Has anyone ever ordered from US and how does...

[pol26]

Customs work with our VAT and shipping duties... Does it make it worth my while or not???

It might. Depends what you are ordering. And of course depends on shipping fee too.

You credit card might also charge you a small fee.

I order a lot of stuff from there, but I have family in the US, so I have it shipped to them and they bring it to me when they come across.

Depends on how they ship. Be warned if it's DHL which most of them use, you will be charge customs duty and tax as well as about a 12 pound sterling handling fee. What are you wanting pol26?

Oi Expat, do you have the famous e-mail reply? Can you send it to me... please.....

Sorry for hijack

Well, after QVC craft day I saw the 7 gypsie's albums with the envelope type pages... And liked the idea of doing mini scrapping books for family etc... Wanted to try but the uk stores seem to have sold out or don't stock the whole range. Found a website in us that do the entire range but obviously not worth it if shipping is going to be a fortune.

Can you get sea freight shipping (takes many weeks to deliver)?

pol26 just ask them how they ship and get them to send them normal USPS (postal service) and mark as gift, on green customs docket. That's the best way of doing it. I'm sure if you ask nicely and say they'll get plenty of repeat business out of the UK they'd probably oblige

It says on their website they won't mark packages as gifts! Which is a bummer! Think I might give it a miss because i'm unsure on how much vat and shipping costs I will be stung for.

I've ordered through a US wholesale craft site, and the postage was pretty steep, but because I was ordering a large amount, it still worked out cheaper than going through other (UK) sites I'd seen.
There was no import tax, either, altho' when I ordered from a co. in Australia, there was import tax - I still can't work that one out!

btw it was from scrapbookexpress.com if anyone wants to add their thoughts on how much it is likely to cost and read their shipping policy. They sound pretty strict!

Bettythebuilder- do you mind me asking which site you used?

Slow typist (and got distracted by a glass of wine!!)
Irrelevant reply - sorry!!

Unicraft - altho' I did order 500 teddies (only the 3cm ones! It was the cutest parcel I've ever received, 500 teddies all looking at me!-but I digress)

thank you!!!

Still not sure, thinking no but I sooooooo want all the products they sell! The addictions of a crafter

Pol...normally shipping is at cost for large orders. DHL/UPS are the best for quicker air shipping....
Customs- you can receive upto £18 sterling of goods before paying tax....after that is 17.5% to customs. Many of the shipping companys also charge a cost for collecting the duty on behalf of customs.

As you are about to start up in business using the UK distributors would possibly work out better for you in the first instance. Many of the US companies have large initial order costs....approx $300 - $500 dollars plus shipping and customs.

HTH

Sorry for hijack - JM, I'm having am embellishment nightmare!Would it be possible for you point me in the direction of a list of UK distributors, please?

betty email me at info at little cottage crafts dot co do uk and if I can help I will

Many thanks JM, have emailed you.

It's also worth giving customs a ring, because I think some paper products are exempt from duty. Always worth a try!