Ordering from Spanish shops to the UK

[spamcan61]

1 hour ago, admiles said:

Anyone fancy paying 48-90% extra in duties? And VAT on the value of the goods and the anti-dumping duty of course. Be interesting to see where that one goes. The price of our hobby could rise considerably. 

Oh gosh you're saying I should start panic buying as much toy train stuff as I can now/ ;-)

[Geep7]

A rather interesting conversation going on about what may happen from the end of the year. It's actually something that I have been thinking about.

 

On a much more positive note, I have just received my first delivery from El Taller de Modelista. Ordered on Monday and delivered today. After a little bit of confusion around tracking numbers, it all arrived safely. It probably would have arrived earlier if the parcel hadn't had to take a journey across half of Spain twice, first to Madrid and then to Barcelona. I'm guessing due to the COVID lockdown in Madrid, there aren't any flights coming to the UK from there.

 

So rather happy, and very grateful for the help and suggestions on here.

 

Feel free to continue the conversation regarding the possible import tax situation from 1st Jan. It'll be interesting what happens.

[etendam]

I still hope that the UK achieves a deal with the EU. In that case just the VAT is added (So the best option will be to purchase from companies that have a VAT reduction) and of course the Royal Mail or equivalent in Europe with a handling fee.  Both the UK and Europe are trying to protect internal markets. In Europe the threshold will disappear in all countries. 

 

This will hit private buyers that order from China directly (Ebay, Amazon and Aliexpress). It doesn't matter to large buyers that are already paying import duties. An additional 48-90% price increase will also not help (Just a lot of additional income to HMG ) 

 

MRR buyers will be surprised to see that the models they have a pre-order for and that is made in the far east will have a totally different price as the price they ordered it once for when it will be delivered. 

That the prices will rise .......that is sure!

Ed

[admiles]

56 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

Oh gosh you're saying I should start panic buying as much toy train stuff as I can now/ ;-)

 

As good an excuse as any to tell the wife/partner/significant other!

[maico]

8 hours ago, etendam said:

You can apply for a refund if you are hit with a tariff that isn't correct but:

 

The German Customs classified on 24/10/2019 a working Model train with DCC decoder installed as 9503 00 70 (Other toys and models, incorporating a motor )

 

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/ebti/ebti_details.jsp?Lang=en&selectedReference=&reference=DEBTI39938/19-1&refcountry=&valstartdate=&valstartdateto=&valenddate=&valenddateto=&suppldate=&nomenc=9503003000&nomencto=&keywordsearch=&descript=&orderby=&totalRecords=53&linkVal=&viewVal=&keywordmatchrule=&specialkeyword=

 

This is done by a case. This one is valid until 27/10/22

The same discission has been made in case DEBTI23580/20-1 (A H0 Scale Unimog electric with DCC - That is a Märklin 39940 )

 

When looking at https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/commodities/9503007000?currency=EUR

Then you notice that it is hit wit a 4.7 % third country duty AND of course the standard customs fee - In the Netherlands that is around € 13 and over this total you also pay VAT. So it looks like which custom service employee is looking at the model and where they decide to classify it in and if it is hit with tariffs. This also explains why there are discussions on MRR forums about this subject when (Re-) importing the same model by different buyers.

 

Ed

 

Well, in the UK the commodity code for toy electric trains is zero.

 

Most Marklin-Trix is made in Germany or Hungary. The cheaper Start range from China. No doubt Marklin will argue their case.

 

https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/commodities/9503003000

Edited October 23, 2020 by maico

[maico]

6 hours ago, etendam said:

I still hope that the UK achieves a deal with the EU. In that case just the VAT is added (So the best option will be to purchase from companies that have a VAT reduction) and of course the Royal Mail or equivalent in Europe with a handling fee.  Both the UK and Europe are trying to protect internal markets. In Europe the threshold will disappear in all countries. 

 

This will hit private buyers that order from China directly (Ebay, Amazon and Aliexpress). It doesn't matter to large buyers that are already paying import duties. An additional 48-90% price increase will also not help (Just a lot of additional income to HMG ) 

 

MRR buyers will be surprised to see that the models they have a pre-order for and that is made in the far east will have a totally different price as the price they ordered it once for when it will be delivered. 

That the prices will rise .......that is sure!

Ed

 

I disagree. The total value of direct sales to private buyers in the UK from China is very small.

 

In 2017 the total imports of goods to the UK from the EU was £164 billion, US 51 billion, China £18 billion, HK 7.9 bilion, Japan 6.4 billion. The majority from China being company purchases.

