Shipping from US

[Miles]

Hi,

Not sure if I'm posting on the right part of the forum and do apologise if I'm not...I'm looking to buy a bike or just a frame (yes retro!) and am wondering if anyone has any tips on avoiding big customs bills etc.?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers,

Miles

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Ask the seller to declare a small value for the frameset. My Trimble cost me 25 quid customs.

 

[adamgent]

I'll second that! The first bike I bought from the US was Jez's Hot. Been excited, eager and niave I was delighted when I got a great price thanks to the exchange rate. I wasn't so pleased to pay £200 postage and £100 customs. The former because I didn't ask the guy to shop around and he was fairly new to it also and the latter because he put the full new value.

Lesson leanred :cry:

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Yeah been there done that myself. Bit of a gamble the whole duty thing.

Got charged 16 quid customs for that ringle hub from the states... bugger.

 

[stew-b]

gift or warranty replacement and a $50 value normally works but if it goes missing you are only covered to $50........

 

[weps]

we need a high-tech smuggling operation.

 

[retrobikeguy]

we need a high-tech smuggling operation.

Yeah, maybe some drug runners will do a sideline in bike frames for us all

 

[delboy009]

ha ha ha ... Bastard customs !! They dont give a poo nowadays even if the item is sent as a gift !! Had the same thing with my first Adroit from Wyoming, States !! Paid £1500 on Ebay, came over as a gift and I still had to pay the UPS guy £260 at the door or no release !!! All above board!

Swines.... Buy EU is the way to go !

 

[john]

we need a high-tech smuggling operation.

Yeah, maybe some drug runners will do a sideline in bike frames for us all

I'd like to see someone swallowing a Fat Chance and going through customs !

Seriously it does seem pointless to charge customs on second hand bike parts :twisted: Not as if we don't pay enough tax already here in the UK.

 

[gil_m]

If at all possible get the seller to post it using US postal service air mail or Global priorty and not a courier, USPS comes in through the Royal mail and most of the time misses the duty, ideal for parts, but not always frames.

Also as the other guys have said, ask for them to state a reduced value and for what its worth "tick the gift box"