End of <£135 duty free items

[Novocastrian]

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".

[Tim Campbell]

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.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

Perhaps it will encourage some items to be made in the UK rather than abroad.

Dave.

[limeyrob]

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.

[idie]

A lot of suppliers bring goods in by the container load, then post here.

[DAVE BRADY]

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.

[idie]

 Don't  think the Chinese even pay postage for goods leaving the country.

[limeyrob]

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

[Novocastrian]

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...

[V500]

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.

[Tim Campbell]

I recently had a shirt sent from the UK to here, cost GBP20 for the shirt and another GBP 10-15 postage. Got here via FedEx in a couple of days.

Due to FedEx not being able to deliver the package to the address on the label, a PO Box, per their policy I had to go pick it up at their facility.

A couple of days later I get texts stating that I owe $23 in tariff charges. As it the notice came via text with a link I refused to comply due to possible scam risk.

I then received and actual invoice. I called to inquire about this whole thing and was told that it was for the tariff charges. The FedEx facility that I picked the package up from couldn't tell me anything due to them not knowing the charges. Amongst the invoice was a copy of that apparently was sent to the appropriate government body responsible for taxes and tariffs.

Prior to the tariff wars this GBP19 shirt would have incurred no tariff duties due to the prior to the $800 exclusion ruling. Now it costs roughly three times the actual cost.

If I bought it there in the UK/Europe and brought it back in luggage it would cost nowt in duties as it wouldn't be a "commercial item".

Oh well.

[Catz]

The content has been reported as irrelevant and therefore removed.

[Tim Campbell]

Quote removed


That's with politicians everywhere unfortunately, no matter party they belong too.

[Tim Campbell]

Don't  think the Chinese even pay postage for goods leaving the country.

I think they do but at the least amount needed. I bought something from China, paid the required money and then a few days later I saw through tracking that it was being returned.

I checked with the local PO station and it seems that the oiks will charge XX amount for postage but then pay less so that when it arrives at the location, the buyer is obliged to pay the remaining balance ie pay GBP10 in postage to them, they ship at GBP2 and the buyer then has to pay the balance in order to get the product.

The PO caught on to it and would try and get the sender to pay the actual postage due and if they refused, it was returned to sender.

Now I try and avoid buying anything from China by mail if possible.

[V500]

It was the most stupid thing that UK voters went for. Lied to by Boris Johnson and his allies.
/

Can we leave the pro's and cons of the Brexit debate where it belongs, which is firmly in the past? I ride and read about old bikes to leave the problems of the world behind, not to have someone's opinion forced upon me.