Brexit issues with imports.

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A story in the news.

Bicycle part firm Dutch Bike Bits said from now on, it would ship to every country in the world except the UK.
"We are forced by British policy to stop dealing with British customers," it said on its website.

The moves follow changes in VAT rules brought in by HM Revenue and Customs on 1 January.
VAT is now being collected at the point of sale rather than at the point of importation.
This essentially means that overseas retailers sending goods to the UK are expected to register for UK VAT and account for it to HMRC if the sale value is less than €150 (£135).
A government spokesperson said: "The new VAT model ensures goods from EU and non-EU countries are treated in the same way and that UK businesses are not disadvantaged by competition from VAT-free imports.
"The new system also addresses the problem of overseas sellers failing to pay the right amount of VAT on sales of goods already in the UK at the point of sale, raising an anticipated £300m every year.
"Many EU businesses which currently sell goods to UK customers will have already registered for UK VAT under existing rules and HMRC is working very closely with those who haven't to ensure they can comply with the changes."

Adam French, Which? consumer rights expert, said the new HMRC rules were aimed at tackling that, but it was unclear how firms who failed to register for UK VAT would be dealt with.
"Why should a phonograph spares manufacturer in Idaho bother to register for VAT in the UK and how are you going to make them do it?" he said. "And if they send the package anyway, what are you going to do?"
'Not what we wanted'
"For providing this service, [HMRC] intend to charge a fee to every company in the world in every country in the world which exports to the UK," said Dutch Bike Bits on its website.
"Clearly this is ludicrous for one country, but imagine if every country in the world had the same idea.
"If every country decided to behave in the same way, then we would have to pay 195 fees every year, keep up with the changes in taxation law for 195 different countries, keep accounts on behalf of 195 different countries and submit payments to 195 tax offices in 195 different countries, and jump through whatever hoops were required to prove that we were doing all of this honestly and without any error."
Dutch Bike Bits said it had many customers within the UK and would like to be able to trade with them.
"Not being able to send parcels to the UK does not work in any way in our favour and it is not what we wanted," the firm added.

I wonder which fool thought that every firm in the world would collect HMRC taxes for them?
 
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Only been out of the EU one day and already we have screwed it up !
 
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I heard of that. They aren't the only webshop that is stopping with shipping to the UK ad this moment.
Someone told me that he removed the UK also from his site for now. He is looking ad other options, but most will stop shipping or raise the shipping prices to the UK.

I am curious how it goes the other way around. I got my order today from the UK and it was shipped after the Brexit. But it came from Aliexpres warehouse. But I am curious if UK webshops have the same problem.

The brexit isn't great, but I think that you in the UK, will notice it more than people in the EU.

I now need a passport as I want yo ho to the UK.
 
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It may get worse before it gets better I suspect. :(
If there is a problem shipping shiny Mercedes/VAG/PAS cars to the UK I shall be very surprised.
 
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Watch out as you come to the EU. It is also forbidden to take good with you.
The Brexit isn't great ad all.
Travelling also takes longer.
 
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Anyone thinking of shopping at Ali-Express from the UK had also best add 20% to the headline price. They are following UK law and collecting UK VAT at the point of sale.
 
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Some of my stuff that I ordered on Banggood.com arrived today at the price I paid, no added VAT or import taxes.
 
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It all depends in Belgium, if customs "sees" your package, or not.
Or if it is shipped with a big company (those tend to write an own customs-fee ticket, regardless if the package has been checked or not)

I had packages worth a few €100 roll in without a fee, and packages of €15 ending up with a €50 fee.

Worst case was the 3 6S 24V 60Ah packs. Buying them 4 years ago, €2K cost. €200 base shipping, and then the shipping firm in belgium started adding on the fees. Container handling, pallet handling, package handling; , customs declaration fee, hazardous materials handling and storage fee. Totaling €1500. And on top of that, VAT, with all the fees included.

Worst of all in this case... the project they were ment for, didn't pan out.... So, now I have 3 dying packs that would have yielded a 72V 60Ah monster. Tried to resurrect them in a package usable for my trike. Unfortunatly, the size is rather annoying.
 
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Anyone thinking of shopping at Ali-Express from the UK had also best add 20% to the headline price. They are following UK law and collecting UK VAT at the point of sale.
And I wonder how many of these firms intend passing the 20% on to the HMRC ?
 
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Anything paid for last year will arrive as usual. It'll be collared for tax or it won't and the vast majority of the time it won't. Anything ordered now is plus 20% as you order it. Doubtless only the big retailers will bother. Smaller enterprises either won't sell to the UK because of the grief or simply won't give a stuff about UK taxes and will supply as usual.
 
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Well you now have a risk in the UK, that as you order something from aliexpres and they check it, that you need to pay. Before the vrexit, that wasn't a problem as it came from a warehouse in the EU. Now it must come from a UK warehouse.
Same the other way around. Everything from a UK warehouse that is above a surten amount can make that you need to pay.
 
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Well you now have a risk in the UK, that as you order something from aliexpres and they check it, that you need to pay. Before the vrexit, that wasn't a problem as it came from a warehouse in the EU. Now it must come from a UK warehouse.
Same the other way around. Everything from a UK warehouse that is above a surten amount can make that you need to pay.
Yes, but we are not a vassal state of the Federalist pseudo-4th Reich funded mostly by the German economic machine, so I am still happy. ;)
 
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Well you now have a risk in the UK, that as you order something from aliexpres and they check it, that you need to pay. Before the vrexit, that wasn't a problem as it came from a warehouse in the EU. Now it must come from a UK warehouse.
Same the other way around. Everything from a UK warehouse that is above a surten amount can make that you need to pay.
Whilst Ali-Express does have warehouses in France and Spain they sell most items direct from China. If you buy from their EU warehouses the VAT is already added as part of the headline price which is why it's always higher. The headline price was therefore cheaper direct from China where you only paid any VAT if it was stopped at customs and the tax was paid direct to the government to release the goods. The chances of that were very small. Well over 90% of parcels made it through without paying any tax.
For UK customers now Ali-Express are leaving the headline price as before but adding 20% at checkout for things direct from China. Again though that doesn't happen if you choose an EU warehouse as you are already paying EU VAT.

I was happy with the EEC we joined, but not the EU. I always accepted the inevitable extra costs as worth it despite me moaning here about them.
 
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That is true, but as you get the orders from there to the UK, you have the risk that you need to pay vat again.

Well I am not a fan from the EU, but it has more advantages for me than disadvantages and from the negative points, I notice nothing. But the posive things I notice. Traveling and ordering in the EU.
 
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Can't you just ask them to write on the box- "to my friend, you left this at my house" in pen. Not a business transaction, no tax. Problem solved.
 
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Can't you just ask them to write on the box- "to my friend, you left this at my house" in pen. Not a business transaction, no tax. Problem solved.
They put stickers on it that they print themselves and picked up by the shipping company.
As they do that, than they need to deliver it to a post office themselves.
 
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