import tax from the US please help me!!!!

[taytotayto]

i bought an sd card type thing on ebay from the US anyway it cost me £24 plus £2 postage.
i got a card through the door today from the post office saying i needed to pay £12 something tax and duty on this,
buy WHY!!!!!!!!
ive often ordered stuff from the US for small amounts and not had to pay....

The vast majority of packages come through without notice, but sometimes they catch them. It is likely something on the packing label that gives the value of the item.

And I guess the seller didn't mark it as a gift, which lots of foreign sellers do to avoid the charges.

personally I would never tick the gift box for an ebay sale, ebay does say clearly that import taxes and customs charges are responsibility of the buyer not seller
on a custom label you must declare contents and value, i always put value as sale price in any case if they opened package sales invoice would confirm value

if you want it you will have to pay, also it is not the sellers fault

On a £12 payment to Royal Mail your customs charges/tax/duty are £4 and the £8 is Royal Mail handling charges.

Quote from Royal Mail site:

"Receiving mail from abroad

All mail that enter the United Kingdom may be examined by customs, but normally letters, postcards and packets containing only documents or similar forms of correspondence are excluded.

If you are receiving a package from overseas (unless it?s from another EU Country), please be aware that it may incur customs charges. Any package assessed by HM Revenue and customs as being liable for customs charges will also incur a Royal Mail handling fee of £8.

Any goods imported into the UK over the value of £15 are liable to import VAT. Gifts between private individuals over the value of £36 are also liable for VAT. Goods and gifts over these values may also be liable for customs duty. You no longer have to pay customs duty for goods up to the value of £135, however you will still be required to pay import VAT and excise duty where applicable"

If it makes you feel any better I've just paid £51 customs on a £237 purchase (not from ebay).

it was the royal mail £8 charge for handling the paperwork that made it sooooo expensive. bloody royal mail eh.