After a point raised in another thread, I thought it might be handy to compile a list of the various import taxes which are applied in various countries.
So, if you're outside the UK (or have knowledge of a particular country), please post what you would normally have to pay in the form of any import tax, handling fees, etc. I know these can vary depending on what you're importing and where from, but if we focus on wargaming products, and bought from the UK for now, that'd be great!
:-bd
Thailand is all over the place; frequently no tax, sometimes a trifle (like half the price of a 'bus ticket), and then the odd stinger of up to 25%. I import quite a lot I can't get here - wargames figures, Japanese woodblocks, CDs. The same taxation policy for all.
Hello
In Australia the GST (Goods and Services Tax - similar to VAT) for overseas purchases kicks in at $1000, however currently retailers are campaigning to have it dropped down to $30 because they are finding that years of unbridled profit margins and slashed customer services haven't prepared them to survive in the Internet age :P :P :P :P.
It would be a very brave (hands up 'Yes Minister' fans) government to bring in this change. Also it would likely cost more to collect than it would raise in revenue.
Cheers
GrumpyOldMan
South Korea is hit or miss. I've been contacted by customs on two occasions but only when ordering 28mm stuff from Gripping Beast. They thought that perhaps it was a sneaky way to import lead for making bullets. My wife promptly told them that it was for her husband's "Toys". :-[
Nothing came of it and no duty was paid.
The second time was when I ordered a bunch of resin dark age buildings from Gripping Beast. I had to fork over about 10 pounds in duty.
Never had to pay anything for 10mm though. It is one of the reasons that I've been switching to smaller scales; shipping for 28mm metals can be prohibitive.
I hope this helps.
Mark me down as a Yes, Minister devotee.
In the U.S., I've never paid any import duty on anything I've purchased in the 12 years I've been buying direct from the UK.
For NZ our customs advise...
MINIMUM DUTY COLLECTABLE - Customs does not collect tariff duty and GST where the total payable (tariff duty plus GST combined) on any one importation is less than $60.
Which in English means that I can bring in upto $400 of equipment before I need to pay GST at 15%.
in China, no tax for personal goods (ie value under 100 pounds), if more: it's to the appreciation of the customs. Once, they refused to release the packet and it was sent back to Leon. Another time, I had to pay an extra 40 pounds to the customs.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 24 September 2012, 12:43:26 AM
Mark me down as a Yes, Minister devotee.
Ditto !
Quote from: far4ngn on 24 September 2012, 02:13:37 AM
For NZ our customs advise...
Which in English means that I can bring in upto $400 of equipment before I need to pay GST at 15%.
That doesn't seem too bad....though I haven't checked the rate of the NZ$ to the pound yet !
Quote from: Le Manchou on 24 September 2012, 04:22:23 AM
in China, no tax for personal goods (ie value under 100 pounds), if more: it's to the appreciation of the customs. Once, they refused to release the packet and it was sent back to Leon. Another time, I had to pay an extra 40 pounds to the customs.
Ouch ! :'(
But from what some of the forum members have written, it looks like it depends which side of bed the appropriate custom official has got out of that particular morning !
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Techno on 24 September 2012, 07:54:45 AM
But from what some of the forum members have written, it looks like it depends which side of bed the appropriate custom official has got out of that particular morning !
Cheers - Phil.
Yep, unfortunately that does seem the case. It used to be like that here as well upto a few months ago even, but they've really clamped down on all packages now.
:(
Its a bit of a lotto here in Canada, and I don't think I have had a pendraken order pulled over.
Orders over 20$ are eligible to be charged Harmonized Sales Tax (15% here in Nova Scotia) plus a 5$ handling fee. This is collected at whatever postal retail outlet (usually in the back of a drug store or the like) is holding your parcel. I've never had anything in an envelope charged, nor anything with a value less than 20 *anythings* since they don't bother doing currency conversions.
The most consistent source of charges I have had is on orders from a US company that has a skull logo. Go figure :D
That's by mail. Anything by courier, the courier charges a customs brokerage fee of $15-25 even if there is no duty or HST.
Quote from: Shecky on 24 September 2012, 02:04:50 AM
In the U.S., I've never paid any import duty on anything I've purchased in the 12 years I've been buying direct from the UK.
You happy one, when I imported a Hotz Mats Mat, I´ve payed 19% for the Mat and 19 % for Post & Package.
Otherwise, when I order in the UK, it is all Tax free due to the European Union....
Austria here, no import taxes. EU and all of that. :)
Yup the documented level is $400 NZD before GST however I have had orders in over recent months higher than that and got through okay.
For the english gentry current exchange rates about .52p per NZD, heaps better than the days of 28p per NZD...and I was buyign 28s back then! (80's -90's)...yes I'm an old fart :'(
QuoteAustria here, no import taxes. EU and all of that.
