Re: Prices of British goods
 

Well, they are probably the biggest distributor here, that must be for a reason.
Maybe if you find them too expensive and inefficient, you could sell your new found knowledge and "research" to the hundreds of retailers already doing what you intend!

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Fair comment.
But for the record ..... you came on here asking for advice. Like we tell people that opening a bar is a bad idea. People ignore us .... the last one went back home within, I think, 6 months.

This is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) ex pats forums around ...... the strangers that you are talking to are the people who live here and go shopping every week. The people YOU hope to sell to eventually.

:)

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Well currently, i feel on a small scale its more cost efficent to actually import internally, with a suitable vehicle, obviously this won't be pratical if the business expands, but on a small scale it is quite pratical. I am currently looking into freight prices with external businesses, however i am ensure if they will be competitive. I am completely new to this. If it does not work, i have learnt new things and it will be a great experiance, and persoanlly i find work like this fun.

Well, thank you for the information, however i must say there isn't any need for the sarcasm.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

That is very true, although i don't think i asked if it was a good idea or not, i just wanted to be advised on the prices at expats can currently get ahold of certain goods, and what they cannot get ahold of.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

OK, well a Luton van will cost you about £1500 inc ferries round trip and will take you two days min each way.

A pallet on a man with a van may cost you about £90 - £110 for the first and slightly less per pallet after that.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

My estimates through research have estimated around £700 for ferry and petrol (20MPG estimate to madrid), return, however i have not included either the purchase of van, insurance. But personally, at the start, i would drive. With the assumtion that the van can 15m3, the shipping per item works out at a low price. I did my estimates at £1k per load, however, i little more percise maths will be needed to get a realistic figure. Also i have not checked the ferry costs at peak times. - Quiet a lot of unstable variables i know, but hopefully i will be able to gain more precise figures if i decide to continue researching

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Well then, if you havent taken into consideration the actual van cost and insurance your costs are somewhat flawed. £1500. I know, I've done it ;):)

I'm not being funny. Are you really serious about this? I was in business for most of my life (in the freight business actually running trailers to Europe) and you have to take absolutely everything into consideration when costing and then add on a contingincy, otherwise its just not realistic :)

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Indeed, i found rentals at around £50/w, but relaiblity here will likely be an issue, now i have no idea how much business insurance on a van costs, but i believe goods in transit insurance is around 1.5% of cargo, which is quite a big hit. But, even at your suggested £1500, which is reasonable, cost per item to ship is still low - dependant on the item size of course.

Just a sample of my working - £225 ferry return, plus petrol ((1000 miles / 20MPG) * £4.85) x 2 = £485, totalling £710. Plus cost of the van and insurance. Petrol prices assumes UK price. In reality, costs will be lower for petrol.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Mercadona and Dia both stock some "British products" and they are usually cheaper than the British supermarkets here. Carrefour also stock a range of products and although Iceland may be about 50kms away they are affecting the small British supermarkets within a wide radius to the extent alot of them in the smaller villages are struggling, either up for sale or shutting down.
Eg. of prices in Iceland 36 Weetabix €2.50 local british supermarket 24 is €3.25, 3 tins Crosse & Blackwell Beans or Spaghetti €1.25. Locally each tin would be .99cents. Heinz tomato sauce in Mercadona around €2.30, locally over €4. 1 litre of milk in Mercadona .83cents, locally €1.99. Although when you live here for awhile you shop around, look for cheaper equivalents, or just don't buy the things which were readily available in the UK as they are too expensive.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Have you actually got rental quotes that will allow the vehicle out of the UK?
Have you looked at freight costs on the ferry or normal passage costs? A Luton will be charged at freight costs. Then there is the time spent on the ferry @24 hours each way. Would you do the driving on your own or share? And what, a minimum of 5 hours drive down to Madrid in a fully laden van? Then unloading, loading and somewhere to store the goods then somewhere to stay before the return leg? Where would you be based, UK or Spain? If you are selling in Spain, you have to pay taxes and social security payments. The ss payments are a minimum of €240 odd a month, whether or not you make any money!

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Indeed, i did quotes on a freight ferry, sharing driving - i'm not really sure on the precise details. Now based in UK or Spain, i feel to avoid major VAT issues, that i'd need both a UK VAT registered company and a VAT registered Spanish company. Then the export can be done at zero-rated VAT. The 240 euros a month is very expensive. However, even with a van load a month i feel that that cost should be covered, but is providing that a nice profit is made. And as for rental quotes - not yet. And indeed, it would be ALOT of work doing such a journey on a regular basis.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Sharing driving surely means you have to pay someone?
There are no VAT issues as both Spain and UK are in the EU!
Whether you are register in Spain as a company or Autonomo (self employed) you are effectively VAT registered, there is no Vat threshold in Spain.

Re: Prices of British goods
 

Thanks for the information. As for not buying British products because there too expensive, would you still feel that you wouldn't buy them if you could buy these goods at the costs in actual UK-Based British supermarkets, or is this expense down to that Spain produces cheapers alternatives?

Re: Prices of British goods
 

With the shared driving, it may be i have a business partner or such in which we share.

Any transaction between companies genrally incurs VAT, the issues surround the legalities of claiming back the VAT. However, there is no duty. What i am suggesting is this:

1) UK Wholesaler - cost + UK VAT
2) Sold to my UK company - I claim VAT from purchase (however, can this be done if the goods are to be exported)
3) Sell to my Spanish Company - As Both countries are in the EU, transaction can be done at 0%
At this point, effectively no VAT has been paid. - However if i cannot claim the VAT on the original purchase back, this would mean i would be paying both UK and Spanish VAT - increasing my goods price rapidly
5) Spanish company sells goods - cost + Spanish VAT

That is how i understand it anyway, but i have no physical business experiance to base this on other than what i have read and learnt

Re: Prices of British goods
 

When we moved here first over 5 years ago there weren't as many Brit. supermarkets around so you adjust and do without. There are lots of cheaper alternatives, eg. DIAs own brand tomato sauce is .85cents, to me its still tomato sauce.