From the states

[Tom]

They dont tax presents mark it as a gift if you post it back.

Not true, the threshold allowance is higher though
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageTravel_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document#P30_2801

False declarations as 'gift' is a known evasion method and can attract the attention of customs

 

[Tom]

Sorry for diging this up. But do pay import tax. If what you buy is second hand?

You could be charged duty on second hand goods
Make sure the senders declaration is meaningful and the valuation reasonable
If you are being honest with values / what you paid then arrange for the sender to include prints of PayPal transactions or email / forum messages to backup the declaration in case it gets looked at

 

[Missy-Q]

Buy it, remove packaging, put it in your kit bag, and tell them you took it out there with you to play an event.
Everyone does it.

 

[darren lewis]

You could be charged duty on second hand goods
Make sure the senders declaration is meaningful and the valuation reasonable
If you are being honest with values / what you paid then arrange for the sender to include prints of PayPal transactions or email / forum messages to backup the declaration in case it gets looked at

Ive brought a second hand marker and they have sent me a bill for it.
Have looked into it but no where mentions about second hand goods.
Will phone em tomorrow and see.
Thanks

 

[Missy-Q]

you pay duty on 2nd hand. You only avoid it if you structure your bill of lading and INV to denote items being returned for repair under warranty. There is no duty on repairs, as it is assumed duties have already been paid once. If an item, used or not, is permanently moving to another country, in which, ipso facto, it has not been purchased, then at least one government is going to want to earn out of it, as they have been denied their tax on the sale of that item.

 

[BaconDude]

They dont tax presents mark it as a gift if you post it back.

Oh yes they do my friend

 

[Tom]

To summarise it can be worthwhile to buy from the US. It may be to get something special or to make a saving.

If saving was the factor I'd say try to stick to buying in the UK. It saves the risk of extra hidden costs, but more importantly supports UK suppliers.

But it is reasonable to take advantage of being there. For this I'd say go fir something special.

If you go to the trouble of ordering in advance you are adding to the cost by getting in delivered to a US address then posting it back to you, thus probably more expensive then just importing directly as you are adding a level of postage. The only way you could save on this really is to buy in the US or preorder for hotel delivery then bring it back in your luggage

No matter what method of transporting back you may be liable for import duty/import VAT

Like it or not taxes exist. Allow for it that you will have to pay. Then if you pay nothing then you have saved
If it goes through the post and you get charged you will also get a couriers fee on top as you won't be dealing directly with customs. If you fly it back with you then you pay customs directly and the extra fee does not apply

Duty/tax applies irrespective to it being new, second hand or marked as a gift. The differencebeing the threshold and the valuation.

If it is warranty / service then the duty would not apply. But the package should look like it has come back from the manufacturer etc.

If you make false declarations to avoid paying (or a supplier does) then you still may get picked up on it, and remember that customs can decide to confiscate and destroy or return to sender.

So decide if it's worthwhile for that item and the potential costs.
If you comply with the system you could end up with a fairly exclusive item at a good price
If you buck the system you could lose out
You could also get away with it
The final choice is yours

 

[darren lewis]

Yep, no way out had to pay.

Thank you for the help, Miss-Q and Tommikka. Great and detailed answers.

Shame i didnt speak to you two before

 

[Canon Fodder]

all the details of what you should pay are available on the customs website, importing anything, new, secondhand, gift, posted or brought in through the airport in your bags is subject to import duty and VAT if its valued over the threshold. The duty is a pain to work out as you have to decide what description paintball stuff falls under. There are a few websites that will work out the duty for you out there (can't remember them off the top of my head).

What varies is the thresholds between gifts and purchases and posted or brought in in your bags.

However if you bring it in in your bag and its worth over the threshold value and walk through the "nothing to declare" channel and you get caught they could (probably won't but could) charge you with attempting to smuggle the item in to the country. There's notices all around baggage collection detailing your personal allowance so you can't claim you didn't know.

Also the customs people can pretty much decide what its worth, that isn't always what you paid, when my brother imported some bunkers he got hit for VAT and duty on the UK prices, not the ones he'd paid in the states (they were posted).

Yes there are ways round it, the warrenty claim, marking down the value of the parcel, producing a reciept for a lower than true value etc but these are all evading duty and technically criminal.

 

[Bolter]

This marker had better be worth it! Lets see a pic!

:this_thread_is_usel