quote:

Originally posted by hammer:
I shall certainly be curtailing my spend if I keep getting caught on relatively small transactions like I did the other week. Postage costs alone are hurting when you are paying $5 postage for a $3 card.

FYI, actual postage on 1st class international on a 2 oz "package" (which bubble mailers are considered) is a little over $6.

quote:

Originally posted by estephano:
However, the nice customs guy on the phone, who happened to be a coins collector, "mentioned casually as a thought" (he wouldn't be allowed to say that officially) that in my case he would tell the sender to mark the content as a GIFT on the custom declaration and the sender should keep the content's value just below the tax free treshold of € 45.00 (US$58.60). Like that my cards (no matter if traded or purchased) would slip through customs and clear because no customs duties would apply.

No matter how much I usually hate customs, this phone call just showed me that there are still good people working for the customs.

This is actually considered fraud in the US, as a seller would be falsifying customs documents, and is actually a federal offense, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

quote:

Originally posted by Starchild:

quote:

Originally posted by estephano:
However, the nice customs guy on the phone, who happened to be a coins collector, "mentioned casually as a thought" (he wouldn't be allowed to say that officially) that in my case he would tell the sender to mark the content as a GIFT on the custom declaration and the sender should keep the content's value just below the tax free treshold of € 45.00 (US$58.60). Like that my cards (no matter if traded or purchased) would slip through customs and clear because no customs duties would apply.

No matter how much I usually hate customs, this phone call just showed me that there are still good people working for the customs.

This is actually considered fraud in the US, as a seller would be falsifying customs documents, and is actually a federal offense, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

Exactly. Do you really think I would get away with sending 10-20 "Gifts" each week? The postal workers know what I do, I'd never get that passed them.

I do however mark trades as Gifts. As I believe we are trading gifts. But that's just me.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by igman7:

quote:

Originally posted by hammer:
I shall certainly be curtailing my spend if I keep getting caught on relatively small transactions like I did the other week. Postage costs alone are hurting when you are paying $5 postage for a $3 card.

FYI, actual postage on 1st class international on a 2 oz "package" (which bubble mailers are considered) is a little over $6.

$5/$6 either way it is getting expensive.

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:

quote:

Originally posted by Starchild:

quote:

Originally posted by estephano:
However, the nice customs guy on the phone, who happened to be a coins collector, "mentioned casually as a thought" (he wouldn't be allowed to say that officially) that in my case he would tell the sender to mark the content as a GIFT on the custom declaration and the sender should keep the content's value just below the tax free treshold of € 45.00 (US$58.60). Like that my cards (no matter if traded or purchased) would slip through customs and clear because no customs duties would apply.

No matter how much I usually hate customs, this phone call just showed me that there are still good people working for the customs.

This is actually considered fraud in the US, as a seller would be falsifying customs documents, and is actually a federal offense, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

Exactly. Do you really think I would get away with sending 10-20 "Gifts" each week? The postal workers know what I do, I'd never get that passed them.

I do however mark trades as Gifts. As I believe we are trading gifts. But that's just me.

Ed

I don't know where the line falls for trades, but I don't think that would be as much of a problem seeing as no money is being exchanged.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Starchild,

I just had this hit me for a retro PC game I bought, the game was only $4 USD. I got slugged $18 for import charges when I paid via paypal. I explained to the seller that as the item was only $4 I would not get charged customs in the UK but they couldn't do anything about it. I cancelled the purchase and got a full refund.

Pretty stupid system.

I've noticed that we have to pay a customes charge even on low value items? I've noticed a few cards with bids of around $7 which is showing Customs Charge you will have to pay at that value!!!!!!!!!!


Not sure if it's the postage(shipping) that is pushing the total over Customs Threshold or not.

I find this thread really interesting. As a UK dealer I've paid sales tax (VAT) on every single item I've bought. The reason I've had to stop buying new products is because I can't compete with US dealers who are shipping goods to the UK where collectors aren't paying those taxes. I'd love not to pay the taxes too, and have a level playing field. Maybe the eBay move, is ahead of a larger move to make everyone pay the correct tax. If everyone were, then all the UK dealers who have disappeared over the last few years would probably still be in business. None of us make a lot of money on boxes, typically my mark up is about £5(US$7.50) I don't think that's unreasonable to cover my costs.
When a box wholesales at around $50, is shipped to the UK, after tax and duty it's around £42.00 GBP at wholesale cost. my boxes usually retailed for £45.00 GBP (the incentives made up the rest of my 'profit')
Also the reason that US manufacturers don't distribute a lot of their product outside the US is because they cant afford to pay the extra license fee, as there aren't enough UK dealers to buy the product, because....(drum roll) UK collectors are buying from the US and making the whole thing unsustainable.
I understand we all want to save money, but in the end you'll end up with no dealers and then no cards at all.
Anyway, rant over
Also as a side note, the admission, on this website (or any other) that you 'got away with not paying tax' that I see a lot, with links to your email aren't something I'd recommend.

I've been buying cases from U.K. Dealers over last year or two to save on Customs duty and high shipping costs but I don't get anywhere near master sets so I've still been forced to buy cards from around the world.

Recently I've started to go for Master Sets from U.S. dealers but I'm looking at the ever increasing cost of this "Hobby" with even greater difficulty in finding Top End cards (and Dealer Incentives) and beginning to think enough is enough.

To be charged VAT (Tax) on small value items is the last straw that broke the Camel's Back.

I've been buying a lot of my product from abroad over the years and I have to pay VAT (Tax) on nearly all my purchases from abroad on packages over the set limit by U.K. Government, it's that now it appears that ANY package from abroad is going to be charged VAT (Tax) along with the Handling Fee that goes with the collecting of the Vat (Tax).

The main reason the Hobby has declined over recent years is that most collectors cannot afford to purchase the high end cards so were left with part sets knowing they could never complete their sets.

I'm going to assess the change to ebay's Policy over the next few months and decide if I want to continue at the level of collecting I currently do.