Attention UK boardies...what's the deal with "import tax" on US packages?

[Inhuman Fiend]

Been selling on eBay to the fine folks in the UK for over 10 years and have never heard this, but a buyer of a $375 book sent me this email after he picked up his package:

 

Dear gscharlach,

Just picked up the comic, looks great!

And the charge was £60, that's almost 100 dollars, it was 'import tax'.

Still, I left positive feedback. Comics great and well packed.

thanks.

Ian.

 

WTF? Never have I heard of a UK buyer having to pay any kind of import tax on comic books...is this new for 2012?

 

Thanks, Greg

[goldust40]

It's basically his problem. I always stress to U.S. sellers that it is imperative to make sure that UK customs are aware that the package contains a comic book - I usually leave a note asking for them to write "old book" on the customs description form.

 

Here's the explanation why (copied and pasted from an old PM)....

 

I've had thousands of packages sent with that description (old book, old comic, etc.). You can declare the full value of the item, that is absolutely no problem. This is not about hiding anything from customs, but quite the opposite - they have to know it is a book, and not merchandise. This is just to make sure that they do not wilfully misinterpret what the item is, as they would then charge me duty which I should not have to pay (as books and comics are zero-VAT and duty rated in the UK).

 

 

Obviously I don't know what you wrote on the customs form (you may have written the right thing, and customs still ended up wrongfully charging the purchaser) but writing "old book" etc. for UK transactions is the way to go. And the buyer can still claim his money back (minus a £8 non-refundable surcharge) if he sends the customs red label on the package along with proof (Paypal receipt, auction page) that the item is a comic book to the address on said red label.

[Inhuman Fiend]

Thanks very much! (thumbs u

 

I always write "vintage comic book" but will now put "old book" on the customs form.

[goldust40]

(thumbs u

[Comicopolis]

It's basically his problem. I always stress to U.S. sellers that it is imperative to make sure that UK customs are aware that the package contains a comic book - I usually leave a note asking for them to write "old book" on the customs description form.

 

Here's the explanation why (copied and pasted from an old PM)....

 

I've had thousands of packages sent with that description (old book, old comic, etc.). You can declare the full value of the item, that is absolutely no problem. This is not about hiding anything from customs, but quite the opposite - they have to know it is a book, and not merchandise. This is just to make sure that they do not wilfully misinterpret what the item is, as they would then charge me duty which I should not have to pay (as books and comics are zero-VAT and duty rated in the UK).

 

 

Obviously I don't know what you wrote on the customs form (you may have written the right thing, and customs still ended up wrongfully charging the purchaser) but writing "old book" etc. for UK transactions is the way to go. And the buyer can still claim his money back (minus a £8 non-refundable surcharge) if he sends the customs red label on the package along with proof (Paypal receipt, auction page) that the item is a comic book to the address on said red label.

 

What he said.

[chromium]

I have to get people to write "children's books" on the customs label to avoid duty (but not tax) as "comic books" are for some insane reason incorporated in the "toys" section which is subject to 32% tax + duty

[nocutename]

I have to get people to write "children's books" on the customs label to avoid duty (but not tax) as "comic books" are for some insane reason incorporated in the "toys" section which is subject to 32% tax + duty

 

That's what I always write is Children's Books on any customs form.

[DiceX]

I've always claimed "Used Magazine" on the custom form and never had anyone complain.

 

 

[chromium]

I've always claimed "Abused Magazine" on the custom form and never had anyone complain.

 

 

 

[goldust40]

I have to get people to write "children's books" on the customs label to avoid duty (but not tax) as "comic books" are for some insane reason incorporated in the "toys" section which is subject to 32% tax + duty

 

If a seller writes down the title of the comic on the form without mentioning that the item is actually a comic, then U.K. customs automatically assumes that it must be a toy.

 

And charge about half the percentage that Belgian customs would. 32% is brutal.

[999ghosts]

I have to get people to write "children's books" on the customs label to avoid duty (but not tax) as "comic books" are for some insane reason incorporated in the "toys" section which is subject to 32% tax + duty

 

Or legal thieft as I like to call it.

[Ken Aldred]

Some of the variations that have been problem-free down the years...

 

- Books

- Old comic books

- Printed matter

 

All are completely legitimate here in the UK.

[bane]

I have to get people to write "children's books" on the customs label to avoid duty (but not tax) as "comic books" are for some insane reason incorporated in the "toys" section which is subject to 32% tax + duty

 

If a seller writes down the title of the comic on the form without mentioning that the item is actually a comic, then U.K. customs automatically assumes that it must be a toy.

 

And charge about half the percentage that Belgian customs would. 32% is brutal.

 

Thats what happened to me, I bought 3 slabs from the U.S. and they wrote on the customs form "Batman #xxx CGC 9.8" and slapped me with the VAT.

 

Got it back but its a pain in the .

[Ken Aldred]

Better to keep the description more generic.

[Dick Pontoon]

I've always used "printed matter - comic book" and had no problems.

[brendanb438]

Any idea how UK customs would respond if you wrote for the description Smut Magazine?

[goldust40]

Any idea how UK customs would respond if you wrote for the description Smut Magazine?

 

As long as the customs description made it clear that it was solely printed matter with nothing err, foreign on the pages....

[asteroid-comix]

I actually had this happen with another boardie in Canada. I put "old book" on the customs form and they hit him with a import tax. I've never heard of anyone getting comics shipped to CA from the US running into this in the past.

 

Maybe customs is tightening up?

 

 

(I've been waiting to use the face palm )

[goldust40]

I actually had this happen with another boardie in Canada. I put "old book" on the customs form and they hit him with a import tax. I've never heard of anyone getting comics shipped to CA from the US running into this in the past.

 

Maybe customs is tightening up?

 

 

(I've been waiting to use the face palm )

 

Canada probably has even stricter import laws than the U.K.....

[AnastasiasCollect]

I used to ship to canada by UPS because of the cheap ground shipping rate. Problem was the nailed the buyer with import tax every time. Once I even lowballed saying it was worth $20 and they still somehow charged my buyer $40 in import taxes. Now that I ship using EMS it costs more but I've never had a problem with a buyer having to pay import tax even once.