How can you avoid buying from oversees?

[Mars]

I bought something from a .co.uk website and paid in £. I did this deliberately to try and avoid import charges however I subsequently received a "you have tax to pay" bill and was subject to a non-GBP transfer fee.

The item I bought wasn't the cheapest in Google's searches if you include all those that were clearly NOT in the UK. However amongst those I thought WERE in the UK, it was the cheapest but not by much. Item was £346.07, plus £10.34 transfer fee, plus £76.61 import tax.

How can I make sure I am buying from a UK supplier in future so that I know that the price I pay is the final price?

[brman]

Don't buy from a company that doesn't publish it's business address?

I guess you could also refuse delivery and then claim non delivery from the supplier. Though I suspect that might get messy. Especially if you don't have some sort of payment protection.

[Fast and Spurious]

I normally look around the website, FAQS, where are we, Ts&Cs that sort of thing. it is getting harder to tell these days though. A bit sneaky imo.

[Radec]

Fast and Spurious said:

I normally look around the website, FAQS, where are we, Ts&Cs that sort of thing. it is getting harder to tell these days though. A bit sneaky imo.

As above and check Google maps/reviews etc, I also check the registration number on companies house.

[x5tuu]

Radec said:

Fast and Spurious said:

I normally look around the website, FAQS, where are we, Ts&Cs that sort of thing. it is getting harder to tell these days though. A bit sneaky imo.

As above and check Google maps/reviews etc, I also check the registration number on companies house.

Both of these while probably the most useful won't stop from UK based companies that are effectively just using drop shipping for their goods. Its such a minefield.

[Mars]

Sneaky... yes, thanks. It does feel that.

I've done a bit more digging around in my orders and it's even sneakier still. I definitely ordered from a .co.uk website but my order confirmation came from a .com website, which (when I look at that one) is most certainly a French business.

I want the item, I've paid for it now, and although the overall price has taken the shine off it, I am not going to try and return it. I suspect even if I tried, the import charge would be non-refundable anyway.

It's bicycle parts, by the way. A lot of parts come from abroad - I know this - but I have been making an effort to try and find UK suppliers.

[Spare tyre]

I try to buy lots of stuff secondhand, doesn’t stop it being foreign made, but stops one buying more foreign stuff


It’s hard to not buy foreign

[Mars]

Spare tyre said:

I try to buy lots of stuff secondhand, doesn’t stop it being foreign made, but stops one buying more foreign stuff


It’s hard to not buy foreign

It's not the product itself that I'm trying to buy British - it's from a British supplier so that I avoid additional costs as explained above.