buying from Thomann in 2021 - advice on Duty and VAT

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ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
edited February 2021 in Off Topic
OK, I had a nice long chat with one of their expert staff

We know the first part:
When you buy over £135, Thomann send you the parcel, UPS ask you to pay duty and tax, and charge you £11.50 for the paperwork

what if you don't like it?
Thomann sort out the paperwork, and you have to claim back the tax and duty with their help, you don't get the £11.50 back

here's the tricky bits:

what if you reject a £200 one, and ask for a £230 one as a replacement
well, it's treated as a return and a separate new purchase for customs purposes

most annoying case:
Item faulty after x months
you return it, they sort out paperwork so that there is no tax back into the EU, repair it and it comes back to you with no more tax to pay. But.... if they replace it, customs will sometimes class that as a new import, if there is any difference in spec. So you are back to reclaiming the tax on the returned guitar, and paying tax and duty and £11.50 on the replacement. So I'd recommend repair where possible.

Thomann deal with this stuff all the time with customers in many countries, it's just BAU, we are just not used to doing this, since we haven't been buying so much from further afield than the EU

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Comments

  • BudgieBudgie Frets: 2099
    Sunlit uplands :D 
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  • PhiltrePhiltre Frets: 4164
    edited February 2021
    But all of those duties go to the NHS, right? B
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    Philtre said:
    But all of those duties go to the NHS, right? B
    ok, very good
    No more Brexit talk in this thread please, this is just intended to share information on customs and shipping 
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  • BudgieBudgie Frets: 2099
    Philtre said:
    But all of those duties go to the NHS, right? B
    ok, very good
    No more Brexit talk in this thread please, this is just intended to share information on customs and shipping 
    Your thread mentions Brexit in its title and it is totally a thread about the effects of Brexit, ergo, it’s a Brexit topic. Perhaps put into the raging environs of P&E?
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    Budgie said:
    Philtre said:
    But all of those duties go to the NHS, right? B
    ok, very good
    No more Brexit talk in this thread please, this is just intended to share information on customs and shipping 
    Your thread mentions Brexit in its title and it is totally a thread about the effects of Brexit, ergo, it’s a Brexit topic. Perhaps put into the raging environs of P&E?
    it's meant as info for people buying from Thomann, not an argument starter about Brexit
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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    You could change the title to "buying from Thomann now we're in the sunlit uplands" to banish the B word? Just an idea. :)
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  • BudgieBudgie Frets: 2099
    Budgie said:
    Philtre said:
    But all of those duties go to the NHS, right? B
    ok, very good
    No more Brexit talk in this thread please, this is just intended to share information on customs and shipping 
    Your thread mentions Brexit in its title and it is totally a thread about the effects of Brexit, ergo, it’s a Brexit topic. Perhaps put into the raging environs of P&E?
    it's meant as info for people buying from Thomann, not an argument starter about Brexit
    That’s fine, I have no intention of arguing, and I don’t see any arguments above either but, to be clear, your thread is about Brexit and comments are likely to be based on that.
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    So, I've bought some stuff from Thomann twice now this year
    UPS are saying the Govt vat and duty is a bit higher than I think it should be, possibly they are double-counting the carriage charge and charging tax on it? As always the brokerage fee is extortion

    Anyway biggest issue has been delay whilst customs staff inspect the parcels, and the damage they have caused, they seem to rip open the parcel, inner boxes, then leave guitars incorrectly packed. You would hope that UPS would repackage competently given the large fee they charge, but apparently not

    Nice lady at Thomann today told me they are trying to arrange a way to resume "normal" door to door delivery
    Not by shipping from in the UK.
    I assume some pre-clearance deal with UK customs?? Providing more evidence? paying duty and tax up front? suggestions please?
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  • WhitecatWhitecat Frets: 5378
    edited March 2021
    Thomann could find a way to charge VAT on *all* purchases if they wanted to and then be able to ship all purchases with all import charges paid up front. They would probably need a bigger UK subsidiary but it’s certainly possible - Musicstore.de and Bax-shop can do it, so Thomann would be wise to sort it out. 
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  • gavin_axecastergavin_axecaster Frets: 526
    tFB Trader
    Any company can do it. You register with the tax authority in the country you are shipping to and use a carrier that will ship Duty Delivery Paid.
    I expect this is one of the things Thomann will be looking into to resume door to door delivery. The other being changing carriers from UPS, who are unfortunately completely hopeless.
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