Buying From China

[reminder]

imagine u buy a mp3 player from a manufacturer in China on Ebay. once u receive the package in UK, do u have to pay any customs on it, such as VAT?

[ck-uk]

:unsure: vat would normaly be take from whom you purchase the item ,say ebay!!

[vidcc]

look here (http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_FAQs&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_PROD_008654#P28_3318)

you may be lucky and not get charged but technically you should have to pay

[J'Pol]

Originally posted by ck-uk@11 August 2004 - 20:52
:unsure: vat would normaly be take from whom you purchase the item ,say ebay!!
Duty / VAT will be collected by the carrier, they will ask you to pay it before your goods are released to you.

That is if you are unlucky. Or of course if the sender puts the proper details on the declaration, i.e. the description and value of the goods. ;)

[Biggles]

Originally posted by J&#39;Pol+11 August 2004 - 20:12--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (J&#39;Pol @ 11 August 2004 - 20:12)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-ck&#045;uk@11 August 2004 - 20:52
:unsure: vat would normaly be take from whom you purchase the item ,say ebay&#33;&#33;
Duty / VAT will be collected by the carrier, they will ask you to pay it before your goods are released to you.

That is if you are unlucky. Or of course if the sender puts the proper details on the declaration, i.e. the description and value of the goods. ;) [/b][/quote]
One can do a lot in the UK and get away with it, but do not try to come between Gordon and his VAT - for the knives are sharp and pointy.

This applies not only to China but items bought somewhere as close as the Channel Islands.

As J&#39;Pol said, the Carrier will collect the tax at your door.

Of course VAT is a straight forward 17.5% so if the item is very cheap then it is still worth it - assuming you are reasonably confident the supplier in China is sound.

[J'Pol]

Originally posted by Biggles+11 August 2004 - 21:19--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Biggles @ 11 August 2004 - 21:19)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by J&#39;Pol@11 August 2004 - 20:12
<!--QuoteBegin-ck&#045;uk@11 August 2004 - 20:52
:unsure: vat would normaly be take from whom you purchase the item ,say ebay&#33;&#33;
Duty / VAT will be collected by the carrier, they will ask you to pay it before your goods are released to you.

That is if you are unlucky. Or of course if the sender puts the proper details on the declaration, i.e. the description and value of the goods. ;)
One can do a lot in the UK and get away with it, but do not try to come between Gordon and his VAT - for the knives are sharp and pointy.

This applies not only to China but items bought somewhere as close as the Channel Islands.

As J&#39;Pol said, the Carrier will collect the tax at your door.

Of course VAT is a straight forward 17.5% so if the item is very cheap then it is still worth it - assuming you are reasonably confident the supplier in China is sound. [/b][/quote]
Basically there is VAT on anything that there would be VAT on in the UK, irrespective of where you buy it from.

However there is only Customs Duty on goods which are purchased from non-EU countries. There are no Customs Duties on goods traveling within the EU as it is a "common market".

Reason - Customs Duties are collected on behalf of the EU and are sent to Brussels. VAT is collected on behalf of the country itself and each country can set it&#39;s own rates.

Excise Duty is a different matter again and the subject of much controversy.