excise duty on ebay buys?

spoonbadger · 29-06-2007 06:09PM #1

hi all, ive been looking at an amp on ebay which would have to be shipped over from the US. so can anyone tell me if i would have to pay the vat/excise duties on an ebay purchase?thanks.

singloud · 29-06-2007 06:12PM

I'm guessing so.
I doubt ebay is exempt.

But I'm not sure mind.

Johnny Storm · 29-06-2007 06:17PM

approx 25% (if coming from outside the EU)

spoonbadger · 29-06-2007 06:25PM

ok, thanks guys. ill take this into consideration. btw, how much would if any would i have to pay on stuff being shipped from the EU?

singloud · 29-06-2007 07:16PM

Depends on size and weight. Around E15 within the EU is what I usually paid.

Most websites offer free shipping within the EU on mid-high priced orders.

spoonbadger · 02-07-2007 07:38PM

singloud wrote:

Depends on size and weight. Around E15 within the EU is what I usually paid.

Most websites offer free shipping within the EU on mid-high priced orders.

i better clarify, i meant would i have to pay any excise duty on something i buy from another EU country? or are they exempt?

Zapp Brannigan · 02-07-2007 07:42PM

EU countries are exempt because there's free-trade within Europe

spoonbadger · 02-07-2007 08:04PM

ok, thanks for the replies.

Niall0 · 02-07-2007 08:21PM

if you get an amp from america wont you have power issues? If they mark it as a gift you shouldnt have to pay any excise duty i think.

Zapp Brannigan · 02-07-2007 09:45PM

Gifts are only exempt up to a certain value I think it's 40 dollars or something.

Niall0 · 02-07-2007 09:53PM

ya that sounds anout right, not much use then . I got an mp3 player from the usa off ebay and i didnt have to pay an excise duty , do they only do a random check kinda think or is it standard to pay excise duty?

highlydebased · 03-07-2007 10:01PM

If its sent by regular mail your likely to get away with it

If its sent by DHL/UPS etc probably not. I remember getting a tshirt from America, it was delivered with no duty charged. Then I got a bill for €14 from DHL in duty

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4 · 04-07-2007 09:12AM

Not too sure about this, but if somthing is second hand, and given to you as a gift, you dont have to pay vat. If the amp is second hand - no vat.

Johnny Storm · 04-07-2007 09:40AM

Kolten Scrawny Horn wrote:

Not too sure about this, but if somthing is second hand, and given to you as a gift, you dont have to pay vat. If the amp is second hand - no vat.

If its coming from outside the EU they will charge you VAT and Duty. Second-hand makes NO difference. Gift only applies to items less than a certain very low value as mentioned above.
Having said that some items do slip through the net, but if I was a Customs "worker" I would focus on large, heavy packages and high-value items.

spoonbadger · 05-07-2007 01:21AM

woah! lots of good replies! thanks all but i dont know about getting it marked as a gift, most ebay sellers probably wouldnt agree. and customs would hardly believe that a 600 quid amp was a gift coming from america

Doctor J · 05-07-2007 08:57AM

No, marking it as a gift doesn't work in the real world. Beware of shipping it through DHL/UPS, etc, they add their own hefty surcharge for handling your customs fees which does't happen if you ship via USPS/AN Post.

feylya · 05-07-2007 11:49AM

Marking an item as Gift when you have purchased it is tax evasion which is illegal and as such, is against the charter of this forum.

buttersbrady · 06-05-2009 03:32PM

I bought a processor and cpu from America. €400. Great price. But I got charged €77 duty. :mad:It's crazy!

Doctor J · 06-05-2009 03:38PM

And you bumped a two year old thread on the musical instrument forum to tell us that, that's crazy too :pac:

excise duty on ebay buys?

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