Post Brexit import experiences

[Manolito]

More and more made in UK Brands include the charge of the taxes for the EU countries in their price : solovair for the shoes, Baracuta (it sends its EU orders from Italy if i remember correctly) or Gloverall (at least that's what they write on their website). Of course the prices have raised, but at least it is transparent and there are no bad surprises with strange custom fees.

Aero Leather seems to be late in the game compared to these other famous british brands...

 

[Harris HTM]

solovair for the shoes

well I see that a pair of Solovair dealer boots (which I own and I totally recommend by the way) costs 165pounds on the Solovair UK website, which equals 196e. In their EU website they ask 200e (including taxes and free delivery) which I find not only reasonable but outstanding. I wish more companies did the same.

 

[Marc mndt]

Any updates from Aero? Do they still have the same policy regarding VAT in the EU? Any news from the "EU" website?
There is a jacket on the sale pages I've been eyeing for ages but I'm not willing to pay 24% extra - let alone lose the 24% in case I have to send it back due to fit reasons.

Here's your answer. (See highlighted text in pic)

You might want to grab that jacket right now, the factory discount on stock items will even out with the additional taxes.

 

[Harris HTM]

Here's your answer. (See highlighted text in pic)

You might want to grab that jacket right now, the factory discount on stock items will even out with the additional taxes.

View attachment 372736

Thanks Marc, do you know the exact percentage for us in the NL for leather jackets (since you've received some stuff from Greg at FL)?

 

[Marc mndt]

Thanks Marc, do you know the exact percentage for us in the NL for leather jackets (since you've received some stuff from Greg at FL)?

I payed about 22% plus €17 DHL scam costs.

 

[Harris HTM]

I payed about 22% plus €17 DHL scam costs.

Thanks Marc. 17e for "handling" fees, man I think that DHL is blessing the pro-Brexit voters...

 

[Edward]

All of the shipping companies taking things into the home country from abroad charge these "handling fees". I do resent it myself, it always feels like a gouge - and, of course, if you don't pay up, you don't get your stuff..... real pain in the bum. To be entirely fair, they *do* have to deal with the admin up front to get the goods released to them afaik, but the charge does seem rather variable depending on whom you use.

Amazon and eBay both have a system whereby you can pay everything up front with no further charges on receipt - I wish that was more commonly in use, though I'm sure it's harder for smaller companies to administer.

This is not the place to get into the politics of Brexit - house rules - but I don't think it crosses any lines to say that these complications of tax rules can be a challenge to navigate. A significant number of hobby-sellers in the UK I know have given up selling to or sourcing from the mainland rather than deal with VAT registration and such.

 

[nattevagten]

well I see that a pair of Solovair dealer boots (which I own and I totally recommend by the way) costs 165pounds on the Solovair UK website, which equals 196e. In their EU website they ask 200e (including taxes and free delivery) which I find not only reasonable but outstanding. I wish more companies did the same.

Noticed that as well. Solovair rules. Just wish Aero did the same...

 

[Marc mndt]

To be entirely fair, they *do* have to deal with the admin up front to get the goods released to them afaik, but the charge does seem rather variable depending on whom you use.

If the value of the item (plus shipping costs) doesn't exceed €150, Postnl only charges €4 handling fees.

DHL charges €17,44 irrespective of the value.

That's a huge price difference for the same service. Four times as expensive is what I'd call a scam. Looks like DHL benefits hugely from the Brexit, at our expense.

 

[Edward]

If the value of the item (plus shipping costs) doesn't exceed €150, Postnl only charges €4 handling fees.

DHL charges €17,44 irrespective of the value.

That's a huge price difference for the same service. Four times as expensive is what I'd call a scam. Looks like DHL benefits hugely from the Brexit, at our expense.

View attachment 372969

That's interesting - I'm not aware of any such regulation when it comes to importing to the UK. I imagine in your situation DHL are profiting from people not bothering to challenge it - and, of course, from the fact that in many such situations the recipient has no choice over who ends up receiving it at customs and taking it to the end buyer.

 

[Canuck Panda]

The situation sounds very similar to what US and Canada has had for the longest time.
Nordstrom would charge 20% more at check out if the stuff is shipping to Canada. Flat rate. And it made the experience a bit better because everything was up front. In reality, with brokerage fees and taxes together is 35%. So Nordstrom is taking a 15% hit just selling to Canadian customers. Same free return and exchange. Which made it easier for the customers too.
I see this type of flat rate up charges showing up at from UK stores (to EU customers). The way things are do not make sense, but it is what it is. I am surprised there is not a lot of bootlegging going on crossing the Channel. Or people are already doing that quietly, under the radar.

 

[Edward]

The situation sounds very similar to what US and Canada has had for the longest time.
Nordstrom would charge 20% more at check out if the stuff is shipping to Canada. Flat rate. And it made the experience a bit better because everything was up front. In reality, with brokerage fees and taxes together is 35%. So Nordstrom is taking a 15% hit just selling to Canadian customers. Same free return and exchange. Which made it easier for the customers too.
I see this type of flat rate up charges showing up at from UK stores (to EU customers). The way things are do not make sense, but it is what it is. I am surprised there is not a lot of bootlegging going on crossing the Channel. Or people are already doing that quietly, under the radar.

