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Author Topic: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): What's the situation for customers and traders?  (Read 79408 times)

Offline Fighting15s

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #120 on: January 27, 2021, 08:30:44 AM »

Online market places are a possible solution but they have their own problems, so will look into this option if it becomes necessary as an extra option for EU customers

 
One of the sillier aspects of the new U.K./EU rules on import tax is that they’re intended to catch big sellers on the marketplaces, but also potentially making small businesses jump into the arms of the marketplaces to cope with the paperwork.

However, the costs of the marketplaces aren’t attractive if you already have an online shop and an extensive range of products. Take eBay: to run an eBay shop listing up to 1500 products costs £69 a month. That’s almost what my new e-commerce shop costs in a year, although is comparable to what I used to pay with my former supplier. For a small business, it’s not really viable. Fine if eBay is your only shop, though, and there are smaller-scale options to test the water. Linking existing shop products to eBay also potentially costs extra if you use, say, plug-ins for Woocommerce.

And then there are eBay charges of 10% of final sale price. To cover those, you have to increase prices. So if you’re not already VAT registered, prices of your products will rise by that charge plus the 20 to 25% VAT to European customers. With a 30+ per cent increase in prices via a marketplace, for many orders it might still be better for EU customers to continue to buy via a small U.K. supplier’s own shop and bite the bullet on handling charges.

Fancy Amazon instead? You have to barcode every single product you sell (or did when I looked at doing it). Fine if you’re already geared up for that, but a great deal of work for a one-man business with a large number of figure codes. Amazon's professional selling service costs £25 a month but eliminates a 75p per item fee. Item fees are not kind to low-cost products.

The marketplaces are convenient and potentially give greater exposure, but they will just add to the cost of getting small manufacturers’ ranges to EU customers. Despite initially thinking that small non-VAT-registered businesses would be driven into the marketplaces’ arms by the new laws, I now believe it’s hard to see the price of doing so being attractive to either the manufacturers or the customers.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2021, 11:03:45 AM by Fighting15s »
Ian
Fighting 15s
Gladiator Miniatures, Fighting 15s Flags, Martian Empires and Flashing Blade Miniatures
https://www.fighting15s.com

Offline Andrew Rae

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #121 on: January 27, 2021, 10:47:13 AM »
I'm beginning to doubt now whether UK businesses will be able to use the IOSS without an intermediary - someone liable for unpaid tax in the EU. Despite the VAT agreement in the trade deal, but it might be the EU countries will require an intermediary anyway.

So that would scupper most of us using the IOSS, I'd imagine. Which is pretty depressing. No idealism here in wanting to sign up to it, just what's needed for my business.

Offline Fighting15s

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #122 on: January 27, 2021, 11:10:44 AM »
I'm beginning to doubt now whether UK businesses will be able to use the IOSS without an intermediary - someone liable for unpaid tax in the EU. Despite the VAT agreement in the trade deal, but it might be the EU countries will require an intermediary anyway.

So that would scupper most of us using the IOSS, I'd imagine. Which is pretty depressing. No idealism here in wanting to sign up to it, just what's needed for my business.

So with that level of gloom ;) cost-effective unit packs via the marketplaces sounds like a strong option.

Offline Andrew Rae

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #123 on: January 27, 2021, 11:28:39 AM »
So with that level of gloom ;) cost-effective unit packs via the marketplaces sounds like a strong option.

I get the impression the scheme is optional even for marketplaces. So will Ebay, Etsy etc even use it? o_o

Offline OSHIROmodels

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #124 on: January 27, 2021, 11:38:25 AM »
So will Ebay, Etsy etc even use it? o_o

If they can make money from it, they will.
cheers

James

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Offline Antonio J Carrasco

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #125 on: January 27, 2021, 04:04:08 PM »
Just received my order from Eureka UK and no customs nor handling fees charged. It is a relatively small order (£41.00), and fit in a letter sized package. In April -if the f*c**ng pandemic doesn't cause any delays, that is!-, Flags of War will send me a larger order (£175.00), from its latest KS. I guess then I will be hit by customs, but who knows!


Offline Hammers

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #126 on: January 27, 2021, 06:04:11 PM »
I just cancelled an order from amazon UK. It just never seemed to move after more than 3 weeks.

Offline Andrew66

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #127 on: January 27, 2021, 06:26:59 PM »
I’ve decided to keep orders small for the minute from uk dealers , any orders have received in last week have hovered around the £20-25 mark and no charges so far , not sure what to read into that , I’m guessing the infrastructure is not in place to check every parcel...... yet ! I’ve also found distributors in Germany for larger orders as a possibility for the future

Offline WillieB

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #128 on: January 29, 2021, 02:56:30 PM »
Parcel from the UK last Saturday £82.5 (p&p not included)  surcharge 39€ (me)
Parcel from the UK last Tuesday £90 (p&pp included) surcharge 45,5 € (Vincent) that's nearly 50%
Parcel from  the UK yesterday £100 (p&p included) surcharge 52 € (Marcel) again 50%!
Parcel from Germany Monday (225€) free p&p, no surcharge.
Parcel from Spain ( 989€) no p&p. still underway but should be here in a few days. No surcharge.
All of these figures manufactured in the UK.
 
This is beyond reasonable..
European retailers will probably do very good business as long as they are decently supplied, and given a reasonable retail discount,  but I'm afraid the UK as a direct supplier will simply dry up.
Panic, Chaos and Disorder. My job here is done

Offline OSHIROmodels

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #129 on: January 29, 2021, 03:11:34 PM »
How were they sent? Normal, tracked, courier?

Offline Citizen Sade

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #130 on: January 29, 2021, 03:29:18 PM »
This is beyond reasonable.

Those surcharges seem pretty steep. Can you break down of any of them for us?

It would be very interesting to see exactly how much is VAT, how much handling fee, how much duty etc.

What's a reasonable retail discount, Willie B?







Offline Fighting15s

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #131 on: January 29, 2021, 03:37:48 PM »
Those surcharges seem pretty steep. Can you break down of any of them for us?

It would be very interesting to see exactly how much is VAT, how much handling fee, how much duty etc.

What's a reasonable retail discount, Willie B?

Also, whether the UK seller deducted VAT in the first place, and which customs codes (TARIC) - if any - they used in the customs declaration.

Offline Ray Rivers

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #132 on: January 29, 2021, 03:55:33 PM »
This is beyond reasonable..

Which is why I asked for a sticky with links to EU manufacturers and retailers.

Mind you, I have great empathy for UK manufacturers, both large and small. The vast majority of my hobby purchases have come from the UK for decades. I'm pretty certain things will get better over time, but for the foreseeable future the best option for folks in the EU is to err on the side of caution.

Offline Wellington

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #133 on: January 29, 2021, 04:03:49 PM »
@WillieB
Are you based in Germany? Was the surcharged cause by our Customs Office because they checked it and send the parcel to you?
A life without Samurai is possible, but not desirable!

Offline WillieB

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Re: Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders
« Reply #134 on: January 29, 2021, 06:40:03 PM »
How were they sent? Normal, tracked, courier?

Mine, the one with the 39€ surcharge came by DPD courier. Tracked.
I believe Vincent's one too.


 

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