Is this guy for real??

[AJWD]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190072839265&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:UK:1

$200 shipping to the UK....he deserves to be peppered with abuse...why not say: " I can't be bothered to send it outside of the US!"

Bumbaclat.

[SaMAlex]

I dont know if anything has changed but I have been trying to get a bike sent over from the US. I got a quote from Fed Ex for $350. USPS said a whole bike was too heavy and it had to be in 2 boxes and that ended up being the cheapest I could find for $175. I guess the bike has got to be a great deal to make it worth the postage, and thats before you get stung on import charges!

[AJWD]

Fair play, I thought it was steep, but maybe not.

[ORANGEZIPPY]

i just getting a complete bike sent for $71,

usps and just one box, 

[SaMAlex]

the one Im getting is being sent from California, I dont know if that makes a diference. If not, Ive been stiffed!

[ORANGEZIPPY]

you'll be able to see when it arrives,

i dont like it when sellers add in their service charge....


although my one is being sent very slowing (surface) and yours could be air mail ?

[rory]

 a good few years ago i had 2 framekits , 2 bars, 3 sets of 3 piece cranks from trend usa.
marked as a gift and insured for £1500.
ups delivered for £64 and tax was £90.
this was a while back so it must be more now

[digitaltransfer]

I dont know if anything has changed but I have been trying to get a bike sent over from the US. I got a quote from Fed Ex for $350. USPS said a whole bike was too heavy and it had to be in 2 boxes and that ended up being the cheapest I could find for $175. I guess the bike has got to be a great deal to make it worth the postage, and thats before you get stung on import charges!

If you go for USPS US postal services it takes 6-8 weeks but you pay minimal cost I have imported a number of bikes and has only cost me few quid re import charges get em to mark it a gift for less than $60 and insure it for the full amount that way you are all covered !!! and you wont pay VAT on anything over £36 !!!!

works really well hope no one is looking from HMC&E

hope it helps 

[se]

Top advice we should have a separate import scams section on the site.

[AJWD]

This is great guys - I think alot of sellers take the mickey when it comes to shipping.

[Colonel]

Digital Transfer is right, get it shipped over literally, it takes a while, but is far far cheaper.

The other option is, if you have abuddy Stateside, like I do, get it sent to them and then they can send it to you via UPS shipping. I had two frames, set of bars and cranks sent for $36. Took about five weeks, but cost next to nothing.

Colonel

[SaMAlex]

I just got a bike through the post last week. The seller didnt charge too much but had to put it in two boxes. I got the first box last week and had to pay £30 import charge. Not to bad, I thought. Then the second box came and Ive gotta pay another £50 of import charges!! This makes the whole bike much more expencive and I am going to have to sell most of it just to get some money (I dont have) back. I have got another bike on the way (already posted) and some more parts with a mate in the US. I am just going to have to cross my fingers with the one thats on its way, but try and come up with a plan on how to send the other stuff over.

I think I will keep my Ebay searches to "European only" from now on!

[Steve Shindig]

This might be of interest to some, but if your importing biggish / heavy items its usually cheaper to use a freight agent or company rather than a courier company like UPS / Fed-Ex etc etc.

[billstup]

Alex I ask the seller of my overseas items to put this on the packing label :

Could you please list the parts as `second hand children’s bike parts` and use Customs Tariff  number  9501009000

It`s no gaurantee, but it seems to have worked on the items that it`s been put on 

[SaMAlex]

Thanks bill, I saw that somewhere before (from you). I asked both sellers to do it. The first one didnt and I will have to see if the second one did. Tomorrow I will call up customs and see if I can get any money back but I think they just make it up as they go. I dont think it helped that the package had the costs on the paperwork. Secondhand or not, its still money I spent out of the UK.

I will see what happens with the second package and also what customs say tomorrow.

[jazzyje]

i had my standard shipped over from california by fed ex for $270.was to heavy for ups but i didnt get stung by customs.was a bit steep though.

[SaMAlex]

OK, so heres what Ive just been told by HM Revenue & Customs: When you spend money outside the UK, and ship something back in, you get charged on the total cost of what you spent, including postage, as stated on the package.You get charged 17.5% VAT, AND, for "cycle parts" (second hand OR new) you get charged 3% Import duty. The bike I just got sent is no longer such a good deal!

[digitaltransfer]

OK, so heres what Ive just been told by HM Revenue & Customs: When you spend money outside the UK, and ship something back in, you get charged on the total cost of what you spent, including postage, as stated on the package.You get charged 17.5% VAT, AND, for "cycle parts" (second hand OR new) you get charged 3% Import duty. The bike I just got sent is no longer such a good deal!

I can confirm that is exactly correct been doena few times on that !! that is why you need to make sure when you purchase stuff you ensure the seller is happy to mark it as a gift with the value of less than £36 anything over this amount you get done ! < £36 is fine and can be considered a gift but you need to ensure they insure it for the full amount and delcaring it on the front of the parcel

If that makes sense