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Ordering GMs from the US. Pictures of the naughty nappies!

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Louise
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby Louise » Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:28 pm

50ftQueenie wrote:I have tried to look up information about import tax but there is no definitive answer. They just make very woolly statements, probably so they don't have to explain when they decide to charge you! :roll:


You have to pay import duty of 10.5% on any imported item so if the parcel gets stopped by customs you will have to pay. On top of that there is also a handling charge - RM charge about £12 and Parcel Force £8 IIRC.

Parcels can take anything up to 3/4 weeks to arrive from the US although most of mine arrive within 10 days unless customs get them then its longer.

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50ftQueenie
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby 50ftQueenie » Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:40 pm

Found this on the HMRC website:

"Value Added Tax (VAT) - Import VAT is charged at the same rate that applies to similar goods sold in the UK and applies to commercial goods over £18 in value, and on gifts that are over £40 in value. The value of the goods for import VAT is based on the:

basic value of goods, plus
postage, packing and insurance, plus
any import (Customs or Excise) duties charged"

Customs duty is only charged on items with a value of £135 or more.

My order wasn't even approaching half of £135! :giggle:

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Louise
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby Louise » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:38 pm

50ftQueenie wrote:Found this on the HMRC website:

"Value Added Tax (VAT) - Import VAT is charged at the same rate that applies to similar goods sold in the UK and applies to commercial goods over £18 in value, and on gifts that are over £40 in value. The value of the goods for import VAT is based on the:

basic value of goods, plus
postage, packing and insurance, plus
any import (Customs or Excise) duties charged"

Customs duty is only charged on items with a value of £135 or more.

My order wasn't even approaching half of £135! :giggle:


Yep that's right, you will need to pay import duty if the package gets stopped. I had to once on a parcel worth under $40 (although RM delivered it without me having to pay in the end by mistake :wine: :giggle: )

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50ftQueenie
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby 50ftQueenie » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:47 pm

So is import duty different to import VAT?! I am giving up on ordering from America. Well after my last HL order arrives! :giggle:

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Louise
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby Louise » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:54 pm

50ftQueenie wrote:So is import duty different to import VAT?! I am giving up on ordering from America. Well after my last HL order arrives! :giggle:


Yes import duty is different to VAT - it is 10.5% of the total including shipping costs and applies to all parcels imported from outside the EU. You don't have to pay VAT if the parcel only contains nappies (as they are zero rated in the UK). They are not the same thing. I have bought loads of things from the US and the only thing I have ever had stopped (apart from the one parcel of clothes I just mentioned) are our very large co-op orders so I wouldn't stop buying from the US just for that reason. :wink: :giggle:

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50ftQueenie
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby 50ftQueenie » Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:01 pm

Right I have just spoken to the HMRC advice line as it was confusing the hell out of me! I was told that if the value of the goods is under £135 and the uk VAT rate is 0% then I would have nothing to pay, even if the parcel was stopped. Which is probably what you were saying anyway Louise. Dear me, for a former financial advisor I get very muddled with tax stuff! :oops: :oops: And to be honest, it would probably take a lot more to stop me buying from Bonnie.... :wink:

Thanks for trying to explain it to me and my addled brain Louise! :D

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Sally
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby Sally » Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:14 pm

50ftQueenie wrote:Right I have just spoken to the HMRC advice line as it was confusing the hell out of me! I was told that if the value of the goods is under £135 and the uk VAT rate is 0% then I would have nothing to pay, even if the parcel was stopped. Which is probably what you were saying anyway Louise. Dear me, for a former financial advisor I get very muddled with tax stuff! And to be honest, it would probably take a lot more to stop me buying from Bonnie....


wow thats good that would make it worthwhile ordering I just thought that everything that wasn't marked as a gift would get charged?
I just paid £12.65 on £20 worth of fabric £8 was the handling charge won't be ordering fabric again !

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Louise
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby Louise » Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:46 pm

I think you are all still a bit confused. :wink: Anything that is zero VAT in the UK will not be charged import VAT but everything from outside the EU gets charged the import duty of 10.5% whether it is zero VAT or not. If you would usually pay VAT on the item in the UK you will be charged import VAT on top of that. So the advice line is correct about there being no VAT charges but haven't informed you about the import duty. We had to pay import duty on all the FnS co-op nappies.

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50ftQueenie
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Re: Ordering Goodmamas from the US.

Postby 50ftQueenie » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:00 pm

Hmmm..... I specifically asked him if there was anything at all I would have to pay and he said no, nothing. The conversation went like this...... I said "I am expecting a package from America what am I liable to pay on it?" He said "Everyone has a personal allowance of £135" I said "It's way under £135" he said "In that case the only thing you would have to pay is the VAT at the UK rate, so if the item is VAT exempt then you will have nothing to pay" I repeated back to him "nothing at all, not import duty of 10.5%?" and he said "no, nothing". Do you think that maybe something has changed recently? :-? The HMRC website says nothing about import duty it says:

"2.2 Do I have to pay import duties and/or import VAT on goods sent to me?
Most goods arriving in the UK from outside the EU are liable to any or all of the following taxes:

customs duty
excise duty
import VAT
and must be paid whether:

you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift
the goods are new or used (including antiques)
the goods are for your private use or for re-sale

I think maybe I should stop worrying about it. What will be will be eh?! :D

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