Buying from Europe

[sploo]

Ah ! There are 2 losers in this (otherwise possible) transaction - you, because the German firm won't sell to a UK customer and the firm's shareholders who appear to have cut off their noses to spite their faces ...

I find it rather unlikely any EU based business would refuse to sell to the UK purely out of spite. The reality is going to be much more likely down to the added paperwork (and costs of such paperwork) required to sell to the UK. Large organisations can absorb that overhead relatively easily, but it's much more onerous for smaller sellers; to the point where it just doesn't make financial sense to supply the UK market.

 

[John Brown]

I find it rather unlikely any EU based business would refuse to sell to the UK purely out of spite. The reality is going to be much more likely down to the added paperwork (and costs of such paperwork) required to sell to the UK. Large organisations can absorb that overhead relatively easily, but it's much more onerous for smaller sellers; to the point where it just doesn't make financial sense to supply the UK market.

I find it very unlikely, but I've been told that I should get out more..

 

[Keith Cocker]

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...-drivers-uk-post-brexit-delays-dutch-hauliers

 

[sploo]

I find it very unlikely, but I've been told that I should get out more..

Maybe you should believe in Britain a bit harder. I've tried, but apparently that's not a substitute for the required paperwork

 

[RupertV]

But we got £350mil per week for the NHS!

On a non political note, it does seem hard to find any simple info on what EU sellers should do to sell to the UK. I've been looking at buying a piece of equipment from Dictum in Germany, and whilst they offer free UK postage I can't workout if I need to pay with VAT on the site, or pay VAT during import, or what the import duty will be, etc etc. The item is not sold in the UK and it is really frustrating me.

As an EU seller to the UK, since brexit I now have to fill out an online Customs form CN23 which adds an extra 12-15 minutes to each small order (average value before UK VAT about £35) assuming the An Post website doesn't glitch, which it often does and then it is much longer and then I must take it to the post office to be scanned. Pre brexit it was a matter of copy and paste the address, stick that to the package, add a stamp and put it in the postbox. This is for a business that I thought would be handy income once I'm unable to work as a carpenter builder. That time has come but I'm also closing the online business because all the extra (unpaid) hassle has made it unviable. It is not anti UK feeling that causes many small businesses in the EU to stop supplying UK customers but the extra time and hassle involved. Also regarding sellers using ebay, which I also do, ebay is registered and set up to collect UK VAT when an order is placed and this cuts down some of the hassle involved, but they take 15% of the total which includes postage AND the UK VAT. which I consider to be plain greed. My opinion is that brexit was a con and the worst thing that ever happened to the UK in my lifetime (68yrs this August)

 

[JAW911]

I really want the new Alpina root MIPs helmet but it's made in Germany and they won't sell to the UK anymore

Colis Expat is your friend. I use them when I want to purchase items not available in the UK from companies that won’t ship here. You set up an account, no need to subscribe just pay as you go. You then order for delivery to you but at one of their addresses (they have one in Germany) and they then ship it to you.

https://www.colisexpat.com/en/about-us/

 

[AES]

Colis Expat is your friend. I use them when I want to purchase items not available in the UK from companies that won’t ship here. You set up an account, no need to subscribe just pay as you go. You then order for delivery to you but at one of their addresses (they have one in Germany) and they then ship it to you.

https://www.colisexpat.com/en/about-us/

Thanks a million for that. Just reading their website - if they're half as good & reliable as it says, then this is the answer to the virgin's prayer!!! Someone has spotted a "market niche". Good luck to them.

Of course it could all be some sort of scam or just "lame" (when stuff looks too good to be true it usually is!) but I WILL try next time I need something. Then I'll know.

Meantime thanks a lot for this info. Potentially VERY useful indeed to lots of "us".

 

[JAW911]

I have used ColisExpat quite a few times, as recently as May this year. They are fast and efficient. They will consolidate a number of parcels into one shipment from different sellers as well. They then list different courier rates for your shipment so you choose based on cost or fast shipment. I think there are restrictions such as knives, poisonous chemicals, etc - listed on their website somewhere. Definitely not a scam! It opens a whole new world of shopping opportunities! Group buys with friends etc. Glad to be of help - enjoy!

 

[Distinterior]

...... It opens a whole new world of shopping opportunities!.....

What...?......Compared to how easy it was before we left the EU you mean.....?

Is this supposed to be one of those so called " Brexit Benefits " that we have all been searching for since 2016...?

 

[AES]

I have used ColisExpat quite a few times, as recently as May this year. They are fast and efficient. They will consolidate a number of parcels into one shipment from different sellers as well. They then list different courier rates for your shipment so you choose based on cost or fast shipment. I think there are restrictions such as knives, poisonous chemicals, etc - listed on their website somewhere. Definitely not a scam! It opens a whole new world of shopping opportunities! Group buys with friends etc. Glad to be of help - enjoy!

