Customs

[Nellyphant]

Does anyone know how much you can spend in the US and have it shipped without getting collared by customs?

I've read it somewhere, but can't remember where for the life of me!

Thanks in advance.

[cw18]

About £18 (plus postage).... but you have to allow for customs using an exchange rate on the day they process it, so if we're running at £1=$2 as you order and £1=$1.50 when it arrives you could get hammered on a $30 order......

[asma_k]

£18 isn't much - I wish the government would wake up and increase it a bit! Mind you, you get sooo much more for your money over there!

[clairewill]

I bought a cricut cartridge from USA (from the well-known auction site) which came to about $39, so just over £18. The customs charge was over £11 - OUCH (tried to sweet talk the royal mail man but he wouldn't let me have it otherwise!) Complete shock as well, never had the problem before with cricut cartridges, but the sellers will usually mark it as a gift on the customs declaration!!

[NikiB]

but the sellers will usually mark it as a gift on the customs declaration!!

Just so people are aware though this is from the HM Revenue and Customs website

Note: Some unscrupulous overseas suppliers openly advertise on the internet, or on their websites that they will deliberately either misdescribe items or underdeclare their value in order to evade customs charges that are legally due on importation. You should be aware that although the foreign sender may have completed the customs declaration form on the parcel you are regarded (in law) as the importer of the goods and responsible for the information on the declaration, and any customs charges that may be due. This means that if you purchase goods from these suppliers and the declaration is found to be false or misleading you may be liable to financial penalties or criminal prosecution. Furthermore the goods themselves will be liable to forfeiture. It is in your own interests to ensure Customs declarations are completed properly.

[stillscrapping]

Complete shock as well, never had the problem before with cricut cartridges, but the sellers will usually mark it as a gift on the customs declaration!!

Unfortunately by doing that they are putting you at risk of being prosecuted for tax avoidance. Customs are having a big crack down this year on small imported packages (so I have heard anyway) so be careful. It's not the sender in the US who gets hit with a fine and excess charges but you!

[cw18]

I never ask anyone to mark as gift or put a value below what I've paid -- but I do ask that they put what I paid rather than the full RRP, and that they don't include the shipping charge in the figure. I've had some where they put the RRP (in one case they even put the UK RRP rather than the US one, but put a $ symbol in front of it!!!!) and included shipping which pushed the figure well above the £18 mark -- but luckily they didn't get charged.

But I've been told that should I get charged on one labelled incorrectly, then providing I can produce an invoice to prove what I paid I should be able to claim a full (or partial) refund depending on the value I can prove.

[cw18]

It's not the sender in the US who gets hit with a fine and excess charges but you!

Which I think is totally wrong, as I have no control over what the sender writes on the label

[Tinaborder]

I've had packages of up to £70 frequently without getting charged!

[craftyfeeling]

does this work if you are actually getting a gift from the states I have family over there and have just asked for cricut carts for my birthday in april... Will i get charged.. :-(

[cw18]

From 19 July 2007, excise duty is due on all excise goods (including tobacco and alcohol products) received via post from abroad, including occasional gifts and goods ordered online.


so yes -- you could get charged for presents too......

[craftyfeeling]

oh bum! as my dd often says!

jayne

[Tinaborder]

does this work if you are actually getting a gift from the states I have family over there and have just asked for cricut carts for my birthday in april... Will i get charged.. :-(

Less likely to get charged if they are sent individually

[renniwano]

Just a question regarding customs... does anyone have a phone number for them in the UK.. I have been waiting on a parcel * a pencil sharpener of all things * for over a month now.. and the seller hasn't done anything other than offer me a tracking number *which cannot be used as it was sent first class US to UK mail* so think I need to call customs with that number and find out where it is.. but have tried on the net for the number and haven't a clue which is which..

TIA
Nikki

[suttyscrappers]

Just a question regarding customs... does anyone have a phone number for them in the UK.. I have been waiting on a parcel * a pencil sharpener of all things * for over a month now.. and the seller hasn't done anything other than offer me a tracking number *which cannot be used as it was sent first class US to UK mail* so think I need to call customs with that number and find out where it is.. but have tried on the net for the number and haven't a clue which is which..

TIA
Nikki

first class mail international is the replacement for surface mail, airmail letter and parcel post. It is 'supposed' to now be a completely air service but depending on the volume of post on a particular day some things are still being sent via surface. Tracking numbers are only available for priority mail and faster services so if your item is first class mail then what the seller has probably given you is the custom form number. I used to buy lots from over the pond but after the change in services the delivery times were hit and miss. I actually had 2 items from 2 people sent on the same day with the same postage cost and one got to me in 5 days and the other took 4 and a half weeks.
hth