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

[Andrew Rae]

6 whole euros in Germany? Ha!
May I present to you the very competitive rates of the Finnish postal service (Posti): €2.90.
A bottle of wine may easily cost you a tenner and the standard VAT rate may be 24%, but turns out there's one thing that's actually cheap here.
(Appears to be independent of the value: https://www.posti.fi/en/customer-support/receiving/import-clearance/handling-fee-for-items-requiring-customs-clearance
Also appears to be absent from the Royal Mail info Andrew referred to from what I could see; not sure why, but anyway, here it is.)

Bargain! That info wasn't on the Royal Mail page as apparently they don't do DDP to Finland, so didn't list the fee. Cheers for letting us know.

[Hammers]

Just wanted to express my gratitude to Ian, Andrew and others in this thread for the insightful comments, especially the "behind-the-scenes" stuff of the processes and considerations us simple customers might not be aware of. These are confusing times, so the offered information has been most helpful.

Indeed. It is a situation none of us is happy is happy with, so I am grateful that people on “both sides of the border” are chipping in to make things clearer.

[Fighting15s]

6 whole euros in Germany? Ha!
May I present to you the very competitive rates of the Finnish postal service (Posti): €2.90.
A bottle of wine may easily cost you a tenner and the standard VAT rate may be 24%, but turns out there's one thing that's actually cheap here.
(Appears to be independent of the value: https://www.posti.fi/en/customer-support/receiving/import-clearance/handling-fee-for-items-requiring-customs-clearance
Also appears to be absent from the Royal Mail info Andrew referred to from what I could see; not sure why, but anyway, here it is.)

That is quite low.

I've done a bit more digging and can add France 15 euros, Denmark 160DKK (21-ish euros), Italy 7.5 euros and Portugal 8 euros. Nothing to topple Finland yet.

I can say only two things about Finland. I was in Helsinki on holiday two years ago, and the only place anyone recommended that we go and see was the railway station (it does have a quite striking Olympic stadium, which was still being renovated then). Second, never go drinking with Finnish people: I did it once and I think I was lucky to find my hotel again afterwards. Oh, and I have some very good customers there who I hope, with import tax collection fees that low, I will keep. 

[Storm Wolf]

That is quite low.

I've done a bit more digging and can add France 15 euros, Denmark 160DKK (21-ish euros), Italy 7.5 euros and Portugal 8 euros. Nothing to topple Finland yet.

I can say only two things about Finland. I was in Helsinki on holiday two years ago, and the only place anyone recommended that we go and see was the railway station (it does have a quite striking Olympic stadium, which was still being renovated then). Second, never go drinking with Finnish people: I did it once and I think I was lucky to find my hotel again afterwards. Oh, and I have some very good customers there who I hope, with import tax collection fees that low, I will keep. 

Helsinki, Yeah you nailed it! I just about managed to find my hotel, but was so bladdered I almost couldn't get into my room.
The penalties of a free bar

[pogo]

Just got hit by the Brexit bug
Ebay auction of 131£, 36€ customs, 24€ handling for Belgium post
so a 40% extra
after 10 years at a rate of 2 auctions a month, this is the end for me
will do with the stock I have
Alex

[Fighting15s]

Just got hit by the Brexit bug
Ebay auction of 131£, 36€ customs, 24€ handling for Belgium post
so a 40% extra
after 10 years at a rate of 2 auctions a month, this is the end for me
will do with the stock I have
Alex

Hi Alex, As we've discovered and discussed earlier, Belgium post has the highest handling charge of any EU country (Denmark and France are close behind) at 24 euros. Brexit may have caused it, but your postal service is spanking you into the bargain.

I thought that eBay was supposed to handle VAT and handling itself as one of the marketplaces targeted by the new UK and EU rules. From what I can see, you get a customs form generated by eBay to stick on outgoing parcels so that VAT and handling is dealt with by eBay. Did your seller not use it? Or did something else happen?

[Wellington]

Anybody ordered from Northern Ireland, especially Aventine, since the fun started?

[Arrigo]

I did, and I am waiting the lead... I will let you know how it turns out.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

I did, and I am waiting the lead... I will let you know how it turns out.

Waiting for your input! I am looking to those Byzantines of theirs with desire (despite the annoying stirrups!)...

[Arrigo]

My order from Aventine arrived today. No VAT or additional taxes. 

Right now I have received two books from Helion with 4% VAT and the 7.50 custom fee (at the end of the line not that big hassle, I am using to receive wargames from USA), and a box from Warlord with duties already paid. Waiting miniatures from Museum and Victrix.

Best,
Arrigo

[Wellington]

Thanks Arrigo! So it seems NI works according to the new rules.

[Fanis]

I've got a big package coming from NI myself (OnTabletop) and I checked the tracking number again today and it's marked as having arrived in the country but currently in Customs...I see no reason why it should go through Customs and OnTableTop did post an announcement saying they have had cases of customers who have had customs trying to scalp them despite NI's status under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

In any case, patience and I will know soon enough I suppose. Will let you chaps know. Fingers crossed.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Now from the other side: yesterday I sent a package to a customer in Northern Ireland -county Antrim- and no paperwork whatsoever. The postal office took the package, put the label with the declared value -34.99 euros- and that was it. Less than a minute. Actually, I sent another package at the same time but to Italy and the procedure was exactly the same.

To be honest, the process was as smooth as you can desire. Haven't sent to mainland Britain, though, so I don't know if they will make more hassle with the shipment.

[Andrew Rae]

To be honest, the process was as smooth as you can desire. Haven't sent to mainland Britain, though, so I don't know if they will make more hassle with the shipment.

If you sell to a GB (not NI) customer - assuming you're not selling through Ebay, Etsy and the like - you must* register for UK VAT, and if the order value is less than £135, you must collect UK VAT at the point of sale. Bit more hassle, I guess.

*Usual enforcement caveats apply.

[Arrigo]

Go my order from Museum Miniatures, Z Sculpts... cracking good. And reasonable VAT paid at the postman. So far buying in UK from Italy is still doable.