AFA and import taxes?

[Paul-itoy]

Guys. This has always made me wonder, especially when getting hit with customs duty on stuff bought from the States. If you send a figure of significant value to AFA how can you guartantee that you will not get a customs VAT hit when it arrives back on our shores. Do AFA not put a value on the package or is there some loophole that they can use because they only offer a service?
What are your experiences?
Cheers.

 

[spoons]

as it's a service it's declared on the customs label - so no charge

 

[Lee Gregory]

I've got a few items to send and never used them before,
Question is to anyone who has sent items to be graded is:What is the best postal service to use.
Do you send via Airsure and insure your itmes?
If so do AFA charge you import duties that they occur?
Or do you send just normal international parcels and risk it?

 

[Paul-itoy]

If so do AFA charge you import duties that they occur?

As far as I know the US doesn't have the same import laws so duty isn't an issue in that direction.

 

[Grant]

Correct Paul in the US they dont pay import duties on things like we do.
I always send items with a tracking number so i can check on them at all times.
AFA just return your item as a return so you should not get hit with any import duties.
Parcel Force charge up to £60 for items insured up to £2500 which aint bad.

Grant.

 

[jaymassive619]

What service do you ask the AFA to use when they return your item via their postal system in the U.S.A?

IS there a choice or do they only use one method??


I'm just asking out of curiosity as many know AFA just isn't my thing.

Jay

 

[Capetown]

What service do you ask the AFA to use when they return your item via their postal system in the U.S.A?

IS there a choice or do they only use one method??


I'm just asking out of curiosity as many know AFA just isn't my thing.

Jay

I thought you had to use UPS to have it sent back to you without using fees. At least that is what it said in the instructions on their site. But I only ever had one thing sent to AFA to be (re-)cased, so I'm also a newbie at this.

 

[stevemac1976]

When i used to send stuff to AFA i always used a trackable postal service so Airsure is good. I did send one parcel that was too big for royal mail and it had to go via parcel force and that was expensive.

As for what they do - i beleive you have the option to choose the method for return shipping and once your parcel is ready they charge the credit card detaisl that you give. Value wise - it depends what you put down on your submission forms - they will use this toensure that the parcel is correctly insured.

Finally, they do put a note on the parcel to state that you sent it to them for a service and that the cases are free so all you have paid for is there time. I have had a couple of parcels that have been opened by the UK customs but never any charges.

Steve

 

[Lee Gregory]

Thanks for the advice and comments,will send a few pieces off when I get around to it.

 

[Paul-itoy]

Yeah, thanks, all very useful information.

Whilst i'm not a big fan of AFA cased figures, I have a couple that warrant been protected better and a bit more knowledge has helped. Thanks again.