In the UK many times
In the UK many times
If the purchase is under $800 there are no customs fees. Even over, there are often no fees.
Darkroom Automation / Cleveland Engineering Design, LLC
f-Stop Timers & Enlarging meters http://www.darkroomautomation.com/da-main.htm
Yes, and with the VAT, import taxes and custom handeling fee, a purchase in Japan for 18.000 YEN (= € 116,28) ended up to a total of about € 142.-
The same happend with a purchase made in the UK for 84,28 GBP (= € 101,99) ended up to a total of about € 138.- thanks to the Brexit.
I know, these where rather small purchases, but the taxes and fees will always be the same percentage on the the basic amount.
I have learnt my lesson and will now restrict my purchasing to the Eurozone, although smaler then the EEC (27 countries), but which still consists of 19 countries.
When buying in the Eurozone: no extra VAT (21%), no Import taxes and no custom handling fee.
And when I can't find it in the Eurozone, I will have to wipe it out of my GAS and do without...
I think this approach does not take into account:
1. Prices in Europe, even from private sellers, are generally higher than in Japan, and to a certain extent the US. Anyone who is selling something naturally wants to recover as much of his cost as possible, which would include the VAT and import duties he paid earlier. It is safe to say that import duties were higher earlier than now.
2. Import or customs duties are not much - 4~5% on average.
3. Customs handling fees are usually a fixed amount per package, not ad valorem. In some countries (e.g. Canada), it is possible to avoid these fees by paying the customs duties on your own, before the package reaches the courier.
4. VAT is unavoidable on imports. But this is the same as purchasing from a shop within Europe.
5. Packages shipped from Japan (at least the way I ship) are always insured. I do not know if the cheaper shipping in the Eurozone always includes insurance.
6. International shipping costs from Japan and China are among the lowest in the world.
7. The very favorable exchange rates for the Japanese Yen vs the Euro and USD make overseas purchases far cheaper than at any time in the past.
So, it is important to consider the following:
a. Is the item available in the Eurozone?
b. If the item is available within the Eurozone what is the total cost of the purchase vs. purchasing from overseas?
I believe my customers in Europe (and other countries where duties are levied) understand this. In 2023, my sales to countries where import duties and VAT are levied (Europe, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Brazil) were around 60% of total sales - meaning those customers found it better to buy from me rather than locally.
Kumar
Dear Kumar,
I do understand your argumentation and yes the item I bought from you was good, at a right price and wan't easy to find over here.
And your service was perfect
But my vex ins't against you at all, by far, but I am rather annoyed by the instances who are pleading for a world without borders, unchecked global economy, but do everything to take advantage of these borders (even reinstalling them) and by this 'restraining' their adored wishful thinking.
I do agree with taxes, without them the public authorities wouldn't be able to fulfil their functions and duties, but some rationality could be at it's place here...
I wish you all the best for your business (and reasonable taxes).
Last edited by phdgent; 14-Apr-2024 at 01:31.
phdgent and Joseph Kashi,
Thank you for the kind words. "A world without borders" - I have much to say on this, but not here...
I had not intended my post to be a "personal" statement. It was meant to provide a purely logical reasoning as to why someone would buy something from overseas (specifically Japan) rather than locally. In my case, I am occasionally tempted by offerings from the US, but I rarely buy, because:
a. insured shipping from the US to Japan is horrendously expensive;
b. many US sellers are reluctant to ship overseas (though they frequently buy from overseas).
Kumar
Shipping overseas from the US has cost a lot more since 9/11. Shipping internationally definitely changed after that.
I have an online business that ships lithographs. I will be in business for 25 years next year, so I am established, have many repeat customers, and have been shipping for decades. My items are light, most fitting between cut sheets of 11x14-inch double-faced cardboard. I stopped shipping to everywhere except the continental US and Canada a few years ago when I grew tired of having to read emails complaining about the international shipping fees.
Last week, I shipped three lithographs from one order to Canada. Two were much smaller than 11x14 inches, and the third was about 10x12 inches. The total order fits in the lightweight, plastic bag-style envelopes I use when US Priority Mail Tyvek envelopes are not an option. The customer chose the cheapest mailing rate, First Class Mail International. The package weight was 11oz. The cost was $23.54 for three small pieces of paper in one envelope from Florida to Canada, which is a discounted rate!
Then, there are the shipping supplies to buy, and time & fuel costs to the post office due to customs forms, and the customer may have to pay tax on top, but I do not know.
Yes, it is the cost of doing business, but it all has to be added somewhere back to the consumer, or you are not running a business but a hobby!
Darlene I don;t know if lithographs qualify for Media Mail Service which is cheaper postage. You could call them or check with your local postmaster. Only for domestic serivce.
https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121.htm
Media Mail Service
Media MailŪ service has special eligibility requirements for permissible contents. Media Mail rates are limited to the items listed below:
Books (at least 8 pages).
Sound recordings and video recordings, such as CDs and DVDs.
Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music.
Printed music.
Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.
Sixteen millimeter or narrower width films.
Printed objective test materials and their accessories.
Printed educational reference charts.
Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students.
Media Mail Packages may not contain advertising except that books may contain incidental announcements of other books and sound recordings may contain incidental announcements of other sound recordings. In accordance
with standards in the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM 300) 173.3.2, Media Mail Packages are subject to inspection by the Postal Service™. Upon such inspection, matter not eligible for the Media Mail rate may be assessed at the proper rate and sent to the recipient postage due, or the sender may be contacted for additional postage (DMM 604.8.1).
For more information about Media Mail service, please visit www.usps.com or call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). Complete explanations of qualified items may be found in DMM 173.3.2.
Notice 121
July 2008
PSN 7610-07-000-4037
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