Taking advantage of the weak Dollar

[Philly]

Nice one Phil!
That L-N newsletter definitely gets the wallets flapping! :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

I recently had a shipment from L-N with a customs label showing a value of $90 but I was not charged any duty - so maybe there's a threshold below which it's not charged/worth collecting. I'd be keen to establish what that threshold is (nice if it was $326.... $1 more than a 5 1/2 !).

I'm sure there are big savings available to the clever purchaser ....

I wrote ....

Well, it's time I put my money where my mouth is. Thought I'd test the theory as inexpensivley as possible, so.......

I've just ordered the 3 David Charlesworth DVD set from the L-N website for $70. If I get $1.8/£1 that's only £39. Not sure what postage etc will come to.

Prepare to be gloated at if my total costs come in at less than £47.75 (20% saving over buying in UK)

Actually, I added the Rob Cosman Hand Cut Dovetail DVD ($20) to my order.... total including shipping ($15) was $105. I was billed £57.45 by my credit card. ($1.827 = £1).

So I CAN gloat because my costs would have been only £46.52 for the 3 DVD set.

I'm sure there are even bigger savings available to the clever purchaser .... especially when the dollar slides to $2.1/£1 later this year. ...:ho2 ccasion5:

.... we just need to establish that duty threshold !

 

[Alf]

I recently had a shipment from L-N with a customs label showing a value of $90 but I was not charged any duty - so maybe there's a threshold below which it's not charged/worth collecting.

Must be $100 then, 'cos I had a parcel from LV that was bang on $100 and it got knobbled for £22 odd. But thinking about it, that was via UPS and I think they get you every time regardless - the <bleeps> :evil:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Rob Lee]

I recently had a shipment from L-N with a customs label showing a value of $90 but I was not charged any duty - so maybe there's a threshold below which it's not charged/worth collecting.

Must be $100 then, 'cos I had a parcel from LV that was bang on $100 and it got knobbled for £22 odd. But thinking about it, that was via UPS and I think they get you every time regardless - the <bleeps> :evil:

Cheers, Alf

Ouch!

That must have a hefty brokerage fee in it...

Rob

 

[Alf]

Ouch!

That must have a hefty brokerage fee in it...

Hang on, I've got the invoice here somewhere... Yep, you're right. £11.57 import VAT and £11 brokerage surcharges. :shock: Those boys in brown like a nice hefty cut, don't they? :evil: :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Chris Knight]

In my experience, when shipping with USPS and staying below $100, I never get stung for duty. However, the other carriers, notably UPS(100% of the time) but also FedEx (about 75% of the time) hit me whatever the total value.

 

[Noel]

Yes, stick to the US Postal Service and generally it's ok. Fedex, UPS, DHL etc use the brokerage fee as an extra revenue earner so it's in their interests to make sure there's a tax element.

Noel

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

This is what the taxman has to say about international e-commerce

http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/taxagenda/ecom7.htm

Customs duties

7.3 E-commerce raises only one issue for customs duties. This results from the anticipated increase in small packages brought about by customers using the Internet to buy from abroad.

7.4 Goods imported into the UK from outside the EU may be subject to customs duty and import VAT with the rates being determined by the nature of the goods in question.

7.5 There are two exceptions to this general rule:

if the value of a consignment does not exceed £18 it qualifies for a ‘de minimis limit' relief and is admitted free of customs duty and VAT. If the value exceeds £18, customs duty and import VAT are payable on the entire value; or

if a consignment is sent as a gift from a private individual to a private individual and its value does not exceed £36 then it is not liable to customs duty or import VAT. Again, if the value exceeds £36, the customs duty and import VAT are payable on the full value.

 

[Anonymous]

My apologies if this has been discussed before but have any of you orderd LN tools from Clarence Blanchard at Fine Tool Journal? He sells LN stuff at a bit of a discount and the shipping is free here in the states and at cost elsewhere.
Now if you want a special LN like, say.. a #1 1/2, even us 'Muricans have to pay shipping.

 

[Chris Knight]

Roger,

Is this a suggestion for something we might do or a question in regard to something you might do?

Clarence has an excellent reputation AFAIK so I can't imagine there would be a problem and it might even mean we can import a LN more cheaply vis a vis duty etc?

 

[Anonymous]

I was just wondering if anyone across the pond had tried ordering from FTJ. My LN loving friends over here always buy from Clarence because they claim the discount and free shipping is the best deal but I, personally, wouldn't know :lol: . I will have to admit I was tempted to buy a #1 1/2 just to store away.