[Duffy1207]

Hi guys.

You head-fier's have persuaded me to splash out a little and buy som UM1's. I'm 16 so UM1's are probably about the best IEM's I can afford atm. I live in the UK, and UK dealers want £89.99 for a set, or about the equivalent of $180. I found that Earphonesolutions.com do UM1's for $110, much more like it at £56ish, with $25 delivery, meaning I can get the Westones, delivery and a pack of shure black olives for about £74.

My problem is that I've heard stories of people importing relatively expensive headphones from abroad and finding themselves with a bill from customs for import tax or something like that.

Being a student, the fact I'm spending this much on headphones is laughable to my friends, and probably worthy of a beating from my dad in his eyes

. I don't want to find myself with a large bill from our good friends at customs added on top of the already fairly steep bill, meaning the long wait from ordering from the US becomes worthless, and I end up spending more than I want to.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge on the subject of customs/import duties when ordering headphones from the US to the UK? I'd like to know before I order in the next few days.

Thanks.

 

[EdZ]

Most of my experience is shipping from Japan to the UK rather than from the US, but the same rules should apply:

1. You may or may not be caught by customs if you use standard USPS/EMS/airmail/etc shipping. I've had many shipments go right through without problem, whilst others were caught and charged.
2. If they do charge you, there will usually be a flat fee (£8 for ParcelFarce or Royal Mail), plus VAT at 17.5%
3. If you use a courier like Fedex, UPS, etc, then you WILL be charged customs, and you WILL be charged a huge 'handling fee' on top of that (sometimes as high as £20!).

Going with the prices you've listed:
$135 = £68.39
If you dodge customs: £68.39
If customs catch you: £68.39 + £8 + £11.97 = £88.36
If you use UPS/Fedex: about £100.36

 

[hatethatgiraffe]

Have received lotsa stuff from US in last few weeks including FEDEX parcels and have not been charged customs EVER!!
Either i am luckiest guy alive or customs let the small parcels sail through!!
i've received RSA predator amp- declared as $40 - Thanks RAY
2x leatherman skeletool declared as $140 gift
AKG 701 -no charge either

Guess just luck of the draw

 

[Herandu]

Ask the seller to send it via EMS or whatever secure local post office method they have. Don't let them send it by FEDEX or DHL under any circumstances!
Also ask for value to be clearly marked on the Customs form or invoice, which I see is only U$25 anyhow

. If you see a different price, then you need to be slapped with Customs Duty.

 

[Duffy1207]

So basically I need to ask them to ship with a certain type of postage, or ask them to declare it as a gift.

Herandu, what exactly do you mean by you only see the value as $25?

 

[soozieq]

I've ordered twice from earphonesolutions and didn't get touched for customs. If I remember, they marked them as a gift. And delivery was within a week, pretty good from the US to the UK.

Oh yeah, and I didn't ask them to mark them as a gift - it's just how they were sent. I don't think there was an invoice in there either.

And on a sour note, I bought 2 CDs from Amazon.com (which weren't available from Amazon.co.uk) and they got held up in customs for 12 days. Then I got hit with an £11.50 fee ($23) for CDs that cost £22 ($44)

 

[Herandu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duffy1207 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Herandu, what exactly do you mean by you only see the value as $25?

Customs charges are related to the cost of the item, including postage. So IF you get slapped with import duties, it helps to have a low buying price.

 

[StevieDvd]

A couple of things to bear in mind:

1. Customs do not accept the use of marking as a 'gift' unless it's from an individual.

2. Even true gifts attract fees if over a certain price.

3. The customs fees can be small but the carrier adds on a fee for collecting the duty.

4. Shipping is included when working out the cost for duty charges

5. For all the people who dodge the duties there are some who always get hit for them.

6. Parcels via courier companies seem to attract customs more often than not, I guess it's the carrier who passed it to customs or assesses it for them.

7. Courier companies can send you an invoice some time after delivery.

See here for actual rules.

 

[tohni]

Hey, just meant to share the experience I just made. I bought from a fellow headfier from Turkey. As Turkey is part of the trade and customs union (EU), I thought no customs would apply. I was wrong though; I had to pay 20 % of the declared price. For countries outside the EU it would amount to 30%, at least in Germany. But maybe it is just that German customs are stricter than others. I guess it is safer to buy from someone fom inside the EU or, in your case, the UK. However, the nice price advantage would be gone then.

 

[jtwn]

I've always found to be levied VAT on items that pass from USPS to Parcelforce/RM. Always escape it with other couriers though

(experience from some 10-15 big purchases where there was a chance for the taxman to rob me royally).

 

[Audio-Omega]

Get them to write a lower value on the customs declaration form ?

 

[Aevum]

unless you order from china, most shops wont do that,

and its also a criminal offence in several countries, we can not recommend that you request that a shop commit a crime for you,

 

[Duffy1207]

I think I'll post a wanted in the for sale forums and if nothing comes of it I'll just go for it.

Need to order in the next week though in case delivery takes the "upto 25" days stated on the site.

Thanks for the help guys, any other contributuions would be helpful.

 

[lisnalee]

Nearly every item over $100 i've purchased from the US has had customs charges on it, I guess i'm just the one of the unlucky people who seem to get charged.

The last major thing i bought was the headroom balanced amp & dac which uk customs held to ransom for the pricely sum of £152 before they would release it.

It was worth every penny of it though

but it is something i always take into account when buying something from the US.

 

[Duffy1207]

Thanks for the help.
Only problem I'm having now is that I don't have enough posts to post a wanted thread in the for sale forum.

Good job I've been getting really into head-fi now I'm finished with exams. Hopefully I'll have 50 by the end of the week.