import fees from Robert White

Hello,

 

I'm about to purchase a large (for me) amount of equipment and I am

wondering about the extra expenses of import duties and related.

They have quoted UPS shipping, which I guess I pay along with the

charge for the goods, but then how much more and I on the hook for

when UPS comes to the door?

 

I know about it being tied to the amount for the percentage duty, I'm

looking for more general info like percentage for duties and other

charges.

i will be very curious to hear what others say about this. i have ordered many things from robert white and fieldgrass & gale in the uk and have never had to pay duty. on the other hand, i always pay when things come from canada. what's the deal??

As they sing on South Park, "Blame Canada!"

Yes, and also kill Terrance & Phillip ;-)

This link to the 2001 Tariff Schedule is where you can find information on import tax for specific items.

 

http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/tariff/0111c90.pdf

 

If I remember right I paid 2.5% for import from GB. I think paid more for the credit card currency conversion than the import duty... Ask your credit card company.

 

Daniel

It really depends where you shipping to and who you are. Within the European Union there are no import duties. If you're a business, R White won't charge you VAT. If you're a private individual, R White will either charge UK VAT, or the VAT rate of your own country (depending on their VAT position).

If you're outside the EU, R White will ship without VAT and without duties. If you're in the US, no VAT is applicable, only duties. The duty rate depends on the nature of the goods. Speak to your customs office, they will be able to help you out.

 

Mark

I asked Robert White what the duty would be to the US and they told me in advance and were spot on. I suggest you ask them as they have conderable experience and are an all around pleasure to deal with.

Bob Haight

I can't say that they've been "spot on" with their estimates, but they've never underestimated the charge. This probably has more to do with UPS than with R.W. though.

 

In one case, I wasn't charged anything despite the fact that there was a UPS form on the box that stated a duty fee was due. The final charge on any of my deliveries has never been exactly the same percentage as any other package.

 

Have R.W. give you a quote. You can be relatively certain that the price they give you is the absolute worst case. Even with the duty charge and UPS express delivery rates, your wallet will likely come out ahead!

My lastest purchase from Robert White, just over a year ago, only had "duty" on the 2nd filmback. My understanding was that I could bring in one of anything without duty for personal use. A 2nd like item would trigger a "duty". Seems like I had to send a check for a few bucks to customs via a bill that was added to the box. And the credit card currency conversion really caught me off guard.

If it is a large enough purchase, you may get a better rate buying an international bank draft drawn on a UK bank in sterling pounds. RW is big and reliable enough that you do not need the 'protection' of using a credit card. You may even get a better price from RW since RW pays no credit card commissions and can pass on its savings of about 1.5 - 2% to you. The bank surcharge and commission for the international draft may be better than paying the forex conversion rates for credit card purchases. Some travel agencies like Thomas Cook operate a forex counter charging you interbank spot rates with a minimal fee of like $5 to $10. Shop around and find out.

I bought a tripod from them a while back and the customs fee (billed to me by UPS) was 5.8% plus a $5 fee for UPS. I also had to pay a 1 percent fee to Mastercard for currency conversion. Even with those fees, and the expensive shipping (they like to use UPS 2-day air service), the Gitzo cost less than it usually sells for used.