Ordering stuff from overseas (customs, VAT)
 

Does anyone know how customs and VAT work when ordering stuff from overseas? Since coming back I've found there is some specialty cycling equipment I either can't get here, or is ridiculously expensive here. Same for some research equipment made in the US by companies that do not have a UK distributor.

If you order stuff from overseas, does customs pick it up on the way in, and if so is there a minimum value before they levy customs duty? Alternatively, do any of you who receive goodies from relatives overseas ever find that customs charge duty on the package?

Re: Ordering stuff from overseas (customs, VAT)
 

If you get it straight from the supplier it will go through customs and most companies will charge you a "brokerage" fee which you will know nothing about until a bloke arrives at your door refusing to hand over your goodies until you give him the cash. UPS are real f***ers about this, so avoid them at all costs.

If it gets shipped to a US address and the person there then forwards it on I have no idea what happens, but nothing I have ever shipped to folks back home has ever gotten stung with customs charges.

Re: Ordering stuff from overseas (customs, VAT)
 

Interestingly, I recently had to send a pair of sunglasses back to the US manufacturer for repair. As you describe, I received a bill from FedEx for customs duty, and it took forever to sort it out. I explained that that I bought the glasses when I lived in the US and this was just a return from a repair. I was gobsmacked when they said that you have to pay customs duty on repairs in that situation! Luckily, she was really nice and managed to find a way around it.