Buying K&C overseas. (1 Viewer)

[Naps...just Naps]

I live in England so this is really aimed at K&C collectors in the UK but I would appreciate any positive advice from any source really.

Now that I have digested the detail of this K&C price rise I am looking at any way possible to reduce the cost of buying K&C items.
I don't want to stop collecting them if there is a cheaper buying alternative.

Us unlucky Brits already have to pay an arm and a leg for K&C and this price rise is a potential nail in the coffin so I would like to know is there any financial benefit in buying from a dealer in the US or even direct from K&C Hong Kong and have them shipped to England.

Looking at some of the posts it seems that the majority of collectors buy mail order and I just want to know if collectors in England have found any financial benefit buying mail order from overseas.

Some US dealers offer free shipment on orders over a certain amount. Are there any other benefits?

Thanks
Paul

 

[arnhem44mad]

Mate I just bought a huge load from treefrog, but now they don'tput the amount down and I fot the bill for customs today for another £300!!!!!!

 

[Peter Reuss]

To clarify...Treefrog has a policy of complying with the law and properly documenting the value of items on customs forms.

 

[jazzeum]

You know that you can't mess around with customs law. That can get you into a heap of trouble.

 

[Currahee Chris]

....... trouble.

Seems to be a lot of that going around these days.

Wasn't that a Marvin ***e song??? Maybe it was Trouble man...........

 

[Naps...just Naps]

Mate I just bought a huge load from treefrog, but now they don'tput the amount down and I fot the bill for customs today for another £300!!!!!!

£300.00??
Oh no. You must have been suicidal having to pay that.

That would definitely have put paid to my collecting days.

I suppose that is import duties and VAT.

And, if I've got this right, it was because Treefrog forgot or won't put the value on the declaration?
£300.00??? sort of negates the "free shpping" just a tad.

You could have got a cheap flight to the US for that.
Unlucky mate.
Cheers
Paul

 

[steveo]

Swings and roundabouts really,yeah its cheaper abroad but not when custom charges are applied,the bigger the spend the bigger the tax
Sometimes i am better off,sometimes i am not and would have better buying in the UK
£300 for custom taxes is a bit of a whack though!!
Its a bit confusing regarding custom charges on 2nd hand toys if purchasing off ebay,plus if the items are damaged,bit of a pain to send em back really.
Good luck,regards Steve

 

[uksubs]

Mate I just bought a huge load from treefrog, but now they don'tput the amount down and I fot the bill for customs today for another £300!!!!!!

I bet they were well packed could not believe how well packed mine were for them , great service

 

[Tony Neville]

£300.00??
Oh no. You must have been suicidal having to pay that.

That would definitely have put paid to my collecting days.

I suppose that is import duties and VAT.

And, if I've got this right, it was because Treefrog forgot or won't put the value on the declaration?
£300.00??? sort of negates the "free shpping" just a tad.

You could have got a cheap flight to the US for that.
Unlucky mate.
Cheers
Paul

Paul

If the forms are not filled in correctly or declared incorrect ie they are put down as a GIFT and they are a purchased item you will get stung.

The fees are normally for VAT, Customs duty and a fee for the fact they are chasing the fees!! usually this is a %.

Coming from a UK collector who buys from abroad (basballs, star wars items) not as the UK supplier of K&C. It as stevo says swings and roundabouts.

Some you loose some you win. ALL dealers of K&C SHOULD abide by the UK law as they are shipping into it and as such should declare that the items is
1, bought and 2, the amount bought for..........they are not samples or personal items (which are the other options)

Decleration for customs is:-

GIFT
SAMPLE (COMMERCIAL)
PERSONNAL ITEMS
SALE (AS in bought items of trade)

Check out returns policies as well. As you may have had it shipped free but how much will it be to send back?

I have been to the states three times in the last three months and picked up some bargains my last was a GPS watch i have been after and i saved £80 against the UK price so i understand where you are coming from........trust me this is a responce with my collectors hat on not as the UK dealer.

Long and short of it you buy where you feel best happy its your money.

All dealers around the world have a cross over of customers so there is never hard feelings. hey i even send guys to other dealers if i dont have an item or i think they may stock another manafactures.

have fun and be happy with what you buy

Tony

 

[Tony Neville]

oh by the way shop around as there would seem to be some dealers who have stock collecting dust and will be happy to ship it out based on other threads!! LOL best they sell it full price!!

 

[Wraith]

3 or 4 years ago, the exchange rate was $2 to the £1, USPS rates were reasonable and the UK customs couldn't be nothered to slap charges on in most cases. You could save a lot by buying from the States (and elsewhere).

