Brexit- beware!

[Jimbob54]

Sounds obvious- we in the UK have left the EU so new rules apply for importing consumer goods. Yup. Good luck finding out what they are and how they will be administered if you look on the UK government website but anyway....

A cautionary tale- decided to look at getting an RME DAC and so I googled it- not the search I actually performed in the pic below but you get the point.

"Thomann UK" it says- and on their site its in English, all prices in GBP £ . Free delivery. As it was a month ago.

RME DAC 2 £725!!!!!!! Absolute bargain

BUT.... that isnt a UK site, its Thomann.de . Its a German site, shipping from Germany. And after a bit of digging, that price is Ex VAT. Which will be paid on import or delivery. Plus other fees I am sure.

So, British chums, watch out. The days of easy online shopping are over. I imagine similar will apply to using 3rd party sellers on Amazon and on Ebay etc that are EU based. Its incumbent on us as consumers to understand who we are buying from and where.

 

[eddantes]

My best wishes to our UK friends and members; I am afraid the next few months may be challenging for you :-(

 

[Frank Dernie]

Quite a few vendors have stopped shipping to the UK until the new VAT rules are clear.
At present the paperwork and payment options means it is too risky.

 

[pozz]

@Purité Audio How does this affect you?

 

[somebodyelse]

More coverage here, with companies explaining why they've stopped shipping to the UK.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55530721

 

[Jimbob54]

Well, looks like it's a total mess at the minute then. I emailed thomann support and will update with their response. Not sure what would actually happen if I bought an RME dac 2 from them at £725.

I'm sure they would ship. Maybe it calculates vat charge at checkout and they are registered with hmrc. But that makes comparing their site prices with a UK based seller awkward.

 

[MC_RME]

With regard to warranty services and customer support it is now even more important than before to buy local. Contact Synthax UK, our official distributor.

 

[Jimbob54]

Reply from thomann:

As of 01.01.2021 all current prices shown on our UK website do not include VAT 20% (Value Added Tax).

According to the new regulations, the VAT (20%) and possible additional handling fees will have to be paid to the courier upon delivery with the only exceptions being special VAT-free zones (e.g Channel Islands). Currently, we are unable to advise what the handling fee charged by the courier for each order will be. For further information, we advise that you check the costs and procedures in advance with the courier locally.

VAT will be added and charged by Thomann GmbH after processing an order only if the net value of the items is equal or less than 135.00 GBP or if delivery will be to Northern Ireland. In these cases, no additional fee will have to be paid upon delivery.

 

[Nango]

I expect tons of "delivery shops" in Northern Ireland to be implemented where their only service will be to move the parcel further to you in Great Britain free of all charges & VAT. Lucky brits.

 

[Jimbob54]

I expect tons of "delivery shops" in Northern Ireland to be implemented where their only service will be to move the parcel further to you in Great Britain free of all charges & VAT.

I think the difference with NI is that vat will be added at POS whereas for mainland, delivery company collect it for them.

I'm sure hmrc will be looking at the supply chain and vat arrangements of any arrangements like you suggest in NI.

 

[Purité Audio]

@Purité Audio How does this affect you?

Synthax are out of stock at the moment, ( AD`i-2dac) delivery expected end of the month.
Keith

 

[Foxenfurter]

Just shipped an amplifier to a member in Portugal, I had to complete customs paperwork too. - i.e. exiting the UK.
My understanding is that the UK govt expects European companies to VAT register and pay VAT at source in order to expedite frictionless trade, naturally they are wary.
Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[Nango]

I think the difference with NI is that vat will be added at POS whereas for mainland, delivery company collect it for them.

I'm sure hmrc will be looking at the supply chain and vat arrangements of any arrangements like you suggest in NI.

Well, border controls (here tax controls) within the cty is what UK wanted to avoid.

 

[julian_hughes]

The days of easy online shopping are over.

Not for me. From the depths of alleged Brexit isolation in Brighton this year I've ordered stuff from vendors in UK and from Canada and from China exactly as I always have and have encountered zero difficulties. In the past I've bought a few things from the USA online, from Japan and from South Korea, and paying an import tax is not a blessing but also hardly the end of the world or even a big deal. When you send stuff you need to fill in a form and declare the value. Well, I do this anyway when I send stuff *within UK* and need it tracked & adequately insured. People do like to make a fuss.

 

[Jimbob54]

Not for me. From the depths of alleged Brexit isolation in Brighton this year I've ordered stuff from vendors in UK and from Canada and from China exactly as I always have and have encountered zero difficulties. In the past I've bought a few things from the USA online, from Japan and from South Korea, and paying an import tax is not a blessing but also hardly the end of the world or even a big deal. When you send stuff you need to fill in a form and declare the value. Well, I do this anyway when I send stuff *within UK* and need it tracked & adequately insured. People do like to make a fuss.

Not my point. Its not the paying of VAT, its the fact that the when I searched for the item on Google and was taken to the Thomann website- it looks on Google like it is "Thomann UK" (see my screen grab)- and I am presented with EX VAT prices in GBP, zero banners/ explanations of the new arrangements and a general lack of info from Gov.uk of the arrangements from a customer perspective.

I would wager a fair few people in the last week have ordered expensive items from an EU based site thinking they have a bargain and have/ will be presented with a large VAT bill plus fee from the delivery company.

Now if you dont think raising awareness of this on a site devoted to the kind of items people regularly do source from overseas, fair enough. I thought it worth flagging. Others clearly did too.

 

[julian_hughes]

Thomann have *always* quoted their prices ex VAT.

Calm down dear!

 

[Jimbob54]

Thomann have *always* quoted their prices ex VAT.

Calm down dear!

1. Dont be so condescending.

2. Per Thomann customer service :

"As of 01.01.2021 all current prices shown on our UK website do not include VAT 20% (Value Added Tax)." Which implies a change (and IIRC my last pre brexit purchase was listed inc vat but if course on the order confirmation /invoice it splits it).

 

[julian_hughes]

"Calm down dear" is a catchphrase from a funny tv ad in UK. It has even been deployed in the House of Commons by that arch Remainer David Cameron when he was P.M.

Last time I bough from Thomann they were listing prices ex VAT & ex shipping. It was a few years ago.

Anyway, if you are determined to be upset on behalf of(!) hypothetical people in hypothetical situations (like Thomann would not show you the total price at checkout, as if!), then that's up to you. Enjoy.

 

[Jimbob54]

"Calm down dear" is a catchphrase from a funny tv ad in UK. It has even been deployed in the House of Commons by that arch Remainer David Cameron when he was P.M.

Last time I bough from Thomann they were listing prices ex VAT & ex shipping. It was a few years ago.

Anyway, if you are determined to be upset on behalf of(!) hypothetical people in hypothetical situations (like Thomann would not show you the total price at checkout, as if!), then that's up to you. Enjoy.

My point exactly. They don't show you the (Inc vat) price at checkout. The delivery company charges you the Vat plus unspecified fees. I'm beginning to think you have only really read the thread title.

Also, I am aware of the "funny" commercial. It was Michael Winner. It wasn't funny. And it doesn't change the fact you are being overly condescending.

You will notice I never once mentioned my politics on brexit in this thread, merely the real life impact I have encountered in this limited circumstance. Whereas I think you have just made your politics very clear. This is a (notionally) politics free zone. Adieu

 

[danadam]

IIRC my last pre brexit purchase was listed inc vat but if course on the order confirmation /invoice it splits it

Still the case in Switzerland: