Fecking customs charges

[itfciain]

***Beware Rant***

Just been down the Post Office to collect a parcel with customs charges - hoped it was my Blue Snag that I'd been waiting a couple of weeks for. As it is , it turns out to be two figures that I purchased through eBay from the states for $36.00. I have been charged £4.44 VAT and an £8.00 handling charge basically because $36.00 = £20 and the limit (as the seller marked is as merchandise rather than a gift) is £18.00.

So I am £12.44 lighter for the experience and also it turns out that one of the two figures is not the one I bid on and is missing his weapon and is certainly not mint!!

I know that the seller is part of the RS forum as I have seen him post on there - surely, (unofficially) we can all come to an agreement that any figures should be sent as a GIFT and marked at the appropriate price so that we don't incur additional charges.

***Rant Over***

 

[weasel]

I despise customs charges, and especially the Parcelforce handling fee that you get absolutely no say over at all.
So I can sympathise, especially as I have NEVER escaped paying the bastards either!

I've had sellers OVER state the value of items before. Obviously, without telling me, and when I ask WTF they were playing at I get the old, "it was just in case it got damaged so that way we were both covered!" I really appreciated that when customs added their totally undeserved cut onto the inflated price!

 

[Imperial nut]

:x i was getting away with it for so long then i got stung for over £20 for a few troopers from an RS deal.
But now i ask first can they mark down the value, and then if so i will buy and take the chance,, i ask always for sub $15 bucks or as low as they are willing to go i have got some packages with 24 nice stormies in them marked as $6 bucks.
And when you think about it they are worth to customs feck all as they are second hand and vat/tax has already been paid the first time around. And even then if they saw they were second hand toys they would laugh if they thought they were worth $6

The last one sailed through but fingers are crossed for the next two important packages.

just keep reminding them the most important thing is the markdown. as other wise you indirectly overpay.

IF you can take the risk? fine for loose but for blue snags and carded?? dunno.

 

[DarthStanley]

Sorry to hear that Iain!

I've been stung a couple of times in the past & now i don't buy anything unless the seller agrees to mark it as a gift & put the value at $50! :lol:

Its the ridiculous royal mail £8 handling charge that really pisses me off the most! :twisted:

 

[itfciain]

Cheers mate

My ranting is over as I have just done a deal on some nice MOC's !!

I agree about the RM charge - £8.00 is a joke in itself but £8.00 as a handling fee to collect £4.44 - someone is having a laugh !

 

[starwars00]

I got stung the other week for £50, but it was to be expected as the item was $250. But to get charged that for 2 loose figures is crap, i would be totally pissed if that was me! :evil:

 

[Josh]

.

 

[DarthStanley]

This one time, at band camp...

Seriously it is ****ed that you guys get stung like that. Problem is I won't send anything valuable anymore that isn't marked at full value. I had to learn the hard way on that one. I am sure there are many others out there just like me.
Aslong as you guys wear the **** if the parcel gets lost or damaged and don't blame sellers when you can't get any coin back from insurance etc I guess it is the only way to go unfortunately...well besides paying the charges :lol:

I totally understand mate!

When i've asked sellers to mark the price down,they always say that if it gets damaged,it is only covered for the declared amount which is only fair & i would rather take the risk than pay the customs & royal mail fees.I would never whinge to a seller if something got damaged after i asked them to mark the value down!

 

[Pilgrim_uk]

Even though the customs limit is £18 for normal purchases it is £40 for gifts. They can decide that an item is not a gift and deem vatable. i.e. trying to pass off a nintendo wii or DS as a gift. Gift is not a total free waiver pass.

 

[plantman]

Ive just posted this in anaother thread but they will open the package too, if you recieve lots of parcels they will get checked. Then you have to appeal against the vat charge