Best way to send parcel from Canada to UK

[snowwolf]

My cut out motors were sent from USA to a friend in Canada and was charged $47 by ups for taxes, not happy about that, can anyone suggest the best way to get the parcel to me here in the uk avoiding more taxes ?

[MadMaxHSV]

Get your friend to post it personally declaring the item a gift with zero value.
You take the chance insurance wise, but pay little on import.

Was very happy when my TVS was shipped with a $500 value... and very happy it arrived in one piece

[stevieturbo]

snowwolf said:

My cut out motors were sent from USA to a friend in Canada and was charged $47 by ups for taxes, not happy about that, can anyone suggest the best way to get the parcel to me here in the uk avoiding more taxes ?

As above.

Import duties are based on the declared value. Declared values can vary....obviously ensure there are no invoices in the parcel stating different otherwise if it gets nabbed at customs and inspected both you and the sender may have some questions to answer, and will not get your goods until they have been answered.

It'd have been cheaper and less hassle just to have had them sent directly to you !

[snowwolf]

stevieturbo said:

As above.

Import duties are based on the declared value. Declared values can vary....obviously ensure there are no invoices in the parcel stating different otherwise if it gets nabbed at customs and inspected both you and the sender may have some questions to answer, and will not get your goods until they have been answered.

It'd have been cheaper and less hassle just to have had them sent directly to you !

Wish I had now !

[bimbleuk]

As above I regularly get stuff sent via USPS which gets out of the US quickly but always stalls a bit in customs when Parcel Force take over.

Otherwise FedEx and similar usually process the customs bit a bit quicker.