Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

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Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by Czechia »

Hi All,

Any idea of the additional customs/duty to be paid when ordering a CW watch to be delivered within the EU?

I assume it’ll be payable separately to the shipping company when they attempt to deliver it?


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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

It surely depends on the tax/duty that applies for your own Country. It varies.

Plus, you will no longer be paying UK VAT.

If you are thinking of a CW purchase, whilst VAT may be showing on the website, once you have put an item in your basket, gone to checkout and selected your Country for shipping, the VAT is removed.

I write with experience of sending a watch to my brother in Singapore, but I have not tested sending to an EU address in the last few days.

Why not test it yourself?


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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by Czechia »

Hmmm, I've tried that and got as far as entering my shipping details etc but the full price is still showing.
I don't really want to enter my card details and click "Review Order" just in case it takes the order without prompting...

Hopefully the VAT would be removed once clicking on Review Order...
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by tikkathree »

Well I'm not sure that I'd trust to hope. An email or phonecall to customer services might be the best course?
Czechia wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:02 am Hmmm, I've tried that and got as far as entering my shipping details etc but the full price is still showing.
I don't really want to enter my card details and click "Review Order" just in case it takes the order without prompting...

Hopefully the VAT would be removed once clicking on Review Order...
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by Czechia »

tikkathree wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:17 am Well I'm not sure that I'd trust to hope. An email or phonecall to customer services might be the best course?
Czechia wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:02 am Hmmm, I've tried that and got as far as entering my shipping details etc but the full price is still showing.
I don't really want to enter my card details and click "Review Order" just in case it takes the order without prompting...

Hopefully the VAT would be removed once clicking on Review Order...
Yeah good point, better to get the info from the horses mouth. I'll probably give them a bell later today...
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by neiltallen »

I am not sure about UK to EU, but i have brought from Iguana Sell (Spanish Company) last week, and I was charged full UK VAT (for Iguana Sell you actually buy from the .co.uk website, not .es).
There was something on the BBC last week about EU companies not selling to the UK anymore as they where not registered for VAT yet.
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by CBMVic20 »

Have had the same, was looking to buy from an eBay seller in Spain and the price magically increased on 1 Jan because eBay is now adding 20% on by default. This is despite the original price not changing and with free postage etc.
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by TheBeatles »

These questions could well be answered in the coming days if anyone from EU has bought in the current sale.
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by H0rati0 »

TheBeatles wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 5:57 pm These questions could well be answered in the coming days if anyone from EU has bought in the current sale.
I will certainly be a guinea pig. My order confirmation shows UK VAT (which really it should not) but having spoken to CS they say that the VAT amount will be remitted to DHL to satisfy EU VAT. In theory, fine and not without precedent but we'll see how it works out....
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

H0rati0 wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:09 pm
I will certainly be a guinea pig. My order confirmation shows UK VAT (which really it should not) but having spoken to CS they say that the VAT amount will be remitted to DHL to satisfy EU VAT. In theory, fine and not without precedent but we'll see how it works out....
That's an interesting, and quite efficient (for the customer) way of doing it; particularly if your local VAT rate is higher than UK's 20% i.e. Eire.

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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by H0rati0 »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:13 pm
H0rati0 wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:09 pm
I will certainly be a guinea pig. My order confirmation shows UK VAT (which really it should not) but having spoken to CS they say that the VAT amount will be remitted to DHL to satisfy EU VAT. In theory, fine and not without precedent but we'll see how it works out....
That's an interesting, and quite efficient (for the customer) way of doing it; particularly if your local VAT rate is higher than UK's 20% i.e. Eire.

Guy
Guy, you're right that this is is the way to do it, though In my case, German rate is 19%, so I am losing out by a few quid. Denmark OTOH would be quids in (VAT at 25%) but I guess they'll adjust as the kinks work out.

Interestingly I ran across this as an FAQ on Amazon a few days back and they seem to be offering the same prepay VAT deal, but get this, with a refund if the actual amount to be paid is less! I have not tested though.

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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by 0uatiOW »

H0rati0 wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:09 pm
I will certainly be a guinea pig. My order confirmation shows UK VAT (which really it should not) but having spoken to CS they say that the VAT amount will be remitted to DHL to satisfy EU VAT. In theory, fine and not without precedent but we'll see how it works out....
I’ve never heard of this approach, and unless the VAT amount is adjusted for the recipient country’s VAT rate (or both country rates happen to match), this sounds incorrect. Tax authorities tend not to deal in approximations.

However, I guess you’ll find out in a few days, and if it does work out, then you, as the importer, might just have saved the courier’s admin fee, which is a positive.
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by JAFO »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:13 pm
H0rati0 wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:09 pm
I will certainly be a guinea pig. My order confirmation shows UK VAT (which really it should not) but having spoken to CS they say that the VAT amount will be remitted to DHL to satisfy EU VAT. In theory, fine and not without precedent but we'll see how it works out....
That's an interesting, and quite efficient (for the customer) way of doing it; particularly if your local VAT rate is higher than UK's 20% i.e. Eire.

Guy
Sorry this is a bit long.

I think it's the only/official way of doing it. If you buy from the EU, they are now supposed to sell without VAT, and then customs assess you to VAT, via RM. The same as from America, allow I've never had a price reduction from any US sellers. I expect eBay and Amazon will start including EU in their global shipping systems, and start to offer prepaid duties. I never bother if I can avoid it, as I think they charge slightly more than RM do.

You will lose out if the vendor doesn't deduct the vat, and it means buying from private sellers will cost more. Maybe they shouldn't be subject to VAT, but that's down to HM customs.

It should work the same the other way. UK export to the EU net of VAT, and EU countries charge the buyer their local VAT.

Note that the UK has changed the rules for personal shoppers so that purchasers for export can no longer buy VAT free which luxury watch (and handbags and jewellers) retailers (WofS, Harrods, Airports etc) are kicking off about, as they sell a lot of stuff to wealthy tourists. Paul Thorpe had a discussion about this on his channel a couple of days ago. The result of UK retailers being less competitive for export may conversely result in more Rolex being available at UK ADs, and may supposedly result in a weakening of inflated resale prices for Rolex in particular.
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by H0rati0 »

0uatiOW wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:35 pm

I’ve never heard of this approach, and unless the VAT amount is adjusted for the recipient country’s VAT rate (or both country rates happen to match), this sounds incorrect. Tax authorities tend not to deal in approximations.
Last year I bought from Creation in Singapore and this was exactly what they did. VAT/shipping paid up front, delivered by DHL to my door, nothing more to pay. It may not be exact, but close enough for government work it seems.
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Re: Brexit - additional duty to pay (UK to EU shipping)

Post by JAFO »

0uatiOW wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:35 pm
I’ve never heard of this approach, and unless the VAT amount is adjusted for the recipient country’s VAT rate (or both country rates happen to match), this sounds incorrect. Tax authorities tend not to deal in approximations.

However, I guess you’ll find out in a few days, and if it does work out, then you, as the importer, might just have saved the courier’s admin fee, which is a positive.
That's what eBay and Amazon do. You pay upfront, and DHL or Pitney Bowes or whoever account for the VAT to HM Customs. They guarantee you won't pay any more, but in my experience they charge a bit more than Customs charge, even allowing for the RM £8 handling fee.
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