Shipping costs

[Dave2002]

I found this 34 CD set of Mozart played by Ingrid Haebler, which I have fancied for a while - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Ingr...haebler+mozart

The UK shipping cost is noted as £1.26. However, looking at the details carefully it would appear to be shipped from S. Korea, so surely it would attract a vast additional charge as it arrives in the UK if noticed by HMRC for example - which seems highly likely. This seems very misleading to me, unless there really is a way it can be treated as a product from the UK, which would presumably only be possible if the supplier imported it and then shipped it internally in the UK or within Europe.

There is one concerto performance by Haebler - K415 in E flat - on the recently pointed out download of the complete Mozart concertos (Vox) available from iTunes.

[Karafan]

The VAT/import tax business has long been a bête noire between me and Amazon. In fact, Dave, it isn't even always so clear - many third party sellers are listed as UK based and it is only either through previous experience, or a feedback trawl, that one realises they are in fact overseas.

Of course, if they are in the EU this represents only a minor irritation and a possibly a greater delay than you might have thought. If they are outside the EU, then the import tax/VAT/Royal Mail "admin fee" business can hit you.

I have complained to Amazon a number of times about this, to no avail. I cannot, for the life in me, understand why Amazon would allow you to select your "place of residence" as a seller. After all, they know where you are as they have your bank account details - so your location ought to be automatically inputted IMHO.


Thankfully, one or two of the overseas sellers (especially the big Americans) seem to have a special arrangement where the item lands on your doormat having been posted (re-posted?) in the UK, thereby avoiding any unnecessary charges.

Caveat emptor really does seem to be the watchword!

K

[Dave2002]

Thankfully, one or two of the overseas sellers (especially the big Americans) seem to have a special arrangement where the item lands on your doormat having been posted (re-posted?) in the UK, thereby avoiding any unnecessary charges.

Caveat emptor really does seem to be the watchword!

K

The trouble in the specific example I gave is that it is impossible to say whether the supplier has the kind of special arrangement you mention or not. If it does, then the charges might only be £1.26, but if things go wrong it could increase the cost of the item very considerably. This does not seem a good way to do business.