Worst ever experience getting deck through customs?

earthair, in sympathy.

I've never had a problem with V by V except in its early days when it didn't pop up everywhere and I kept forgetting my password.

gregory said:

If a commercial seller (and this includes ebay for customs purposes) puts gift on the package, they can be done for fraud. I don't expect them to take that risk - though I am hugely grateful to those who do. I also like those who "forget" to check either box...

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When I sell, I find I can't "forget" because the woman behind the P.O. counter always double-checks that I've completed the form fully.

I didn't mean I'd *expect* the seller to misrepresent - but when it's a private sale, rather than a business, it's easier. I would like sellers to pay the tax, even if they charge me for it (which I'd expect them to and I'd count it in the postage costs), because then it's already paid when it gets to the UK and that avoids the £8 fee on top. But I've never persuaded one to do that. It's not that they can't, HMRC told me they can.

gregory said:

Am I the ONLY person here who has NEVER had a problem with paypal except for one chargeback

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I've never had trouble with PayPal and have found refunds straightforward through them. (Did I whinge about them?) Haven't sold enough to happen upon any of those rogue buyers. My only gripe with PayPal is that you can't download your accounts in a software-friendly format (QIF) but you can if you're in the USA. Why so?! I asked, and the reason is apparently that you can't. I asked when they would change that, and the answer was that you can't do it except if you're in the USA. Why do I have to fiddle with comma-separated text and putting all my own seller names in manually just because I'm not American?

And their help area is pretty useless. They reply, but that was my experience of their replies, and for most things there's only a community forum of people who know exactly as much as I did anyway.

But for just using, they're trouble-free.

Thoughtful said:

l really want to order the new upcoming tarot from seven stars has anyone had to pay extra on the shipment from her. Is this all a game of chance?

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When the seller labels things as commercial goods or whatever the wording is (being scrupulously truthful, I mean), I believe it is chance. They don't pick up every one, maybe 1 in 3 - in my experience.

From these experiences, I would offer the following advice to sellers/buyers between US and UK-
1. Don't bother paying extra for quick or signed for or tracked, because the customs charges are charged on the value of the item, plus the postage...and the further irony is that UK customs held up both my packages by 3 days while they charged me for the privilege. Even more reason not to pay for tracked is that the information online is totally wrong most of the time anyway.
2. Customs charges from outside the EU start on items with a value of more than £15. So mark the deck value as zero or £5 and that leaves £10 for economy postage- after all , second hand prices are all subjective anyway.
3. Mark it 'gift' as then the lower limit for charging rises to £36.
4. If you go over £135 you will be charged import duty too.
5. Customs use exchange rates which are favourable to them.

I'm in the UK and I've just bought an oracle deck from Australia. I've arrived home today to find a letter from Parcelforce stating that I have to pay £67.46 import VAT plus £13.50 clearance fee making a total of £80.96.

I paid £43.31 for the deck including shipping.

Has the world gone mad or is it just me? I've emailed the seller to ask what value they put on the customs form.

Does anyone know what happens if I just don't pay it? I don't want to end up still having to pay the charge if the deck gets sent back because I don't pay the charges.

I got a customs charge again through Royal Mail for Gamecrafter again today . Last time I use them because the VAT was tiny (£4) and RM still made me pay £8 which is their handling on anything!

avalonian, I can't work out how that amount is possible! If you don't pay it, after 3 or 4 weeks it will be returned to the sender. It might be worth doing that if you don't want to pay but you won't get a refund on the deck or postage Wait that is Royal Mail, I found out later that Parcelforce charge storage fees so you need to deal with it cos they charge you storage after 10 days holding!

I can't work out how they got that figure, ask them for a breakdown!

amount is under £135 so no import duty.
You are charged for anything over £15 and including the delivery cost. So that is £43.31 - £15 = £28.31. 20% VAT of that is £5.66

so you owe in customs £5.66
parcel force handling charge is £8 according to their site here or maybe the £13.50 for an express parcel? but they can charge you storage fees for goods held over 10 days! should be £13.66 owed surely? or £13.50 + £5.66.

I would immediately contact them and ask how it can be £80.96! also if you don't want it ask them to return to sender or destroy it now!

earthair said:

Actually, it is

In an experiment, next time I ship out to non-uk I'm going to change my usual 'safe' description of book+cards or whatever, and write 'Evil occult stuff plus pre-cursed Tarot cards which you open at your own risk' on the customs declaration

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Not smart.

avalonian said:

Has the world gone mad or is it just me?

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It is the world. Definitely not you.

I think you've broken the record!

Get an itemised breakdown, as Daniel says - if you're lucky it may even be a typo and should read £6.46? (Which happens to be 15%. Not sure if import tax is the same rate as other VAT - I know it varies for some things, can't remember what categories but it can be 5% for specific kinds of thing. So maybe this is 15%? Fingers crossed!)

I would hate to suggest that Parcelforce lie about the numbers to take advantage of the many people who will just pay up and grumble into their teacups without disputing it... ooh, slap my wrist.

If they don't reply straight away, it's probably worth asking the CAB what the rules are so at least you know whether PF are applying them correctly and slapping their own clearance fee (I presume that's their own fee?) is within their rights too.

Good luck, I hope you can reduce the extras and still get the deck you want at a total price you can stomach.

UK VAT is currently 20%, I don't think tarot decks would be the reduced rate or the 0% rate sadly! although obviously they should be as an essential!

danieljuk said:

UK VAT is currently 20%, I don't think tarot decks would be the reduced rate or the 0% rate sadly! although obviously they should be as an essential!

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Aha, you got me googling and you know more about it than I did. I'd only seen the 5% on something without remembering that it was stuff like disability aids, domestic fuel etc. I've learnt something! But yep, tarot decks really ought to be in the 0% bracket.

The strange thing is that on the Parcelforce website it says it cleared customs, then customs charges were raised, then it was released from customs, then a minute later revised customs charges were raised.

The really annoying thing is that to raise the issue with customs I'll have to pay the charge because I need the label as proof.

From what I can gather, Parcelforce pay customs, then we repay Parcelforce. Looks like I'll have to pay it and then sort it out.

Thanks for the reassurance that something has gone wrong. I foresee an interesting conversation with Customs.

avalonian said:

The strange thing is that on the Parcelforce website it says it cleared customs, then customs charges were raised, then it was released from customs, then a minute later revised customs charges were raised.

The really annoying thing is that to raise the issue with customs I'll have to pay the charge because I need the label as proof.

From what I can gather, Parcelforce pay customs, then we repay Parcelforce. Looks like I'll have to pay it and then sort it out.

Thanks for the reassurance that something has gone wrong. I foresee an interesting conversation with Customs.

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Interesting indeed! Don't give up. Best of luck!