apply here as you are technically 'collecting' your stuff?

Its not cheaper trust me, i looked into that when after some Timberland luggage, the total cost to get it to me was close to $1000 whilst buying it myself and paying the charges was less than $400, only problem was the shipper wouldn't send to the UK

[Nickyboy]

a4cabrio said:

Yeah, works out to £108, I've found the same trainers on sale in the uk, but not in the colour I want and the uk sellers are charging £140, so as usual, we get ripped off in the UK

Don't understand why people think we get ripped off here, go to America and you'll find the cost of living is a lot lower therefore products cost less. My £30k a year job here is a $37k a year job in the US

[a4cabrio]

bimsb6 said:

Post up the details i am off to vegas today .

If I thought you were serious I would.

Well just on the off chance


http://www.footlocker.com/product/model:174819/sku...