(Post Brexit) Mailing and Shipping

Genghis

Western Thunderer
Well the new rules are certainly confusing. We thought that we would have to register as a VAT entity in different EU countries if we sell there. Rather than run the risk of non-compliance, we direct the limited number of enquiries we get for kits to Tower. Tower at least can deduct UK VAT from the sale price so that the customer pays less than he would if he bought from us. We cannot as we are not VAT registered.
David
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
I am utterly exhausted by the rules.

I recently purchased four wheels for the VW Kafer via eBayUK, the cost of one wheel from the UK importer was £257 plus courier.

The cost of the wheels from the German main dealer’s site via eBayUK was £312 including DPD courier costs, and they were purchased on Saturday, I arrived home on the following Thursday to find them neatly stacked at the back of the car port. No further charges, nothing.

Anyone care to explain this aberration?

BR
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
BR

The English language Connexion website has a number of shared experiences and there is no consistency at all between The U.K. and France. It will be interesting to add mine when we return in a couple of weeks time. It is particularly confusing for first and second home owners with property in different countries. Example, DYI tools seem to be allowed as they are personal possessions. There are also rules that allow for early declaration of goods to avoid being pulled over by customs.
 
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Renovater

Western Thunderer
Regarding the £140 minimum to the EU from Slaters, having heard this by telephone with Slaters i straight away contacted Roxey Mouldings who told me there's no minimum order with them and that they couldn't understand what the problem is. I have had a number of problems with the quality of Slaters wheels and this on top has done it for me.
 
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Neil

Western Thunderer
The intricacies of VAT make my brain hurt and I can add nothing useful regarding the financial manipulations required to buy and sell from the continent. However I can say that it was very easy to buy and sell to the rest of Europe, no more difficult than within the UK. Now that no longer seems to be the case, and that is a great pity.
 

djparkins

Western Thunderer
Are Roxey Vat registered? Are Slaters. Is that the difference?

It would make it easier if they weren’t, but as in my earlier post - if you don’t register for IOSS you can zero rate all eu shipments regardless of value. It just means that the customer has to pay the vat in their country. But at least they can get the goods they want.
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
Boy, what a can of worms! I had no idea that starting this thread would open up so much confusion among a bright and resourceful WT membership. I have to admit my brain hurts but it is good to share these frustrations and work arounds. Ultimately though the blame must rest not with small entrepreneurs who have yet to understand the system but with the government agencies who have failed miserably to get the necessary information out there, both to the seller and the customer.
 

djparkins

Western Thunderer
Boy, what a can of worms! I had no idea that starting this thread would open up so much confusion among a bright and resourceful WT membership. I have to admit my brain hurts but it is good to share these frustrations and work arounds. Ultimately though the blame must rest not with small entrepreneurs who have yet to understand the system but with the government agencies who have failed miserably to get the necessary information out there, both to the seller and the customer.

It's easy really - Imagine you are building one of the Late Adian Swain's kits - you kind of know all the information is there in the instructions but you have to really turn cartwheels using all your powers of investgative imagination!

We never stopped supplying any country during the pandemic - didn't stop trading for one day and have zero rated all EU parcels since January and since the new rule change in July. I even got to talk with my local VAT office after a very long wait + my accountant. They both confirmed exactly what I have said above. Just don't be fool enough to sign up for IOSS.
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
With a certain amount of dread we approached immigration and customs on Thursday evening, having spent 45 minutes waiting to disembark the ferry at Portsmouth. It was a busy place with two ships docked and a lot of traffic. The immigration facilities have been extended to about 10 to 12 kiosks and immigration was quite rapid. A third person in the kiosks handling two adjacent lanes appeared to be from customs as she came out to inspect what was under our blanket. I explained it was all personal effects and this was accepted and we were waived through. The immigration people knew exactly where were going next so the registration number recognition must be all important in speeding traffic through, our forms having been submitted at Ouistreham ferry port.
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Reminds me of a story about French customs. Years ago I was helping friends take a large layout in a Luton bodied transit to exhibit at Eurospoor Utrecht. Shortly after coming off the shuttle French border police stopped us and asked to open the van, no argument though as they were carrying sub machine guns and there was nothing to hide.

