This applies to quite a few items I've bought in the last year or so..... I'd better get my projects finished in the next four years 🤣
"The chancellor's decision to scrap a tax loophole on small parcels could see some online shopping get more expensive from 2029.
The "de minimis" loophole allows overseas retailers to send goods to the UK worth up to £135 without incurring customs duty".
I think ours was below $800, but now gone. Largely to do with tariffs I believe. Have seen on FleaBag that anything being bought outside the country now has notice concerning tariffs and payments.
Hi,
Perhaps it will encourage some items to be made in the UK rather than abroad.
Dave.
I think it depended on where it was coming from. China always seemed to avoid charges somehow no matter what the value, US was pretty good by I had real problems with stuff from Germany even when it was well under the limit.
A lot of suppliers bring goods in by the container load, then post here.
Hi,
I think it is only items supplied direct from overseas, China for instance, that were covered by £135 rule with container loads still going though customs.
It seems crazy that something of quite low value can be bought direct China and shipped to the UK for less than a UK supplier can, let alone actually make the item.
Dave.
Don't think the Chinese even pay postage for goods leaving the country.
There's certainly something odd been going on. I've bought items with free postage that cost less than just the UK domestic postage. I bought a plastic knob for a mower gear lever off e-bay for £1, inc post. It came from Uzbekistan!! Who knew Uzbekistan was the go to place for plastic gear knobs?
It seems every decade or so all the countries get together and agree international postage rates and the poor countries get to pay very little, there's a suspicion the Chinese provide fake data, who would have thought it ;D
When I had my yacht, I paid something like £60 for an Eberspächer heating system exhaust outlet in stainless steel. Last week I bought the same item, beautifully machined and welded, from China. Delivered to my house for £9.
The world is screwed, or at least we in the UK are...
Europe and all other Western countries are in the same boat.
We can't compete with China's manufacturing capability.
Germany is worst placed; a country whose economy is largely based on car production should be very worried.