EU shipping costs post-Brexit...

Interesting to hear all these different stories. If big distributors in Germany like Rose are just stopping sales to the UK it's an indication of how much of a hassle it is for even well resourced companies.

Still, at the same time as there's lots of tragedy going on atm with Covid it's really brought home to me the sadness of putting up these kinds of barriers in terms of just enjoying a relatively healthy, peaceful hobby in tinkering with beautifully crafted bikes!

Should count myself lucky I got a couple of frames over from Italy in the last year but had been eyeing a cross bike in Belgium which with £250 shipping on top just isn't economical, plus I think the mental shock of having previously paid 30 euros is also a factor in not wanting to pay it too.

Also seems ironic that I shipped some wheels to Hong Kong before Christmas as paid less than I now would to send them to France, with no VAT/Duty payable either.

My new Irish passport's definitely burning a hole in my pocket now at any rate lads!
 
I just had delivery o a frame from Germany today, shipped with DHL for,£45. Once it landed in the UK parcelforce took over. Luckily I didn't have to pay a penny, even though it was clearly valued at €295!
It's a head scratcher.....
I too have had a parcel returned to me because customs weren't happy with the declaration and value!
 
will keep hunting for services then-looked like Belgian post would do it for something sane but when I went to checkout a message came up saying they no longer offer the service
 
Stressed":gk4y7x2a said:
Woz":gk4y7x2a said:
does anyone have any good news about UK

Like I said- we've freed the fishes :| (did I mention that Nigel Farage is a bellend?)

Slightly misquoted, but go one then (I heard the fish were happier for it?) ;)

Since "the cheddar cheese curtain has descended across the continent", likewise and to echo someone else,
I may as-well buy from anywhere else in the world now since those customs procedures have some maturity.
 
Griggsy":eqgmzyb8 said:
that's interesting-I thought anything worth over £135 was being hit with a 25% surcharge now?
That's what I thought, but another German eBay seller told me that he was working on the understanding that this won't apply until end of February.
Then I'm reading of courier firms hitting customers with silly charges, so who knows! I think I was just lucky and slipped under the radar.
 
Woz":3aups0ml said:
Stressed":3aups0ml said:
Woz":3aups0ml said:
does anyone have any good news about UK

Like I said- we've freed the fishes :| (did I mention that Nigel Farage is a bellend?)

Slightly misquoted, but go one then (I heard the fish were happier for it?) ;)

Since "the cheddar cheese curtain has descended across the continent", likewise and to echo someone else,
I may as-well buy from anywhere else in the world now since those customs procedures have some maturity.

they might be mature but they're also prohibitively expensive?

i.e just because it now costs the same to ship a bike from the EU in terms of transport and customs duty as it does from the USA doesn't mean that there's better value for us as traders or consumers.

I never bought stuff from the states because on a 3/4/500 quid frame or something you'd be adding another 50% on via shipping and taxes at least. Pretty gutted and makes a finding those wee gems in France or Belgium that less economical when your £230 euro frameset with shipping is now going to potentially be costing €460 euros all in. At today's costs the Tommasini frame I got a bargain on last year would be more than double the price for a longer shipping service...

Maybe on those larger purchases where the shipping is a much smaller proportion of the sale it might not be as big a factor but I guess for those of us not routinely splashing $2500 on a Colnago it's more painful.
 
Fully agree - it's got to be worth it. It's ages since I bought from the USA - at one time it made sense due to exchange rates.

I think that the small parts trade between UK <-> EU is simply not worth it; a frame though is at that tipping point.

Perhaps the practice of riding to the ferry with a knackered Raleigh, dumping it on the continent, and riding back with a Colnago complete with a Campag Super Record gruppo will be fashionable and financially viable again.
 
I'm sure there's a monumental cock-up of double VAT being charged - once at Ebay check-out and when the goods are cleared for import.
 
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