Over the past couple of years, USPS prices have pretty much doubled, we're lucky if we see $1.50 to the £1 and Customs stick you for everything (+ a few more charges they've thought up themselves) + aParcel Force clearance fee.

The costs generally work out pretty similar.

 

[Naps...just Naps]

Tony,
Thanks for that it is much appreciated.
It does seem like a bit of a minefield and what looks like a bargain can end up being much more expensive.
I work for an American company and have visited the US several times.
I have filled up my suitcase with K&C and other manufacturer's soldiers on some of these visits and bagged some real bargains when the exchange rate was more favourable.
I haven't been for a couple of years because my company have cut back on travel expenditure. That recession thing again.
It looks like I will just have to wait for my company to send me to the US again rather than take a chance with mail order and customs pitfalls.

Cheers
Paul

 

[Rob]

Mate I just bought a huge load from treefrog, but now they don'tput the amount down and I fot the bill for customs today for another £300!!!!!!

Sorry to hear that Scott, thats harsh. I always got stung by customs, they never failed to get me so I gave up years ago. I may be wrong here but years back many dealers would happily put gift on the parcel , I don't think they do it anymore. Still I have a couple of young suppliers up North who give a superb service, Anthony and his father Michael. Michael appears very young and the two of them are often mistaken for brothers.............it just flows out of me doesn't it!

Rob

 

[Mitch]

Rob...

That must have earned you a free figure!!!
Mitch

 

[Rob]

Rob...

That must have earned you a free figure!!!
Mitch

I Wish!!! They will just tell me to get lost!!

Rob

 

[uksubs]

Well I buy 90% of my toy soldiers from the US but after what gone on this week I won't be saying where from don't forget if you buy from the EU you won't pay import tax

 

[Shannon Reuss]

Mate I just bought a huge load from treefrog, but now they don'tput the amount down and I fot the bill for customs today for another £300!!!!!!

I would like to clarify that Treefrog *doesn't* and *never has* falsified customs documents when shipping internationally by marking orders as gifts or making up a lower goods value. That might fly from someone selling toy soldiers as a hobby on the side but not for a legitimate business like Treefrog.
First, it goes against our company policies and ethics.
Second, our shipping software takes the values on the customs form directly from the invoice and does not allow revisions.
Third, our post mistress wasn't born yesterday and would be on to us in a New York minute if we suddenly started sending 'gifts' of cheap 'used merchandise' to hundreds of 'friends' around the world.

We ship to many many countries and have no information on what the governments of those countries charge their citizens for customs, duties, VATs etc.--That is between the citizen and the country. If people are upset about high import fees we respectfully suggest they complain to their elected or appointed officials rather than ask us to put our integrity and reputation on the line to lie for their convenience.

We offer free shipping for orders over $250usd (which often negates the cost of import duties) and if an order does not qualify for free shipping we offer the customer their choice of a variety of carriers and options and charge only the actual cost of the shipping.

Many people have found an order in the $250-$350 range is large enough to qualify for free shipping yet small enough not to anger the customs powers-that-be, however if someone asks us to ship a large shipment worth much higher than that amount we will of course follow their wishes. Orders over $650usd almost always attract the attention of customs officials...other parcels are ignored by them completely and no duty is charged at all. It is a rare and very large shipment indeed that would be *****sed £300 so please do not be frightened off by Scott's recent experience-it is hardly the norm.

Regards,

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Sorry Shannon, but the $250 parcels always pay sales tax when they cross the border into Canada. It's only ones below $100 that somtimes get through without being taxed. If they are under $50, They usually go untaxed.

As you know, I save up my order to $250 for the free shipping which almost covers the 13% sales tax.

Terry

 

[Shannon Reuss]

Thanks for the info on Canada Terry--we ship to many more countries than that though and this order amount seems to be about right for the majority of customers who give us feedback.

And what do your customs forms from Treefrog say by the way? I don't think it's 'used goods of $23 value' Happy Unbirthday Terry, love Aunt Ethel and Uncle Fred.

 

[uksubs]

Thanks for the info on Canada Terry--we ship to many more countries than that though and this order amount seems to be about right for the majority of customers who give us feedback.

And what do your customs forms from Treefrog say by the way? I don't think it's 'used goods of $23 value' Happy Unbirthday Terry, love Aunt Ethel and Uncle Fred.

Well I just had a big parcel from you and with your free shipping it still make it worth it + very well packed