 

Why would a pre-ordered loco made in China increase in price given the rate of duty is unchanged?

Edited October 23, 2020 by maico

[etendam]

15 hours ago, maico said:

 

Well, in the UK the commodity code for toy electric trains is zero.

 

Most Marklin-Trix is made in Germany or Hungary. The cheaper Start range from China. No doubt Marklin will argue their case.

 

https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/commodities/9503003000

This isn't a customs case from Märklin but it looks a re-import from a buyer that bought an item from a third country. Why else will you have custom duty in your own country? This decision is a final decision made and then they publish it as example cases for imports. So not all items are automatically placed under 9503003000.

 

Why would a pre-ordered loco made in China increase in price given the rate of duty is unchanged?

See the post from @admiles. They will protect the internal market and put higher tariffs on MRR imports to do so.

 

Ed

[maico]

9 hours ago, etendam said:

This isn't a customs case from Märklin but it looks a re-import from a buyer that bought an item from a third country. Why else will you have custom duty in your own country? This decision is a final decision made and then they publish it as example cases for imports. So not all items are automatically placed under 9503003000.

 

Why would a pre-ordered loco made in China increase in price given the rate of duty is unchanged?

See the post from @admiles. They will protect the internal market and put higher tariffs on MRR imports to do so.

 

Ed

 

If someone has re-imported a Marklin item to Germany no import duty is due if it is EU made. If it is one of Marklin's items produced in China, and most are not, the purchaser was unlucky with the decision made.

I can't imagine why it was bought outside of Europe. I collect Trix and Germany has the best choice of items new and used, and the UK generally cheaper used prices. Roco tends to be cheaper in Germany. I've never needed to buy outside these 2 markets.

 

These ultra-cheap things we get from Chinese vendors for a couple of pounds are only possible because the Chinese Gorverment is paying the majority of the International postage. A form of dumping I suppose.

[etendam]

Ebay already have implemented the VAT & cost of customs that will be added after Jan 1st when buyers want to purchase items from the UK. Similar screens will be added for the UK Ebay site for purchasing items from the EU. Here a buyer will be notified what additional costs will be added on the purchase. I have taken a random example from Ebay.de One thing that isn't very clear to me is how custom costs will be calculated..... As there are different tariffs and they can't expect that private sellers know which tariff should be used for every item they list. (Even if it is 0 you can still have a third country duty and modeltrains are classified differently by the customs than modeltrain parts with different third country duties if the parts are not originally produced in the UK)

 

 

So it looks like Ebay is almost Brexit ready and it will also works for the One Stop Shop that will be implemented in the EU on July 1st. (Then the VAT goes to the country where the product is delivered to in stead to the country that where the seller is from. This applies to business sellers)

 

This will help business sellers to avoid that they have a VAT number in different EU countries if they sell more then the current threshold.

 

Ed

 

Ed

[CPW]

Has anyone here bought anything from Spain or elsewhere in the EU since 1 Jan ?

How did it go? Was it through Ebay or direct from a shop? And was the VAT handled as expected and in accordance with £135 (?)  threshold?

 

Cheers

Edited April 3, 2021 by CPW
Query threshold value

[sulzer27jd]

I had a package arrive from Zaratren in Zaragoza this week. Tax was taken at their end and the shipping was free. The total was around 140€ so under the £135 threshold and I had no additional fees to pay at this end. All in all the service was excellent.

 

I especially like this shop because they understand my Spanish when I e-mail them and are really helpful. So I'm pleased this weeks arrival. I don't know what the process will be like if the order is over the threshold.

 

John

[CPW]

John, thank you for your speedy reply. 

I am pleased to hear it all went well.

 

Anybody able to report on a shipment over the £135 threshold?

 

Peter

 

[ianmianmianm]

On 03/04/2021 at 01:57, CPW said:

Has anyone here bought anything from Spain or elsewhere in the EU since 1 Jan ?

How did it go? Was it through Ebay or direct from a shop? And was the VAT handled as expected and in accordance with £135 (?)  threshold?

 

Cheers

I bought directly from Parvus who make model building kits. Production was slow and delivery slower (manufacturer errors) but once in the UK it arrived quickly and delivered with no problems, value being 80 EUR.

[Enterprisingwestern]

5 hours ago, ianmianmianm said:

Production was slow and delivery slower (manufacturer errors)

 

Yup, you definitely bought it from Spain, happens domestically too!

 

Mike.