UK Excise duty!

[jjb1970]

RM charge the handling fee because they can. Just as the government imposes taxes because it can. I wouldn't consider either case to be fair, you can't do much about tax but you can perhaps avoid RM for postage from outside the EU. I have a friend in Houston who is happy to recieve stuff and either bring it over for me or pass it to me next time I'm over there. The allowance for stuff you carry with you is a lot higher. Alternatively many shops around the world offer a choice of carriers. The alternatives to the post office can be just as cheap, tend to be much quicker and generally do not rip you of as much as RM in my experience.

What really drove me mad when I was buying US stuff from the states from shops using the post office is that I'd track the parcel and it'd typically sit in customs clearance with RM for two weeks. So they couldn't even offer a quick service for their eight quid.

[jpendle]

At the end of the day VAT is loved by Government because it allows them to shift the tax burden to people with money to spend, as opposed those on minimum wage or pensions. I think that in the UK people forget just how much VAT is being charged and if prices were listed as VAT free (say like a car) then there would be many more people concerned about the amount of VAT they pay.

The 'good' thing about stuff purchased outside the UK is that you get to see a VAT free price, just don't forget to add 20%.

BTW I think the whole Parcel Force handling fee is a ripoff.

 

Another BTW, most average Americans would start to froth at the mouth if VAT were introduced here. We have to pay sales tax but typically here in Colorado at a max rate of around 7%, and because of the quirks of the Federal system, if I buy mail order from outside of Colorado no sales tax is levied at all.

 

But then again Medical bills are still the largest cause of personal bankruptcy in the nation 

 

What I gain on sales tax I lose on co-pays!

 

Regards,

 

John P