Amazon purchase - import duty?

Amazon purchase - import duty?

Author
Discussion

TNJ

Original Poster:

408 posts

161 months

Saturday 18th May 2019
quotequote all
Hopefully this is in the right forum

I am looking to buy a sports watch and it is cheapest on Amazon. However, the Amazon description says that the purchaser will be the importer of record and is responsible for customs duties etc. I understand what this all means but wonder if anyone has any experience of this?

is it likely that the delivery agent will require duty etc to be paid on delivery or is it just a matter of waiting to see if a demand arrives from HMRC?

It seems like a lot of potential hassle (plus a bit of a fast one from Amazon to make it look as if their price is the cheapest). Depending on how likely it is to be a problem, I might just pay the extra and buy a proper duty paid one elsewhere

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Saturday 18th May 2019
quotequote all
If the item is coming from outside the EU then yes you will pay duty and you will be responsible

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th May 2019
quotequote all
Get it all the time ordering car parts from the US.

If it comes via parcel force they'll write to you telling you how much to pay. They'll then deliver the item.

If it comes via UPS they'll deliver it and send you a customs bill afterwards.

Sheepshanks

32,531 posts

118 months

Saturday 18th May 2019
quotequote all
Is Amazon the seller?

Mr Pointy

11,147 posts

158 months

Saturday 18th May 2019
quotequote all
On a single watch the duty is 0p (it's not duty free, but falls below the threshold for collection) but you will be charged VAT at 20% & the carriers processing charge of £12-£18.

TNJ

Original Poster:

408 posts

161 months

Sunday 19th May 2019
quotequote all
Thanks all - I appreciate the replies. Having totted up the VAT and courier charges, it is marginally more expensive so definitely not worth the hassle. I have therefore ordered one elsewhere which is fully duty paid.

Camelot1971

2,698 posts

165 months

Sunday 19th May 2019
quotequote all
If you buy from Amazon.com they calculate the duty in the price you pay and there are no other charges. It's very transparent. Were you looking at something on Amazon marketplace?

TNJ

Original Poster:

408 posts

161 months

Sunday 19th May 2019
quotequote all
It was on the normal Amazon site - it clearly says (albeit tucked away in small text) that the purchaser will be the importer of record. I went as far as the checkout and no duty was added.

Once I added 20% VAT and worked out the courier charge, it was at least the same price as buying from Wiggle

I am glad I spotted the importer of record statement and understood what it meant - I suspect a lot of people would be in for a surprise after thinking they had got a bargain deal

Camelot1971

2,698 posts

165 months

Sunday 19th May 2019
quotequote all
Was it sold and dispatched by Amazon? Whenever I buy anything from them that is sold by them direct, they calculate duty as part of the final payment.

ashleyman

6,963 posts

98 months

Sunday 19th May 2019
quotequote all
If it’s from the Amazon US store and supplied by Amazon they will include the duty in the price. If they overestimate the customs charges they refund the difference.

Worked out well. I bought 4x hard drives shipped from US for the same cost as 3 shipped from UK.