Luxembourg calling, ditto. :)
Norway:
25% VAT equivalent for orders over about £20 (200 NOK) based on exchange rate on the day the package hits the Customs. Add another £20 for handling of fees, so either major buys or splitting orders to get under the aprox £20 limit and gladly paying the extra postage for keeping it under the Customs limit.
Just put my first order in and bought an Army pack for Sudan to get a crack at the 2013 comp, checking the exange rate, its touch and go after the automatically deduction of the British VAT. :)
:-bd for Pendraken to undertake that particular exercise. Never had it automatically done before. :-bd
Quote from: lentulus on 25 September 2012, 01:59:37 AM
Its a bit of a lotto here in Canada, and I don't think I have had a pendraken order pulled over.
Orders over 20$ are eligible to be charged Harmonized Sales Tax (15% here in Nova Scotia) plus a 5$ handling fee. This is collected at whatever postal retail outlet (usually in the back of a drug store or the like) is holding your parcel. I've never had anything in an envelope charged, nor anything with a value less than 20 *anythings* since they don't bother doing currency conversions.
The most consistent source of charges I have had is on orders from a US company that has a skull logo. Go figure :D
That's by mail. Anything by courier, the courier charges a customs brokerage fee of $15-25 even if there is no duty or HST.
This counts for me too. I haven't had a Pendraken order stopped, but I have had other orders stopped and ended up paying an extra $20-25 on top. Orders sent by the normal post office tend to be ok generally, especially if the post form has gift or a value under $25 written on it. If I'm ordering something from a company that sends out using something like UPS, I email them to ask them to put it in the normal post instead - couriers like UPS rip people off by charging courier fees, taxes on those fees and a handling charge - I've been charged over $30 on a $20 order before, and some at the club have faced even worse - charges around $100 in total.
Quote from: HPFlashman on 21 January 2013, 03:42:44 AM
:-bd for Pendraken to undertake that particular exercise. Never had it automatically done before. :-bd
I'm not sure how that bit works, as there isn't any info on the packages to show whether VAT has been applied or not?
Quote from: Nick the Lemming on 21 January 2013, 12:51:44 PM
...I email them to ask them to put it in the normal post instead - couriers like UPS rip people off by charging courier fees, taxes on those fees and a handling charge - I've been charged over $30 on a $20 order before, and some at the club have faced even worse - charges around $100 in total.
Yeah, we get quite a few emails of a similar nature, it's ridiculous some of the charges the couriers apply.
Quote from: Leon on 21 January 2013, 02:09:48 PM
I'm not sure how that bit works, as there isn't any info on the packages to show whether VAT has been applied or not?
I was probably a bit unclear in my initial statment, its the shopping cart solution that probably deducts the VAT for non-EU countries or some such stuff. This brings the Army deal down to £21ish, and at the current exchange rate, its a hair under the Norwegian VAT line. :D
Quote from: HPFlashman on 21 January 2013, 03:34:37 PM
I was probably a bit unclear in my initial statment, its the shopping cart solution that probably deducts the VAT for non-EU countries or some such stuff. This brings the Army deal down to £21ish, and at the current exchange rate, its a hair under the Norwegian VAT line. :D
Do you have to show the order to the post office then, because there's nothing on the package to show how much it's worth, or whether VAT has been applied? How do they know the value of the package?
As from Pendraken, I dont know yet as the one Sudan army I ordered yesterday was my first order, but if they think the shipment contains goods, eligible for VAT and not declared by the seller or suspiciously declared, I will get a summon to the Customs house that have an attached mail office and have to show proof of value for the shipment and based on the value, either pony up or just pick up the package. :(
Quote from: HPFlashman on 21 January 2013, 05:19:49 PM
As from Pendraken, I dont know yet as the one Sudan army I ordered yesterday was my first order, but if they think the shipment contains goods, eligible for VAT and not declared by the seller or suspiciously declared, I will get a summon to the Customs house that have an attached mail office and have to show proof of value for the shipment and based on the value, either pony up or just pick up the package. :(
We don't get many orders from Norway, so I've just had a check, and there'll be a Customs label on the package with the value on it, so no worries there.
8)
Its not paying the VAT I object too its the additional £8 the Post Office charge to collect the vat, regarddless of how little VAT is being paid
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 22 January 2013, 03:11:49 PM
Its not paying the VAT I object too its the additional £8 the Post Office charge to collect the vat, regarddless of how little VAT is being paid
That bugs me as well, especially when I'm regularly bringing things into the UK. I've asked them why it can't be done on account, with the items just being scanned and added to my bill, without the need for handling fees and all that nonsense, but they don't seem to have an answer.
It's especially daft when you consider that any business is completely responsible for declaring their own VAT, thousands of £'s a quarter, but they can't do import VAT any other way than paying at the desk.
I had to pay out £100+ yesterday to collect my decal restock, so this one's fresh in the rant queue!
:D
I agree with that notion, Justafew.
We get to pay the equivalent to between £12 and 17 in handling fees, even if the VAT for a small order would be substantial less than the handling bit. :o
Very nice its not... >:(