25-01-2021, 08:28 PM
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Couriers and extra charges..be careful!!!
A thread about a courier reminded me of this.Due to brexit, there is an issue at the moment with delivery companies and other couriers asking for extra payments for items that have been bought from an EU country. The problem is to do with VAT and customs. If you purchase something from the EU and the company has not properly charged you VAT and customs costs, this is passed onto the delivery company who will tell you that there is extra cost to pay.
It's been all over the news recently. So, for anyone buying stuff from the EU, if the company gets the costing wrong, do not be surprised if the delivery company asks you to pay more before they hand over your item.
25-01-2021, 09:13 PM
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Re: Couriers and extra charges..be careful!!!
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
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It's been the same for ever (feels that way!) buying goods from overseas. The Post Office used to send a note how much taxes had to be paid before delivery.
Ahh yes, but the issues people and companies faced with buying stuff overseas is now exactly the same when dealing with countries in the EU whereas before it wasn't. Now, if you purchase something from lets say Germany and the company get the prices wrong, the delivery company, regardless of who it is, TNT, DPD, UPS, Hermes, they can now charge what is being called a 'handling fee'. Customs will check to see if all the correct costs have been paid, if they haven't, the delivery company pays the cost so it can be released from customs and then the delivery company will either email the customer or phone them and tell them they are holding a package for them, much in the same way the post office has done for decades for overseas items.
So like i said, if someone purchases something from a country that is within the EU, do not be surprised if the courier/delivery company ask for more money.
Already there have been news articles of people buying clothes from companies in Spain and Italy and the courier has turned up at the persons address in the UK asking them they need to pay a 'handling fee'. Needless to say some of the people told the courier to return the items.
26-01-2021, 01:16 AM
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Re: Couriers and extra charges..be careful!!!
Sounds complicated. Until that bastard Tony Abbott became PM goods up to $1000 were imported duty free, Then one of the Liberal Party donors who happened to own a big chain got into his ear and 10% GST was added to overseas purchases. This was inspite of the Productivity Commission saying that it would cost more to collect than it was worth.Fortunately it is collected at time of sale so Ebay (the main target of this legislation) adds 10% to the purchase price however if you buy the item direct from overseas no duty is paid when it arrives as I understand it.
You're welcome to keep Tony Abbott permanently
My only objection to couriers is that if an item needs a signature they leave you a note telling you to pick it up from their depot (or local Post Office in the case of Star Track). They ring the bell then wait about 20 nano-seconds before dropping the note and buggering off.
If they don't need a signature they just dump the package on the verandah without even ringing the bell.
26-01-2021, 06:20 PM
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Re: Couriers and extra charges..be careful!!!
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
->
It's been the same for ever (feels that way!) buying goods from overseas. The Post Office used to send a note how much taxes had to be paid before delivery.
26-01-2021, 08:20 PM
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Re: Couriers and extra charges..be careful!!!
If it encourages people to buy from the UK again then that, let's be honest, is generally a good thing.It will stop people from buying so much in various EU countries when it was the cheapest way they could buy some things, which thus not only deprived our already suffering businesses of trade but deprived our government of taxes too.
That loophole has been closed now.
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
->
It's been the same for ever (feels that way!) buying goods from overseas. The Post Office used to send a note how much taxes had to be paid before delivery.
Even buying from Amazon.com (the USA site) taxes and shipping for purchases that could be shipped to the UK have been applied on the site for years, so that you know what you have to pay.
IIRC eBay is the same.
I'm pretty sure that if we can manage purchases from other countries then people will soon get used to what buying from the EU involves and what it will cost, just the same.
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