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GorillaZilla

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Ello there, I'm looking to pick up some T-bone front and rear bumpers for my Hyper ST directly from T-bone Racing

Is the below £18 threshold to avoid customs charges based ONLY off the value of the goods, or is it based off the value of the goods AND shipping combined?

If I order both at the same time, It comes to $24.90 Value of goods

Which translates to £16 which is under the £18 threshold and would slip through customs unmolested and avoid the potential £14 handling fees of Royal Fail.

However there is A $5.95 (£3.82) in shipping which puts the total order to $38.50 (£19.82)

Which at £19.82 is above the £18 threshold....

Thanks for any info on this :-)

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technically.... yes

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 (please note: With effect from 1 November 2011 the £18 threshold will be reduced to £15). 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

http://customs.hmrc....ument#P123_9698

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Technically yes. But even the rule sticklers in America only ever mark the value of the goods, not goods plus postage. Had 2 sets from t bone directly, both over 18 with post, under without, but they declared the without. I've not had a USA seller that has included postage.

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Only afraction of what gets shipped by 'joe public' is going to get stopped. If they stopped and checked everything it would cost them a fortune to do and take forever. HMR&C know the score.

They will hit the big obvious stuff, and those nice little packets slip quietly through :)

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Only afraction of what gets shipped by 'joe public' is going to get stopped. If they stopped and checked everything it would cost them a fortune to do and take forever. HMR&C know the score.

They will hit the big obvious stuff, and those nice little packets slip quietly through :)

So a Vorza from the States may actually slip through do you think?

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Who knows, seems to be hit and miss. I always declare at correct value and have had higher value packages without charge and £25 one's stopped to be paid for.

On international shipping the postage should be declared on the customs label, I thought, so don't really matter what the invoice value is declared at, they'll be able to add the price of postage easily.

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I think I'll bottle it too, it will only cost £21.20 shipped to order and ship both front and rear bumpers separately a few days apart to ensure they ship separately at different times.

Vs £19.20 ordered together with the risk of 20% VAT on top then a Whopping big £12 fee slapped on top by Royal Fail

Which would end up with them costing more like £35.....

Not worth risking just to save a measly £2.....

I wouldn't mind being fair to the law, and ordering them together at £19.20 If i could Pre Pay the 20% VAT (+£4ish)

so they would just swish straight past the hungrily reaching arms of the Royal Fail legalized theft office.... Because its the Royal Fail Robbery Fee I have an issue with, not the VAT.

Edited by GorillaZilla
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i got nailed for £8 on some gaskets totalling $4. sometimes you gotta take the hit. i just got some integy steel cvd's for my merv, bought 2 packs and got them to ship them separately as it was only $3 to post each pack so that was cool.

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Having spoken directly to HMRC, I can tell you it is value of goods plus postage, this is because the postage is also a product that you've purchased abroad. It ain't nice, but not much you can do, as others have said, It's hit and miss as rhe resources needed to check every package would far out weigh the revenue it generated. I'd love to order something big like a Losi 5 from abroad and pay nowt in duties, but unless you've got a family member or friend to post it to you with a big fat lie on the declaration, It's too risky.

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i snuck a super tank through once it cost £3.99+7,000,000p&p don't know how they missed that...............................................................

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