Buying international products online. - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Ironball · 13-01-2005, 12:46 PM

Need some help guys please. I want to buy some generic minoxidil (Regaine) for my balding scalp from off an American site caus its damn cheap compared to this country (England). I am going to order by using Paypal caus I only have a Solo debit card.
Anyway what I am wondering is will I have to pay any import duty, tax etc? I know about international shipping charges but am unsure about importing goods. I have never ordered from America before. If I do have to pay anything who, when and where do I have to pay it?

Much appreciate any help you can offer. Like I said I need the stuff pretty sharpish or I will be needing the cat to sit on my head.

Apologies if posted in wrong section.

Cheers.

turbo · 13-01-2005, 12:51 PM

Search for customs & excise on the web and see what they say. From memory,i if the item is a personal gift (i.e. from a friend or something) then its excempt, or if its below a certain value (about 20quid) then its excempt. Other wise, you`ll have to pay customs tax, VAT and pay the postoffice a fee for collecting it for you.

A few years back I got stung by this. An item i wanted for one of my bikes cost 120quid in the uk, but i could get it from the states for 80quid. So, i ordered it from there. By the time they added all the taxes and fee`s it actually cost me more than it would have if id bought it in the uk. Doh!!!

Sometimes you can get the seller to put a fictious lower price on the packaging to advoid tax. But, if it then gets lost in the post you`ll only be able to claim for the reduced price.

Ironball · 13-01-2005, 02:34 PM

Thanks turbo. I have already been on that customs & excise site. Not that I had a damn clue what they were on about.

You say I will have to get the post office to pick it up for me. Does someone inform that my item has arrived then I have to phone the Post office or something? This is turning into a damn nightmare. The minoxidil will cost me about £45 for 8 months supply, here it will cost me at least £150. With all these extra costs though it seems like it will cost me a lot more than £45.

turbo · 13-01-2005, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironball

Thanks turbo. I have already been on that customs & excise site. Not that I had a damn clue what they were on about.

You say I will have to get the post office to pick it up for me. Does someone inform that my item has arrived then I have to phone the Post office or something? This is turning into a damn nightmare. The minoxidil will cost me about £45 for 8 months supply, here it will cost me at least £150. With all these extra costs though it seems like it will cost me a lot more than £45.

Nope, the post office will usually deliver it as usual, but ask you for the customs tax, vat and charge you a fee for collecting the cash before they will hand the goods over.

Biker · 13-01-2005, 03:58 PM

ask them if they'll put the value on the package customs slip as $20 and mark it as gift.

I've found most US companies will do this for me when I order either supps or parts for my Harley, I saved well over £100 buying a carb for the bike from the US.

turbo · 13-01-2005, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biker

ask them if they'll put the value on the package customs slip as $20 and mark it as gift.

I've found most US companies will do this for me when I order either supps or parts for my Harley, I saved well over £100 buying a carb for the bike from the US.

thats the best way! might be worth asking if they can do this before you buy the item. If they wont, try somewhere else.

Ironball · 14-01-2005, 04:04 PM

Cheers guys. They say they put a $27 value on the customs sheet and it is marked as bath supplies. Reckon that sound ok?

DB · 14-01-2005, 05:18 PM

lol yeah shou;d b fine mate...i have bought stuff for my bike from america also and aslong as they put under a certain amount and as a gift its fine get it delivered to someone else in ur house so its more like a gift

Ironball · 29-01-2005, 03:35 PM

I ordered some minoxidil and I recieved it today. They only marked the box as $15 and I did not have to pay anything when it was delivered. I ordered some Kirkland minoxidil. * months supply. It only cost me £48.

If anyone wants to buy some the website is www.discountminoxidil.com . Everything is all in order so it seems like a reliable site. It only took 9 days to get here. I made a saving of about £150

13-01-2005, 12:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 805	Buying international products online. Need some help guys please. I want to buy some generic minoxidil (Regaine) for my balding scalp from off an American site caus its damn cheap compared to this country (England). I am going to order by using Paypal caus I only have a Solo debit card. Anyway what I am wondering is will I have to pay any import duty, tax etc? I know about international shipping charges but am unsure about importing goods. I have never ordered from America before. If I do have to pay anything who, when and where do I have to pay it? Much appreciate any help you can offer. Like I said I need the stuff pretty sharpish or I will be needing the cat to sit on my head. Apologies if posted in wrong section. Cheers.

13-01-2005, 03:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
Biker Part of the UK-M furniture... gathering dust in the corner :) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,807	ask them if they'll put the value on the package customs slip as $20 and mark it as gift. I've found most US companies will do this for me when I order either supps or parts for my Harley, I saved well over £100 buying a carb for the bike from the US. __________________ -- Biker To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

14-01-2005, 05:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
DB UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW London Posts: 11,427	lol yeah shou;d b fine mate...i have bought stuff for my bike from america also and aslong as they put under a certain amount and as a gift its fine get it delivered to someone else in ur house so its more like a gift __________________ DB To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. often imitated never duplicated To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DB sleeps with a night light. Not because DB is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of DB. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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13-01-2005, 12:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
turbo Getting HUGE! Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,123	Search for customs & excise on the web and see what they say. From memory,i if the item is a personal gift (i.e. from a friend or something) then its excempt, or if its below a certain value (about 20quid) then its excempt. Other wise, you`ll have to pay customs tax, VAT and pay the postoffice a fee for collecting it for you. A few years back I got stung by this. An item i wanted for one of my bikes cost 120quid in the uk, but i could get it from the states for 80quid. So, i ordered it from there. By the time they added all the taxes and fee`s it actually cost me more than it would have if id bought it in the uk. Doh!!! Sometimes you can get the seller to put a fictious lower price on the packaging to advoid tax. But, if it then gets lost in the post you`ll only be able to claim for the reduced price.

13-01-2005, 02:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 805	Thanks turbo. I have already been on that customs & excise site. Not that I had a damn clue what they were on about. You say I will have to get the post office to pick it up for me. Does someone inform that my item has arrived then I have to phone the Post office or something? This is turning into a damn nightmare. The minoxidil will cost me about £45 for 8 months supply, here it will cost me at least £150. With all these extra costs though it seems like it will cost me a lot more than £45.

14-01-2005, 04:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 805	Cheers guys. They say they put a $27 value on the customs sheet and it is marked as bath supplies. Reckon that sound ok?

29-01-2005, 03:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 805	I ordered some minoxidil and I recieved it today. They only marked the box as $15 and I did not have to pay anything when it was delivered. I ordered some Kirkland minoxidil. * months supply. It only cost me £48. If anyone wants to buy some the website is www.discountminoxidil.com . Everything is all in order so it seems like a reliable site. It only took 9 days to get here. I made a saving of about £150