How to ship from USA to UK without taxes?

Post by **DiscoDave** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:05 pm

Lo,

So I'm considering getting a laptop from America and getting it shipped to the UK, mainly because buying the same laptop in America saves me about £200-£350.

From what my friends tell me, customs is a bitch. But there are some little workarounds so it wont cost me an arm and a leg, for example, marking the package as a gift or something..

But i've never really ordered anything from America and getting it shipped here, so how much do you guys think I'll be expected to pay to get a laptop over?

Ta

David

Post by **PhoeniX** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:48 pm

I think import tax is around 15% + VAT on top of that (17.5%)

Post by **hate** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:53 pm

mexican immigrant

Post by **Tormentius** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:57 pm

riddla wrote:Yes, do the gift thing.

:icon14: That works pretty well.

Post by **DiscoDave** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:59 pm

Please elaborate on the gift thing please

Post by **PhoeniX** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 8:40 pm

I think he's going to buy it from the US, whilst being in the UK so he'd have to get the person sending it to mention it as a gift.

Post by **Oldfriend** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 8:50 pm

fly roundtrip and get it your self , it'll still be worth it :icon25:

Post by **DiscoDave** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:41 pm

Cheers for the info guys, will have a word with a few contacts.

Post by **Timbo** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:00 am

You need to get it marked as gift, but also have the declared value on the package less than whatever the threshold is now. I seem to remember it was £38? That should get you away with it, but sometimes they like to fondle with packages that are suspiciously heavy.

In any case realise that you're pretty much fucked for postal insurance due to your false valuation. It probably breaks various laws too. I've done it lots and sometimes got away with it sometimes not. At the end of the day it's the luck of the draw.