Play-asia Shipping query

[HaHaUK]

When buying from play-asia, which is the best courier to use? also how do i avoid getting hit by customs?

thanks

[gossi the dog]

To avoid getting hit by customs don't use a courier. Standard airmail is the way to go. In addition send an email to customer services as soon as you've ordered along with your order number asking them nicely to mark down the value of the goods. Hope that helps

[HaHaUK]

but when you chek out on play-asia there is only the option for TNT and UPS.

[MikeF]

depends on what you want to order, for games use airmail. For consoles TNT seem to be the best from my experience

[HaHaUK]

silly me, thats because its over 2kg. so if i use any courier will i definatley be charged customs, even if it is marked down?

[MikeF]

depends how lucky you are. I will be using TNT to deliver my DS when its released

[HaHaUK]

and tax+customs comes to around 20% right?

[gossi the dog]

It depends on the value of the item your buying. All items with a value of ?18 or more imported into this country are liable for import tax. However Play-Asia will usually mark down the value of an item to roughly a third of what your actually paying and will also mark the item as either a gift or commercial sample which doubles the tax free allowance to ?36. Therefore in theory if whatever you buy costs less than ?100 you should get away without paying tax (although to be safe I'd expect to pay tax on anything over about ?80).

However if you do get taxed the amount you get charged is invariably worked out by the amount on the customs form and hence if this is less than the actual value you'll pay less tax.

[lostn]

What happens if customs opens up the package and finds out you're all swindling them? Do/can they?

[HaHaUK]

yeah they can open them up to check. they will probably fine you or charge you the real amount, or maybe in extreme cases keep the item in question.

[gossi the dog]

Yeah they can open up the package, however unless there's a receipt inside it's impossible for them to know the actual amount you've paid. Provided the amount on the customs form isn't ridiculous for the item in question (say a plasma screen telly as being worth ?50) they should simply accept the value on the customs form.