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What's going on with EU and UK shipping to the US?


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3 hours ago, DvdRiet said:

 

Yes, I have heard loads of stories of the same here, from even before these new import rule changes. I had avoided ordering anything from the UK since Brexit, but I have not managed to find a supplier of ink sacs for vintage pens anywhere in the EU yet. (I just posted in the Repair Q&A the other day asking if anyone else knows a supplier.)

I have less problems/delays with things coming from the USA, maybe because they were always outside the EU. Since ink sacs are not that expensive, I am thinking of buying them there myself.

 

David

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4 minutes ago, david-p said:

I have less problems/delays with things coming from the USA, maybe because they were always outside the EU. Since ink sacs are not that expensive, I am thinking of buying them there myself.

 

David

 

That's also what I was thinking. It might be a lot faster that way and hopefully no extra tariffs on something as uninteresting as ink sacs. I think I might try that next time. 

Co-founded the Netherlands Pen Club. DM me if you would like to know about our meetups and join our Discord!

 

Currently attempting to collect the history of Diplomat pens.

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I too have noticed a sharp rise in international postage rates during the pandemic. It's not ebay's global shipping program; it's clearly stated on listings if the GSP is involved. It's not a switch to private couriers; again, the use of a courier is stated on listings.

 

It could be that ebayers have switched to tracked or other classes for international shipping, maybe because of the longer delivery times that have lead some buyers to file complaints of non-delivery.

 

It also could be that some ebayers have used the pandemic as an opportunity to boost their income by raising their shipping charge.

 

That said, I assume that savvy buyers factor in delivery charges. Certainly, when I see someone charging $50 shipping from Europe to Canada, I metaphorically walk away.

 

(What's difficult is figuring out how much the GSP is going to soak me for shipping, etc. since eBay only lists charges based on the current bid. And since vintage pens are used goods, I'm pretty sure there shouldn't be duty in any event. While I appreciate that having the option of shipping via the GSP is better than nothing, I no longer but from anyone shipping via the GSP.)

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I was reading there might be a global scarcity of shipping containers, perhaps that enters into the picture; I think it's my first experience with eBay's GSP, turned out to be not only expensive but slow, after shipping from the UK it took perhaps another week from NJ to Texas... Not that I'm in any hurry, it just seems odd.

 

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

 

B. Russell

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On 9/8/2021 at 11:41 PM, pgomme said:

since vintage pens are used goods, I'm pretty sure there shouldn't be duty in any event. While I appreciate that having the option of shipping via the GSP is better than nothing, I no longer but from anyone shipping via the GSP.)

According to the rules, the fact that something is second hand is irrelevant. Here in the EU, you are charged import duty based on the price you paid and the rate for the item. VAT is not only charged on the price you paid for the item, but also on the shipping costs. It is this last that I personally find hard to stomach — and then they charge you €5.00 for working out these fees!

 

I ordered a nib for a Noodler pen from the uk. Cost:£3.33, Shipping: £3.99 plus €6.72 to redeem this from the post office. Total: £13, nearly four times the basic cost.

 

It is no consolation to me that this opportunism has more effect on those living the other side of the Brexit firewall.

 

David

 

 

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In Germany you could send goods within normal letters for decades abroad. For a pen this was 370 Cents for airmail + 350 Cent for insurance up to 37€ or + 550 Cent for insurance up to 100€. German post changed the rules. You are not allowed to send goods in any letters abroad. OK, they can't check what is inside a letter. You can even insure it. But if the letter disappears and you want to make an insurance claim, they will refuse to pay a single cent. You also can't put a custom declaration sticker on a normal letter anymore.

 

So if you want to send goods abroad, you have to pay for parcel service. Instead of 370 Cents for 500g airmail it's now 3800 Cent and not even airmail. If you want airmail, you pay 5400 instead of 370 Cents. Yes, that's factor 15.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Do you mean by 5400 cents €54,00?  Is that the minimum charge? Is it the same if you send to Austria or USA?

 

Thanks for clarification.

 

David

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On 9/1/2021 at 6:04 AM, david-p said:

 

The problem Ebay's Global Shipping Programme is that, unless the seller makes it clear on the package that sales tax (VAT/MwSt) and import duty have been paid at source through Ebay, together with the reference number for the specific payment, customs in the receiving country are liable to charge tax and duty again.  This has happened to me several times in Austria and it is not immediately clear, as the two charges are not itemised on the package, and are in a different currency (€€€) from the pre-shipment payment (£££).

 

David

 

The IOSS has been made a part of the shipping address which eBay sends to me as a US seller when I ship to the UK or EU. ..... This prints as part of the address "VAT Paid : IOSS - IM2760000742"

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/14/2021 at 4:17 AM, TeeKay said:

In Germany you could send goods within normal letters for decades abroad. For a pen this was 370 Cents for airmail + 350 Cent for insurance up to 37€ or + 550 Cent for insurance up to 100€. German post changed the rules. You are not allowed to send goods in any letters abroad. OK, they can't check what is inside a letter. You can even insure it. But if the letter disappears and you want to make an insurance claim, they will refuse to pay a single cent. You also can't put a custom declaration sticker on a normal letter anymore.

 

So if you want to send goods abroad, you have to pay for parcel service. Instead of 370 Cents for 500g airmail it's now 3800 Cent and not even airmail. If you want airmail, you pay 5400 instead of 370 Cents. Yes, that's factor 15.

 

Australia Post has done something similar; the cheaper overseas methods/rates are unavailable, no apologies, no explanation, pay it or go home. Glenn.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 9/29/2021 at 11:40 AM, david-p said:

Do you mean by 5400 cents €54,00?  Is that the minimum charge? Is it the same if you send to Austria or USA?

Yes, I mean 54€. There are 8 different zones. So Austria is cheaper than USA, but still much more expensive than in the past, when you could send a letter. To Austria it's now 18€ instead of 3,70€ for a 500g letter.

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On 10/13/2021 at 7:10 PM, Eccles said:

Australia Post has done something similar; the cheaper overseas methods/rates are unavailable, no apologies, no explanation, pay it or go home.

 

Actually, Australia Post did give an explanation, but just not a very good one.

 

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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