Once we opened the tailgate they asked what was in there and I replied in my limited French it was a Chemin de fer miniature HO. The next thing we knew they were calling their colleagues over to have a look. They kept us talking about the layout for about 15 minutes and today I'm still convinced they would have had the layout set up and started playing trains in the middle of the border control area!
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
In contrast I solicited sympathy, not interest.

A while back I went to Paris to collect a ww2 USAAF bomb trolley (think 3 wheel hydraulic pump-up platform) - anyway it was all totally rusty and had perished rubber tyres and filled the back of the Landcruiser with rear seats folded.
Coming back to the Eurotunnel terminal I got to Border Conrol and noticed a hatchback that had been pulled to one side with several gendarmes removing internal panelling from the back, the lone male driver standing to one side.

All of a sudden I was startled by a gendarme standing at my window, asking if I had come across from the UK that morning - "Yes" I replied.
Where had I been? - "To Paris".
Why? - "To collect that" I said, pointing behind me.
I noticed two colleagues were circling the vehicle peering into the windows, constantly exchanging glances with the one talking to me.
"And what is that?" (in a very derogatory tone).
"C'est le curiosity mechanique" said me, not really wanting to elaborate.
"No - you must tell me more".
Oh gawd - this extracted an explanation of restoring an airfield bomb service truck on the back of which rode one of these little trolleys, and meeting someone who lived in Paris who would let me have a surplus unwanted one.
"And did you buy this?" "No it was a gift".

Then a long a period of silence with further furtive glances exchanged between the three - then the main man asks, in a very measured way:
"And you - went all the way to Paris - for that?"
"Yep" said I looking somewhat sheepish.
Then a final exchange of glances, followed by:
"I think you had better go".
Phew smiley sweat.gif

As I moved off to join the loading line for the train I glanced at the hatchback, the internal components of which had all by now been methodically removed and un-methodically strewn all around, thinking he'd certainly miss the train and wondering who was going to put it all back.
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
Back in 2004 we made our first trip of many to the south of France. We were driving the left hand drive BMW X5 that we had brought back from Texas, now with a 52 GB registration.

Pulled over at Calais by Customs, I wondered why as we were leaving the country. “Do you have any wine in the car?” “Yes I do.” “How much?” A quick calculation, about 16 cartons of cooperative plonk from Herault.

“About 100 bottles, is there a problem?”

A big smile appeared.

“That’s good, go on through!”
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
In contrast to my trolley trip I was one of a two vehicle convoy pulling identical 16ft trailers both loaded absolutely identically with the same new old stock wooden crated ww2 U.S. truck parts (part if the post war Marshall Aid plan) - 3 axles, 3 gearboxes and other stuff, sourced from a truck breakers yard at Paris that was having to close down to make way for a new Metro rail station.

My friend in front spent what seemed like an eternity at the Eurotunnel checkpoint engaged in discussion with the Customs official.

Finally he pulled away and I drew up to the window, it was my turn.
The official took one glance at the cloned trailer, "Are you with him?" - "Yes" - "Go" :)

Label 1.jpg Marshall Plan.jpg

Sadly I think we will soon reflect on those times as an era of relative freedom - any similar such adventure that might be considered out of the ordinary is now fraught with the risk of complication, even suffocation, by red tape.

If traders can find a solution that works for them at acceptable cost then that is good - the consumer will just have to pay whatever extra it costs.
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
In similar vein though it occurred in the UK and at Heathrow.

Back in 1978 I took a business trip from Singapore where I was working to Karachi, for a technical committee meeting covering an oil exploration block in southern Pakistan. This entailed going via Bangkok which was not unusual in those days. While in Karachi I was asked to carry on to visit head office in Tulsa, OK. I checked into a KLM flight to London which required a change in Amsterdam.

In those days I carried a large brown Samsonite suitcase, so when I deplaned at Heathrow, I was stopped at Customs.

I was questioned where I had been and my suitcase was searched and nothing of interest found, but I had to ask “why me?”

“Well, you started in Singapore, you stopped in Bangkok, Karachi and Amsterdam. That is a well known drug smugglers route. I knew that you probably had no contraband by now, you would have dropped off the drugs in Amsterdam.

“Also, the flight you were on is almost exclusively used by European business travelers, carrying brief cases and wearing suits. It is April and you have a tan and are casually dressed with a large suitcase. Clearly you stood out in the crowd. I had to pull you over!”
 
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