If I buy something from America will I get hit by Custom's Duty?

[cartblanche]

I want to buy some arts and crafts stuff from an American seller on ebay - probably up to £75-£100. Will fit in a package about the size of an average hardback book so not too bulky looking. It will only be worth my while to purchase from the US if I don't get charged anything else. I have heard of people having packages retained by Customs and Excise and only having them released on payment of Custom's Duty.

Anyone got any experience or knowledge of this?

I am overseas and I sold a skateboard to someone in the UK. I said clearly in the auction I wouldn't under-declare or under-insure the value, but he flamed me for ages because he'd been charged about 50 quid when he collected it from the post office. IIRC the skateboard was about GBP70.

The bulk of the fee he had to pay actually wasn't excise, it was some sort of admin fee. Don't fall into the trap of looking it up on the HMRC calculator, thinking oh, only three pounds, that's ok. I think the admin fee was in the region of GBP30.

Depends on the value. I have only paid duty once.

customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageTravel_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document#P24_2132

i have bought fabric from america - but never spent as much as you! - and never been charged duty

You could be charged, you might be lucky but don't assume so it adds 30% to your item cost if you get hit.

Basically if the seller sticks a declaration on the outside of the parcel then yes you will be charged. Yes there's an admin fee involved. Basically you get a letter telling you how much to pay and you have to pay it before they will give you your item.

If however tge person does not declare it them you won't get charged but I think to ask them not too is an offence.