Awaiting knife from th USA

[Buster]

All right now - it just arrived, albeit with "CHARGE" stamped all over the box and a bill for £8.99 from Customs and Excise - £4.99 for VAT and £4 for a "Royal Mail International Clearance Fee". Bah

At least I can play with it this weekend.

Buster

 

[mikehill]

They charged me £8 for the clearance fee Does it vary according to the value of the goods
Mike.

 

[Angus Og]

They charged me £8 for the clearance fee Does it vary according to the value of the goods
Mike.

No.
Royal Mail £4.
Parcel Force £8.

I think.

 

[mikehill]

No.
Royal Mail £4.
Parcel Force £8.

I think.

That explains it ta What's the clearance for exactly ?
Mike.

 

[Angus Og]

That explains it ta What's the clearance for exactly ?
Mike.

For paying the money you owe Customs.

 

[mikehill]

For paying the money you owe Customs.

Think I'll use UPS from now on

 

[Angus Og]

Think I'll use UPS from now on

Ask for a quote on getting it sent by UPS. Yes they are good but I have noticed that they cost more and you will still get charged for VAT.

 

[mikehill]

Ask for a quote on getting it sent by UPS. Yes they are good but I have noticed that they cost more and you will still get charged for VAT.

I still can't forget paying £90 tax on a Coote grinder from the US, after waiting 14 weeks for it
Mike.

 

[Snufkin]

Think I'll use UPS from now on

You do realise UPS stands for Usless Pieces of....well never mind.
The last time I used them I tracked my package form Denver to SLC, to Seattle to Denver to Pittsburgh to Philidelphea to Pittsburgh. Then it hit the UK they payed the duty but forgot to enter it into their computer system as cleared for delivery until I called them. It then took them another week and a half to get it to me and this stellar service cost me $250 for 5 day delivery that took, in total four weeks And yes, I got charged duty and they tagged on a "handling" fee .
From personal experience Fedex are the most reliable courier service or good old USPS for small items.

 

[Snufkin]

I still can't forget paying £90 tax on a Coote grinder from the US, after waiting 14 weeks for it
Mike.

Aren't coots a protected species? And does it work on moor hens too?

 

[mikehill]

Aren't coots a protected species? And does it work on moor hens too?

Minced Coot ? I'd give it a go
Mike.

 

[mikehill]

You do realise UPS stands for Usless Pieces of....well never mind.
The last time I used them I tracked my package form Denver to SLC, to Seattle to Denver to Pittsburgh to Philidelphea to Pittsburgh. Then it hit the UK they payed the duty but forgot to enter it into their computer system as cleared for delivery until I called them. It then took them another week and a half to get it to me and this stellar service cost me $250 for 5 day delivery that took, in total four weeks And yes, I got charged duty and they tagged on a "handling" fee .
From personal experience Fedex are the most reliable courier service or good old USPS for small items.

Used USPS for a J.Neilson knife last week and got charged VAT. Not sure on Fedex though ... Not that I'm saying anyone should try to avoid it
Mike.

 

[Snufkin]

Used USPS for a J.Neilson knife last week and got charged VAT. Not sure on Fedex though ... Not that I'm saying anyone should try to avoid it
Mike.

Fedex will charge you but they are fast and reliable, or have been on the occasions I've used them.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I recently ordered some grinding belts from Trugrit. They said that they mailed them USPS because UPS quoted over $200 shipping!

Mike, I too bought a Coote and payed more VAT than you 'cause I couldn't wait and had it air mailed to me! However, I don't believe they bothered with the duty. Duty on machine tools is only about 2.5-2.8% anyway. With knives it is 8.5% added to shipping and value, so it makes a difference. Personally, while I don't like paying VAT, its paying import duty on postage, VAT on the duty (tax on tax), and that handling fee which makes me see red.

 

[DavidW]

FGYT,
Thanks for the comment about mc trials and the great link.
I don't want to hi-jack the thread. More posted to private message.

David

nice to see Trials in USA my uncle ,,used to Ride with http://www.sdmcc.net/history/trials.html as well as sotton vikings

 

[jamesraykenney]

I bought a very rare Bowen/Hickman statue of Cthulhu (H P Lovecraft) and it took nearly four months to get to me . I had all but given up hope then Parsehole Force sent me a letter telling me they had had it for over two months and could they please have 81 quid

Picture.... Picture.... I wonder if it is the same one that I have...
I know of two types, but I do not remember which person did which...
I have the one that is the rough looking one, that is supposed to look like the one described in the book... But there was also another one that had a very modern, or maybe Egyptian look to it...