Import Duty

[The_G_Man]

They Charge vat on the delivery and the duty?!? It's bloody legal robbery!

[buster_broon]

They Charge vat on the delivery and the duty?!? It's bloody legal robbery!

wee story time

i got a set of samba maraccas from this very forum for the bargainous amount of 35euros (items shipped from Japan)

the seller marked the parcel as ?15 so i wouldnt get charged duty

the package arrived and the postage also cost 35euros and parcelforce charged me a lovely ?21 (?14.50 clearance fee and the rest in customs)

when i showed him the value thats when i found out about the bombshell that is tax on postage, especially since your really paying tax on it anyway - the countries tax where its coming from

its the clearance fee that grips me the most

anyway customs dont check everything so it might slip through, some companies especially Gamestop actually tell the customs people what parcels have what values attached to them, thats why with gamestop you are stung all the time

[Soundwave]

Actually you should find Video Games are duty free.

Yep Shipping/Freight & insurance are both Dutyable & Vatable charges.

HMC&E will rape you left right & centre for charges.

Plus DHL/UPS/Parcel Force whoever will rape you again for the privelidege of completing the Customs entry.

It's a **** but no other way around it I'm afraid.

Neil

[Soundwave]

Jesus you are trying your best to get out of this

Video game hardware isnt exempt from tax no matter how it goes to

things like toys and clothes are, unless you get the seller to hide it inside a massive tickle me elmo

Actually Toys & Clothes are both Dutyable & Vatable (Clothes only if they are Adults...childrens are VAT free)

Neil

[buster_broon]

Actually Toys & Clothes are both Dutyable & Vatable (Clothes only if they are Adults...childrens are VAT free)

Neil

we were talking about children - his child that uses his credit card

[Soundwave]

we were talking about children - his child that uses his credit card

Ignore me then I'll go back to sleep

[The_G_Man]

I am off to work now, I will need to beg the boss for some overtime.

[EJG1980]

Actually you should find Video Games are duty free.

Just checked the HMRC web site and they say that "video game discs" are 3.5% duty but I couldn't find anything specifically talking about video game hardware. It's really hard to track stuff down on their site.

I did see that "laptop and desktop pc's" are free of duty though, and I'm sure I read something about Sony getting the PS3 classified as a computer to avoid paying certain taxes.

So he might end up avoiding duty on the console, which is a bit of a saving, but it's that ball breaking 17.5% VAT that's the worst part!

[Soundwave]

Just checked the HMRC web site and they say that "video game discs" are 3.5% duty but I couldn't find anything specifically talking about video game hardware. It's really hard to track stuff down on their site.

I did see that "laptop and desktop pc's" are free of duty though, and I'm sure I read something about Sony getting the PS3 classified as a computer to avoid paying certain taxes.

So he might end up avoiding duty on the console, which is a bit of a saving, but it's that ball breaking 17.5% VAT that's the worst part!

I'm not sure how that is then because in my Tariff I have here at work Video Games under Tariff heading 9504 1000 00 described as "Video Games of a kind used with a television reciever" are Duty free

The closest I can find in my tariff for consoles is: Video reproducing apperatus (Could argue that a game is equivalant to a video) & comes under 8521 9000 90 @ 13.9% (same as DVD players)

Neil

EDIT: Just found the tariff heading you are refering to...its actually in the tariff as "Other recorded Media" @ 3.5% you could happily argue all day though that as it's for use with a TV it should be duty free.

Also my company arrange all the imports for Namco arcarde machines & they never pay Duty on their "Video Games"

[EJG1980]

Hmm, I was just looking on the HMRC web site and the only thing I could find was their PDF guide to duty on common goods bought on the internet. That lists "Audio. Video, Game Discs" at 3.5%.

I'm sure you must be right and the consoles themselves are duty free (perhaps the term "video games" in the tariff is referring to the consoles themselves?) but from that list on the HRMC web site it looks as though the actual game discs are charged at 3.5%.

Edit: Just saw your updated reply, I thought you would be right, that guide on the HRMC web site is a bit ambiguous. All these subtle different descriptions make my head spin

[Soundwave]

Hmm, I was just looking on the HMRC web site and the only thing I could find was their PDF guide to duty on common goods bought on the internet. That lists "Audio. Video, Game Discs" at 3.5%.

I'm sure you must be right and the consoles themselves are duty free (perhaps the term "video games" in the tariff is referring to the consoles themselves?) but from that list on the HRMC web site it looks as though the actual game discs are charged at 3.5%.

The more I'm reading the tariff & looking into it I think you may be on the right track...the Consoles come under the 9504 "Video Games" heading Duty Free whilst the games are 3.5%...I deffinitley know DVD movies & media are & seeing as games are pretty much the same now then it should go across the board for all pre-recorded media.

As an aside the last shipment we cleared for Namco cost them ?26,966 in VAT & that was for 100 Fast & Furious cabinets.

Neil

[NekoFever]

I'm pretty sure consoles are in the same import duty bracket as TVs and DVD players. 14% is it?

So in other words you'll be paying cost of hardware + shipping costs + 17.5% VAT + 14% import duty + courier's handling fee. Good luck

[Mayhem]

Well I've never been charged import duty on anything video game related, hardware or software. The only tax levied has been VAT. Which frankly is far more the worry and killer by comparison

[Soundwave]

I'm pretty sure consoles are in the same import duty bracket as TVs and DVD players. 14% is it?

So in other words you'll be paying cost of hardware + shipping costs + 17.5% VAT + 14% import duty + courier's handling fee. Good luck

Actually as example for the PS3 @ ?640 shipped it would look like this...

?640 * 13.9% = ?88.96 Duty
?640 + ?88.96 Duty = ?728.96
?728.96 * 17.5% = ?127.57 VAT

Total cost = ?856.53

Quite clearly a bargain

Then as you said whatever the courier company charges you for the entry fee

Neil

[EJG1980]

Wow, at that price, I'm taking down my boycott Sony banners and getting on eBay before they sell out

I wish I still had the import duty / vat invoice that came with my Japanese 360. I'd really like to see exactly what rates they charged me