Thanks a lot for that JAW911. Another example of how useful this Forum is - at least sometimes!

I shall definitely be giving them a try soon and will report the results.

I do NOT want to sound like a grumpy old man (well not really!) but find it odd to say the least that this thread spent quite a few pages banging on about what did/did not happen re Brexit in the past but it wasn't until several pages later and your post about ColisExpat that something really helpful and useful cropped up.

 

[Distinterior]

Thanks a lot for that JAW911. Another example of how useful this Forum is - at least sometimes!

I shall definitely be giving then a try soon and will report the results.

I do NOT want to sound like a grumpy old man (well not really!) but find it odd to say the least that this thread spent quite a few pages banging on about what did/did not happen re Brexit in the past but it wasn't until several pages later and your post about ColisExpat that something really helpful and useful cropped up.

Admittedly AES, JAW911's post is useful due to the situation that buying from the EU is now far more difficult than it once was, but to imply that by using that company as a go between is a new benefit is hard to swallow.

 

[AES]

I have used ColisExpat quite a few times, as recently as May this year. They are fast and efficient. They will consolidate a number of parcels into one shipment from different sellers as well. They then list different courier rates for your shipment so you choose based on cost or fast shipment. I think there are restrictions such as knives, poisonous chemicals, etc - listed on their website somewhere. Definitely not a scam! It opens a whole new world of shopping opportunities! Group buys with friends etc. Glad to be of help - enjoy!

Thanks a lot for that JAW911. Another example of how useful this Forum is - at least sometimes!

I shall definitely be giving then a try soon and will report the results.

I do NOT want to sound like a grumpy old man (well not really!) but find it odd to say the least, that this thread spend quite a few pages banging on about what did/did not happen in the past and it wasn't until your post about ColisExpat that something really helpful and useful cropped up.

Admittedly AES, JAW911's post is useful due to the situation that buying from the EU is now far more difficult than it once was, but to imply that by using that company as a go between is a new benefit is hard to swallow.

May be hard for you to swallow Disinterior, but "today" JAW911 helps me in a real/practical sense.

How much real practical help (to me - and many others I suggest?) were all those pages setting out the history - i.e. what's happened/not happened in the past - to get to where I (and again many others) are today? IMO NIL. As I said several pages back in this thread "it is what it is" and setting out the history of that is today, IMO anyway, of no practical help whatever.

And BTW, no "implication" (quote from your post above) whatsoever from me. As said, I shall try it in the near future (have already registered with them and paid my 90 Euro cents registration fee)! Will report results of 1st try back here.

 

[Distinterior]

I hear what you are saying AES...

I will try and curtail my anger & frustration moving forward.

 

[AES]

I hear what you are saying AES...

I will try and curtail my anger & frustration moving forward.

OK mate. No problem on my side. But IMO, time to wrap this thread - or at least our exchanges - up? As said, no real hard feelings here.

 

[Distinterior]

OK mate. No problem on my side. But IMO, time to wrap this thread - or at least our exchanges - up? As said, no real hard feelings here.

Yes, no problem mate!

 

[TomGW]

As an EU seller to the UK, since brexit I now have to fill out an online Customs form CN23 which adds an extra 12-15 minutes to each small order (average value before UK VAT about £35) assuming the An Post website doesn't glitch, which it often does and then it is much longer and then I must take it to the post office to be scanned. Pre brexit it was a matter of copy and paste the address, stick that to the package, add a stamp and put it in the postbox. This is for a business that I thought would be handy income once I'm unable to work as a carpenter builder. That time has come but I'm also closing the online business because all the extra (unpaid) hassle has made it unviable. It is not anti UK feeling that causes many small businesses in the EU to stop supplying UK customers but the extra time and hassle involved. Also regarding sellers using ebay, which I also do, ebay is registered and set up to collect UK VAT when an order is placed and this cuts down some of the hassle involved, but they take 15% of the total which includes postage AND the UK VAT. which I consider to be plain greed. My opinion is that brexit was a con and the worst thing that ever happened to the UK in my lifetime (68yrs this August)

I was recently on the train from Dublin to Portadown and got chatting to a man of my own vintage (67) who was also making use of his free travel. He had an online business of some sort and coming north to post to UK clients.

 

[stuart little]

I had similar problems from Spain. A model wooden ship kit producer tried twice to send me FOC replacement parts, both times rejected by customs. I 'won' in the end by getting them to send the parts to relatives in France!

I have just had the aforementioned parts hand-delivered from Spain via France. Here's a photo to show how pathetic the system can be. It's a 2mm ply fret with laser cut parts to build scale gun carriages.