Importing from the US

[Netvaper]

My understanding is no US sales tax is applied to purchases made in the US by customers outside the US but both UK duty (if the value of the goods is over £135) and VAT is payable on arrival of the goods here before they will be delivered. I couldn't find anything with regard to such imports and TPD regs so I assume they don't apply.

I was wondering if any of you have imported kit or juice from the US and how it all panned out for you?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mitz]

Yes, many times. Bought most my juice from there for a couple years but stopped a while back. The charges a̶r̶e̶ were correct u̶n̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶l̶u̶c̶k̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶p̶a̶s̶s̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶u̶n̶c̶h̶a̶l̶l̶e̶n̶g̶e̶d̶.̶ ̶H̶a̶p̶p̶e̶n̶s̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶r̶a̶r̶e̶l̶y̶.̶ TPD doesn't apply because you're not buying from within the UK.


Edited to add strikethrough. Haven't ordered since pre-January so haven't accounted for the Brexit import changes pdg has brought up.

 

[Leni]

VAT + “handling fee” (ransom) payable on delivery from memory

 

[Mitz]

VAT + “handling fee” (ransom) payable on delivery from memory

Was around £8 for me as I recall. Don't know if it varies by carrier as only ordered from the same source every time.

 

[Deleted member 58360]

Rules have changed with imports...

Under £135 (no lower limit as far as I can see) per consignment the seller has to charge vat now.

If they don't do the vat etc. then goods are subject to seizure - customs and excise will only deal with it if over £135.

 

[dovpo_uk]

VAT + “handling fee” (ransom) payable on delivery from memory

I’ve always refused to pay the handling fee.

there is a template email somewhere on Google and it states that your happy to pay tax but not handling fee as it’s not disclosed in the shipping costs.

 

[Netvaper]

Thanks for the replies.

The US vendor of liquids I'm looking at states on their site "it is not responsible and cannot pay the duty fees and taxes that your country may require for imported goods". It also says only USPS (US Post Office) ships vaping products internationally from the US and they use the local post office to complete the delivery.

So based on that it seems the £8 handling fee mentioned above is for Royal Mail to collect any duty and VAT on behalf of HMRC, if you don't pay it appears the item is returned to the sender who may or may not give you a refund.

 

[Netvaper]

Yes, many times. Bought most my juice from there for a couple years but stopped a while back. The charges a̶r̶e̶ were correct u̶n̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶l̶u̶c̶k̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶p̶a̶s̶s̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶u̶n̶c̶h̶a̶l̶l̶e̶n̶g̶e̶d̶.̶ ̶H̶a̶p̶p̶e̶n̶s̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶r̶a̶r̶e̶l̶y̶.̶ TPD doesn't apply because you're not buying from within the UK.


Edited to add strikethrough. Haven't ordered since pre-January so haven't accounted for the Brexit import changes pdg has brought up.

How much was the shipping?

 

[Mitz]

How much was the shipping?

It crept up over the period I used them. Started off around $25 then $30 and I think it was about $33 when I stopped using them. They were very good tho. It was breazy.com. Just had a look and for the same amount of liquid now it's $71 minimum for USPS.

 

[Deleted member 58360]

Thanks for the replies.

The US vendor of liquids I'm looking at states on their site "it is not responsible and cannot pay the duty fees and taxes that your country may require for imported goods". It also says only USPS (US Post Office) ships vaping products internationally from the US and they use the local post office to complete the delivery.

So based on that it seems the £8 handling fee mentioned above is for Royal Mail to collect any duty and VAT on behalf of HMRC, if you don't pay it appears the item is returned to the sender who may or may not give you a refund.

Give it a shot - you never know, your order may turn up before 1st January 2021 when the vendor's disclaimer was still valid...