Back in the eighties you used to hear of the better-off folks heading off from the UK to places like Switzerland on holiday, and coming back with a few things undeclared. I recall a teacher telling us about a friend of hers who bought a Swiss watch as a present for a family member, then wore it on the plane home to avoid having to declare it. Used to be a lot of guitar stores in NYC had a reputation for writing receipts for half the value of a guitar so that if you did have to go through customs it would cost less. Heathrow got wise to that one, and now with most things they have experts on hand for 'real' value. (Not that that's hard to determine - most of the time for 99% of anything I've ever bought in the US, you just switch the pound sign on the average UK price for a dollar sign. At present that makes everything basically 30% cheaper in the US than here, though there was a time when the exchange rate was 2.20USD to the pound, and stuff from the US was less than half price. In those days there were people who would fly to the US to Christmas shop and save more than their plane fare. Heathrow ended up having a major tax crackdown as a result.

 

[Harris HTM]

I see this type of flat rate up charges showing up at from UK stores (to EU customers).

So far I see it there are three different cases:

a) the UK shop subtracts the british VAT, the EU customer pays 20% less (or to be correct, pays 80% of the UK price) and then has to pay the EU VAT and import fee;
b) the UK shop offers a flat rate, prepaying the EU taxes; the EU customer pays roughly the UK price (or a bit more) and no import fees;
c) the UK shop does not subtract the british VAT nor prepays EU VAT; the EU customers pays the UK price plus the EU VAT and import (thus in total roughly 20something% extra).

Since the brexit me and my girlfriend, or close friends, have used the following UK shops:
Case (a): Soldier of Fortune, Outdoor Knitwear, Herring, Pediwear, Robert Old
Case (b): Trickers, Solovair, Matches Fashion, Walker Slater
Case (c): Aero

 

[Justhandguns]

I just realised that for imports to the UK, they have raised the limit to £139 for inbound goods (except for alcohol, tobacco etc). Although most of our jackets don't fall in this category, it's still good to know. A lot of overseas companies also start having their checkout system to comply with the UK custom laws, I have just bought some electronic parts from Hong Kong, and the UK VAT was added at the point of sales (HK) already, i.e. you can't really dodge it. The good thing is, it would come straight in without any additional custom admin charges nor delays.

 

[Manolito]

In the case (b), you can also add the glove maker Dents...

 

[Harris HTM]

In the case (b), you can also add the glove maker Dents...

and the Campbells of Beauly I'm ordering from at the moment.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Back in the eighties you used to hear of the better-off folks heading off from the UK to places like Switzerland on holiday, and coming back with a few things undeclared. I recall a teacher telling us about a friend of hers who bought a Swiss watch as a present for a family member, then wore it on the plane home to avoid having to declare it. Used to be a lot of guitar stores in NYC had a reputation for writing receipts for half the value of a guitar so that if you did have to go through customs it would cost less. Heathrow got wise to that one, and now with most things they have experts on hand for 'real' value. (Not that that's hard to determine - most of the time for 99% of anything I've ever bought in the US, you just switch the pound sign on the average UK price for a dollar sign. At present that makes everything basically 30% cheaper in the US than here, though there was a time when the exchange rate was 2.20USD to the pound, and stuff from the US was less than half price. In those days there were people who would fly to the US to Christmas shop and save more than their plane fare. Heathrow ended up having a major tax crackdown as a result.

I remember the £1 = US $2 days. My first time to Europe in the early 90s. Everything seemed so expensive. If online shopping existed then it would have worked out well for our Euro members (buying from US of course).

So far I see it there are three different cases:

a) the UK shop subtracts the british VAT, the EU customer pays 20% less (or to be correct, pays 80% of the UK price) and then has to pay the EU VAT and import fee;
b) the UK shop offers a flat rate, prepaying the EU taxes; the EU customer pays roughly the UK price (or a bit more) and no import fees;
c) the UK shop does not subtract the british VAT nor prepays EU VAT; the EU customers pays the UK price plus the EU VAT and import (thus in total roughly 20something% extra).

Since the brexit me and my girlfriend, or close friends, have used the following UK shops:
Case (a): Soldier of Fortune, Outdoor Knitwear, Herring, Pediwear, Robert Old
Case (b): Trickers, Solovair, Matches Fashion, Walker Slater
Case (c): Aero

Herring, Pediwear, Trickers, Matches Fashion, Walker Slater, Aero - You have good taste sir.

 

[Harris HTM]

Herring, Pediwear, Trickers, Matches Fashion, Walker Slater, Aero - You have good taste sir.

Thank you!
Herring and Pediwear are great stores with quality in-house products as well - Herring also has great offers too often. Trickers is along with Crockett & Jones and Alden my favourite brand. Matches fashion, well this is where I buy my gf's presents from! And Walker Slater - I love their tweed products.

 

[Edward]

I remember the £1 = US $2 days. My first time to Europe in the early 90s. Everything seemed so expensive. If online shopping existed then it would have worked out well for our Euro members (buying from US of course).

I was getting USD2.2 to the pound in 2008/9; in retrospect it's environmentally shameful to admit, but there were a few things I bought from the US then I could have bought locally, but saved a fortune ordering online even with shipping and import tax.

 

[Al 916]

I just had a couple of items delivered from the USA, both via USPS and both under £110 stated value. Not a hint of a problem or fee with either.