Discs from the USA

[Guest]

I am thinking of buying, on a recommendation I saw on these boards a few months ago, the complete set of Wellesz symphonies (and possibly the Frankel symphonies too). The cheapest offer advertised on Amazon is priced at £17.73 and comes from California. As I am a pensioner the expense is important to me, but I fear that this price is too near to being charged by the Inland Revenue (and subsequently by the Post Office).

Can anyone tell me if this set (and the Frankels at £17.95) will certainly get through the border controls unscathed? Or is there an equally inexpensive alternative source?

[Roehre]

I am thinking of buying, on a recommendation I saw on these boards a few months ago, the complete set of Wellesz symphonies (and possibly the Frankel symphonies too). The cheapest offer advertised on Amazon is priced at £17.73 and comes from California. As I am a pensioner the expense is important to me, but I fear that this price is too near to being charged by the Inland Revenue (and subsequently by the Post Office).

Can anyone tell me if this set (and the Frankels at £17.95) will certainly get through the border controls unscathed? Or is there an equally inexpensive alternative source?

Ali-Prufrock,
What does Amazon charge for postage and packaging, as both sent separately wouldn't attract VAT + Post Office charges (i.e. 20% on the total costs which Amazon charges you plus £ 8.00 post office handling charge IIRC)

[Curalach]

The Amazon shipping charge is only £1.26.
I think if you order them separately you will have no problem. I haven't had any additional charges at that price level.

[HighlandDougie]

The threshold is £18.00. Any goods imported from outside the EU (bought via the internet, for example) below that threshold are, according to the Revenue and Customs, exempt from both duty and VAT. So, as long as the orders are separate, there should be nothing to pay at the prices which you quote.

[Ferretfancy]

I sometimes buy fro Buywell in Australia, usually half a dozen or so medium priced discs, and it seems to be a complete lottery whether I get a note from the Post Office for duty.
About half the time the postie has just delivered to my door, and that's that. So the best bet would seem to be keep the orders fairly small.

[johnb]

I ordered the Wellesz set from Amazon Marketplace (All Your Music) at just under £18.00 plus pp. The order arrived fairly soon (I forget exactly how long it took but it was definitely less than two weeks and might have been a few days) and there was no Post Office/Inland Revenue charge.

[PJPJ]

Try JPC.de

Frankel:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Benjamin-Frankel-Symphonien-Nr-1-8/hnum/8822107

Wellesz:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Egon-Wellesz-Symphonien-Nr-1-9/hnum/3633181

Flat rate postage: 5,99 euro whether you buy one or both sets. No customs problems.

[Bryn]

Nothing is certain in this world. However, I have never been hit with C&D charges for items costing £17.99 or less as yet. Indeed, I can't recall ever being charged for items costing less than £20 (£20.99, yes, and it stung), but I think you should be o.k.

See Para 2.3 here.

[Threni]

I bought two Stravinsky CDs from us, I think they were about £25 each so I ended up paying £8 extra on each for import, different suppliers but they were worth every penny seen as Naxos still haven't released any rare Stravinsky.

[Alf-Prufrock]

Many thanks for all the contributions above. It seems I may proceed with confidence, though I shall certainly investigate the continental sources mentioned. Good listening, everybody!

[Dave2002]

I once had some glasses sent from the USA. I had paid for them in the USA under my health plan, but they were sent to me in the UK as I was relocating back to the UK. I got stung for quite a lot by the postman, but I was able to claim it back once I provided documentary evidence for the situation. The interesting question was what "value" the items had. Clearly the glasses were worth more than £18, though not necessarily to anyone else. However, I had paid a notional fee for them under the health plan, and this satisfied the UK customs authorities. I think they accepted an argument that effectively I already owned them, and was merely sending them to myself.

In the case of the CDs in question, if you paid less than £18 for them, notwithstanding the postage charges, then it looks as though you should not be liable for duty, irrespective of the shipping costs according to para 2.3 pointed out above. You'd have to demonstrate that you paid less than £18 though, in case of dispute, and it can be tedious.