Import duty.

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South Derbyshire.
Hi all.
I'm looking to get some blades from Japan, the cost is about £17.00.Does anyone know if this will attract and import duties? If it does and the ransom the Royal Mail charge it won't be worth it.
Thanks.

Dave.
 
The limit, if spotted and dealt with, is £15. I just ended up paying an extra £11 ransom on a shaving brush because the stupid vendor added the postage to the cost for the customs declaration which took it over the limit!!! Not best pleased.
 
The limit, if spotted and dealt with, is £15. I just ended up paying an extra £11 ransom on a shaving brush because the stupid vendor added the postage to the cost for the customs declaration which took it over the limit!!! Not best pleased.
From what I read up on importing the £15 limit includes the postage cost, it's a bit of a slap in the face really as postage alone could cost £15 from another country
 
From what I read up on importing the £15 limit includes the postage cost, it's a bit of a slap in the face really as postage alone could cost £15 from another country

It never used to but was added to the cost of goods to calculate the duty if you were over to begin with?

It's ridiculous! and I guess post brexit will also include anything shipped from the EU as well?
 
It never used to but was added to the cost of goods to calculate the duty if you were over to begin with?

It's ridiculous! and I guess post brexit will also include anything shipped from the EU as well?
Yes I think if you have gone over the limit they only charge on the goods, but I'm sure if it's under they include it so you basically get left in the same boat, for the sake of a few pounds of goods you get extortionate shipping, if you want to order a few things to justify the shipping they stick a customs charge on, it's a long while since I read up on it but It could have been the direct gov website I read it on. Only thing you can do to reduce the cost is pay the customs upfront before shipping and that way Royal Mail can't add their nasty little charge on too but it seems they have made it a bit of a farse to do it that way...post brexit I think they will loose a lot of custom if they choose to do that like cutting your own nose off to spite your face lol
 
It never used to but was added to the cost of goods to calculate the duty if you were over to begin with?

It's ridiculous! and I guess post brexit will also include anything shipped from the EU as well?
VAT was introduced in 1973 at 10% (reduced later to 8%) as a requirement of joining what was then called "The Common Market". In theory, post-Brexit, we could do away with it, or change its rates, but I expect the Treasury will want to keep that enormous income stream, and I would not be surprised if May's "Deal" includes some undertaking by the UK to retain it. I don't hold out many hopes of us being like other non-EU countries (e.g. USA) buying from the EU, where VAT isn't charged at all.
 
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VAT was introduced in 1973 at 8% as a requirement of joining what was then called "The Common Market". In theory, post-Brexit, we could do away with it, or change its rates, but I expect the Treasury will want to keep that enormous income stream, and I would not be surprised if May's "Deal" includes some undertaking by the UK to retain it. I don't hold out many hopes of us being like other non-EU countries (e.g. USA) buying from the EU, where VAT isn't charged at all.
Wasn't the idea originally that VAT would replace income tax and you would be taxed on everything you bought instead of what you earned...the greedy bastards thought they would have their cake and eat it and I'm sure they will be just as greedy again
 
Wasn't the idea originally that VAT would replace income tax and you would be taxed on everything you bought instead of what you earned...the greedy bastards thought they would have their cake and eat it and I'm sure they will be just as greedy again
I think that was the general idea, but, as you say, it didn't work out like that.

Pre-1973, we had a thing called "Purchase Tax", which was a very specific, very high levy on what was deemed to be "luxury" goods, so VAT wasn't an entirely new concept. Where it differed from PT was its almost universal application to goods and services, with most of the exemptions (food, children's' clothes etc.) we still have today.
 
My experience is that I nearly always have to pay customs and handling on anything from the USA but not up to now from Japan or China. I just bought 2 x P-30s off Rakuten and no extra charge. Would have been £14.20 in theory plus postage. No charge for a Yaqi brush that was around £10. I previously received electronics worth £30 and up from China and Vietnam, no charge.
 
VAT was introduced in 1973 at 10% (reduced later to 8%) as a requirement of joining what was then called "The Common Market". In theory, post-Brexit, we could do away with it, or change its rates, but I expect the Treasury will want to keep that enormous income stream, and I would not be surprised if May's "Deal" includes some undertaking by the UK to retain it. I don't hold out many hopes of us being like other non-EU countries (e.g. USA) buying from the EU, where VAT isn't charged at all.

 
As said by others - it seems to be a matter of luck - I have ordered shaving stuff from the likes of China - Yaqi brushes and razor heads - and Russia - a couple of bulk purchases of several types of blades without incident. Non-shaving stuff included - I have never had anything picked up on by customs. How a couple of expensive cashmere shawls - shipped from the manufacturer in Northern Pakistan - made it to me unmolested - is still a mystery. Although - not directly related to your question - I purchased a couple of the high-end Yaqi badger brushes last year - direct from the company online - way over the limit - and crossed my fingers - I needn't have worried - they turned up with a postal origin in West London. I guess they must have a distribution centre in the UK? You didn't say what sort of blades you were after - if it turns out to be Schick Twin injectors - there is a guy on a well known auction site that is UK based. That's where I get mine. Hope this helps - yours - I.
 
As said by others - it seems to be a matter of luck - I have ordered shaving stuff from the likes of China - Yaqi brushes and razor heads - and Russia - a couple of bulk purchases of several types of blades without incident. Non-shaving stuff included - I have never had anything picked up on by customs. How a couple of expensive cashmere shawls - shipped from the manufacturer in Northern Pakistan - made it to me unmolested - is still a mystery. Although - not directly related to your question - I purchased a couple of the high-end Yaqi badger brushes last year - direct from the company online - way over the limit - and crossed my fingers - I needn't have worried - they turned up with a postal origin in West London. I guess they must have a distribution centre in the UK? You didn't say what sort of blades you were after - if it turns out to be Schick Twin injectors - there is a guy on a well known auction site that is UK based. That's where I get mine. Hope this helps - yours - I.

The blades I'm after are schick proline p30, they are so much cheaper from japan.

Dave.
 
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