Tackle from the USA

Hi,

Not a review, but wasn't sure where to post this.

Over the last few years I've received numerous packages with values up to $85, none were marked as gifts, and they all had the value marked on them. Not one has ever been stopped by customs.
I was wondering what your experience has been with regard to ordering tackle from the US, specifically I'm interested in your experience regarding customs. Have you ever been charged customs and excise? If so, under what circumstances?
I would imagine that customs have a value threshold that they start charging at and I was wondering what that is.

I've had hit and miss experiences - got away without duty one time, had to pay the next - value wasn't a factor

I have had the same experience as Neil.
Have ordered tackle from the states twice but have only paid Customs and excise once.

I got stung the first time, after that I made sure I found a way round it and haven't paid since - either:-
1) Get whatever it is delivered to a friend in the US (helps if the parcel is small !!) and get them to post it to you when it arrives- normal postage - takes about a week.
2) For large items - like 3000 shads , a box of reels, etc. ask for the company to have it posted by surface courier (slow boat !!) - can take up to 8 weeks so it helps if you aren't in a hurry, but sometimes it arrives in 2 to 3 weeks.
3) put in an order between about 6 people and split the duty.

I order enough to keep me going for 8 weeks and have it sent by airmail (first time - so you pay duty) and place an order on the same day for the same stuff , only have it sent by surface. It should arrive before your first order runs out. That way you always have a supply and you dont get stung for import duty . Saves a right few quid too.

The vast majority of the parcels I've received have been from ebay members, as I said, none were marked as gifts and all had the value marked on them. Maybe the fact that the packages were posted from private addresses and had no company addresses or logos on them was the reason Customs never bothered with them.

Hadn't thought about customs duty . How does that work ? ie do you have to collect parcel from post office and pay there ?
Ta
N/

Hadn't thought about customs duty . How does that work ? ie do you have to collect parcel from post office and pay there ?
Ta
N/

The postman collects the cash B4 he gives you the thing.

a box of about 50 rapalas, braid , jig hooks and moulds for leadheads just arrived home - posted as 'gift' and marked as 'sports equipment' - no duty to pay. Arrived in 2 weeks priority post. I worked out that I saved about 200 quid on the purchase. I'll never need another lure nor braid, and the postage including insurance for $500 cost a total of 23 quid.

have another box of the same to post tomorrow. god bless amerka !! :D

I've ordered twice from the US. First time, i did'nt receive goods at all, but they resent it and i got it in about 3 weeks. I did have to pay duty and VAT also. They are so clever, they add the duty of between 3% to 14% depending on the type of product and then add VAT at 21% after that. The 21% is based on the cost price plus the duty rate... Greedy Gov!

second time i got hit too, order was 240 USD, by the time i done the rate of exchange, added back the duty, VAT and shipping, it cost me just over 300 euros. You can save by shopping online, but try a few closer to home. I found mactackle.com this morning on yahoo. they are irish based and have good prices on plugs and braid and stuff. might be worth using rather than getting tangled in all that customs stuff!

god knows we've enough tangles to deal with.. hahaha

PWise = BWise

parcels2go.co.uk do a florida po box with your name. not expensive and if you send yourself something from the usa there is no value=no tax!!!!

was in florida recently got two rods took them back by plane no hassle no extra charge to put them on the plane total vale was 300dollars.

A lot depends on what carrier is used, anything under €42.00 gets in duty free, over that and import duty is charged and then Vat at 21% is added (incuding the freight cost)

If its a friend who is sending you stuff then ask them to mark the parcel "Samples of no resale value" very few shops will do that as they can get stung for doing it on a retail sale.

The worst company is TNT, UPS and FedEx never seem to mind and the gear gets through with no extra charges. I think TNT use the duty scenario as a hold up to gain another day or two by telling the customer the goods are held in customs, if that is true its bad on there part.

The government have been in business longer than the tackle shops, they know how to get their cut, it may even get worse once they click on to how much stuff acually comes into the country.

Tom.

The courier companies have to present customs with a manifest of all imports. Sometimes items get through but that is only because customs didn't pick up on it.
Even the courier guys will tell you to get stuff in by post as they are the only delivery company who make no declarations to customs and your chances of getting goods in without paying duty are better.