Ordering items from Amazon.com

[Raistlin]

Hey Guys,

Has anybody ordered anything from Amazon.com?

I'm looking at a book on the .co.uk site at the moment for which Amazon want £45.00 - this includes a 'finders fee' of £7.00 odd.

I can order the same book from the .com site for the grand total of $56.23 including shipping. That works out at about £27.93 - a saving of £17.07.

So, before I take the plunge, can anybody offer any thoughts/advice.

More to the point, anybody going to the states over the next month or so and fancy saving me some money on the shipping?

BTW - I really want this book I just hope they do the same with the rest of the series

[Matt D]

I've never had any problems using Amazon.com... although you may get stung for Import Duty & VAT (payable on anything over £18 if Customs notice it).

[Raistlin]

Originally Posted by Matt D

I've never had any problems using Amazon.com... although you may get stung for Import Duty & VAT (payable on anything over £18 if Customs notice it).

Hmmm....that's what I was thinking.

How much would they be likely to stick on top do you think?

What's the delivery normally like? The .com site quotes 9-36 days () for UK deliveries.

[greencreeper]

Usually a few weeks for t-shirts that I order from the US to arrive. I've forgotten what the duty is - there'll be a thread somewhere on here where I've moaned about it

[lauzjp]

Anton's order a few things from there, they do take quite a few weeks on delivery, and we've never had to pay import duty touch wood!

[Raistlin]

Hmmm.....knowing my luck I'll get right royally scr*wed on it

It really sucks that I even have to be having this discussion, it's sad though that you can almost predict that anything we want in this country will be half the price in the US - I guess it's all about economies of scale, or something.....

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Hmmm....that's what I was thinking.

How much would they be likely to stick on top do you think?

Dunno.

VAT is 17.5%, not sure what the import duty is.


But... from a quick look just now, it seems that books are "zero rated" for VAT anyway... so maybe there's nothing to worry about??

[daz300]

What if mail has come from abroad?

You might have to pay Customs duties for mail coming from abroad. The cost will depend on the type of mail being sent to you and its value - for example, you may be charged VAT if you’re being sent merchandise (business to consumer) worth more than £18 or £36 for gifts (consumer to consumer). There are other limits and charges for tobacco and alcohol. There's also a handling fee of £8.00 per item, which is a contribution towards our costs in carrying out activity on behalf of Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise. However, if there’s no Customs charge then we won't charge you anything at all.


from the post office web page .looks like it may cost you a lot to get it from the us .

daz300

[Raistlin]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Dunno.

VAT is 17.5%, not sure what the import duty is.


But... from a quick look just now, it seems that books are "zero rated" for VAT anyway... so maybe there's nothing to worry about??

Cool, thanks for that

---------- Post added at 18:15 ---------- Previous post was at 18:08 ----------

Typically, just found a 'guide' on the Revenue and Customs web site. All in one line it says (without any clarification) that books are free from excise, that you pay VAT at the standard rate (17.5%) and that you pay VAT at the standard rate (0%).

Marvelous help that is!

[daz300]

i have good news books are tax free .

Books Standard duty free rate Excise duty Free

so yes if you do get it from the us you will be better off ,

link : http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...yType=document

daz300

[Raistlin]

Thanks for that

[daz300]

mmm it seems i am a bit slow at this . lol got there in the end . :~)

[Alien]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Has anybody ordered anything from Amazon.com?

I'm looking at a book on the .co.uk site at the moment for which Amazon want £45.00 - this includes a 'finders fee' of £7.00 odd.

I can order the same book from the .com site for the grand total of $56.23 including shipping. That works out at about £27.93 - a saving of £17.07.

If you didn't mind paperback instead of hardback, it looks like you could get it from here for about £13 including delivery.

[Raistlin]

Thanks for that link, it's specifically that hard-backed version that I want as it's a special edition (nice hard binding, gilt edged pages ).

[Maggy J]

I've never been asked for tax on the odd couple of occasions I've use Amazon.com.I don't use it much because I can get most of what from .co.uk.

What it is useful for is purchasing items for friends residing in the US.

Except of course when it's a British author who doesn't get published in the US.