Now that the UK has left Europe, it would appear that we are being clobbered for VAT. please read the article linked for further information.
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You guys seriously need to have your own little rebellion or something. I was looking at a sales flyer that was in some products from Poland. 899 euro Kitchen Aide mixers with 280 euros in VAT!! Insane. If this sort of thing was ALL the taxes you paid that would be one thing, but clearly it’s not.
I have received probably 10-20k at least in model samples over the years. And paid in customs… nothing. We just don’t do that sort of thing here. Good thing too or I would have refused them all as samples generally cost me money, etc.
Okay, since last summer I have tried to buy a few things off eBay from England. One item is a package of window glazing, about the size and thickness of a photo-etch set. Seller asked $55 for s/h and told me it was the minimum for Royal Mail, because fewer transatlantic flights due to covid. Just curious, I am looking at that item by that seller right now and he wants $28 for s/h. Yet, several other small items from England are $45 for s/h. And yet I bought two of the kits from a seller in Italy for $22 s/h.
So, if I read this right, I buy the $6 item from the UK seller, pay the $28 s/h, and eBay or UK also gouges me an extra 20% VAT???
The Brits have already had their rebellion against the EU and now they are paying for their “independence” from rules imposed by the EU.
Poland has 23% VAT
Sweden has 25% ’
Germany is at 19% I think (I get my stash fillers from Germany, go figure …) Germany also has some special rules where someone selling for less than a specific amount per year (think handicraft, artists et.c) are exempted from VAT.
Exports out of country/EU means you can deduct the VAT since VAT will be paid in the destination country.
When I buy from outside the EU I have to pay the Swedish VAT, a small percentage in customs charges and almost 10 USD in handling charges. The handling costs is the same regardless of the value of the package.
The Brits voted to leave the EU and now they are stuck with the customs/VAT issues (need to recoup the costs for the whole adventure somewhere). Some small scale dealers don’t want to deal with the hassle and are refusing to export to Britain.
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Nice to see the difference here in Oz 10% in my Country Switzerland 7.7% but for books and other everyday stuff 2.5% plus handling
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@JPTRR no it’s us in the UK who are getting shafted for 20% tax if we buy from Europe as well further afield USA, Asia etc.
before brexit it was VAT free to buy from Europe but we still got hit if buying from the USA etc. One of the reasons I generally didn’t buy much from America but I didn’t always get hit with the tax unless someone sent something through global priority airmail, then I was always having to pay the additional tax and handling fees
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It’s not for the lack of trying. Without getting into a discussion about it here is an article from a year ago asking for it. The hit to the economy and the popularity for basic income makes a VAT more likely here too and I hope I am a 100% wrong on that.
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I’ve ordered a single figure from CSM to go with a build, so I’ll see if I get hit by anything when it arrives.
Exactly the sort of thing I argued would happen and why I voted remain. Used to buy quite a lot from the continent, which used to save me quite a bit. Especially Roden, which was usually a lot cheaper. I fear those days are over. It would appear that the only winners from this will be HMRC.
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That stinks. I don’t understand VAT but know it’s there. About a decade ago I mailed a trio of 1/48 Luftwaffe bombers to a site member in Merry ole England. I don’t recall what I wrote - or did not write - on the customs slip, but the recipient had to pay tax that was equal or exceeded what he had paid for the kits plus postage. I’ve always felt bad about that.
FWIW, that same site member told me postage cost the UK ebay sellers told me they are forced to charge is BS.
I recall an article from about 10 years ago that the EU tariffs were killing the model industry because their categories lumped plastic models in with bananas, and the VAT would make importing models prohibitive.
@JPTRR it’s not your fault but the greedy UK government is hell bent on screwing us out of every penny they can.
if you go onto the British HMRC website an wade through a lot of poop, you can find tax codes which reduces the amount of tax that us British have to pay as the models come under various ten digit tax codes which identify them as “Toys” and pay a lower rate of VAT. however these codes need to be marked on the exterior of the parcel, on the little international shipping sticker that goes on the parcel as well the invoice that should be on the inside of the parcel.
it’s a little complicated but it can save you some money when you get the Royal Fail/Parcel Farce ransom demand.
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I think I was trying to be conservative. 
Yeah I do see the irony there that the government in the UK lept at the chance to hit them with additional VAT charges.
Do they call it VAT in AU? Because I mean we do have state sales tax in most states here and some of them are near 10% for sure. Some are pretty low still though. New Hampshire has no sales tax but we have higher property taxes that get you if you are a land owner (or rent from a land owner).
Sadly for the 48% of us that voted “remain”, Brexit is proving to be the first case of a country imposing economic sanctions on itself, as I’ve seen quoted on the web. But with UK/USA stuff we’ve always paid import duty on anything worth more than £39 IIRC. That even applies if it’s a gift! The duty is about the same as adding VAT, but on top there’s the handling fee that can really crush the average hobby order.
Still, they say the only two guarantees in the universe are death and taxes, and they’re not entirely certain about death…
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UKIP = United Kingdom Isolation Party
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That seems to have been that clowns plan. And after winning and causing this mess, they promptly disbanded themselves.
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No Jim they call GST and it’s a federal tax,doesn’t matter which state you live,until 2 years a go you don’t pay nothing for purchases overseas under 1000$ I think,now you pay on everything
Edited for clarity: (UKIP dissolved itself because …)
Only fools hang around to collect/suffer the fallout …
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