Beware of ordering anything from European companies post Brexit - a heads up

[Feedingthebirds1]

It will cost you more than you think, and that bargain will turn out to be very expensive.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277

all operate out of the EU, can imagine their sales being badly hit.

The European market will sustain itself. The UK retailers selling only to the UK not so much.
They are going to have to come up with something.

I work for a company whose warehouse is based in the EU. We are charging customers the same as before. There are delays with shipments due to issues at the ports but there are no duties for customers to pay.

I know there have been changes to the vat rules, we always charged UK vat rates to UK customers though.

It’s taking a lot longer too I chased an order the other day that was taking ages and was told ‘all our stuffs in lorry it should get released next week’

I have a sister living in an EU country. She ordered 2 jumpers from a UK retailer earlier this month- €258. She got an email from the couriers advising that there would be a €69 customs charge. She rang the retailer who recalled the delivery and refunded her.
It arrived this morning. She will call the retailer on Monday but she will not be paying for any return costs.
I think a lot of UK retailers are fucked.

@3JsMa

No surprise at all.It was known since the referendum that we will be charged extra if we leave the EU. Why to write about it now?

This. Not sure why people are so surprised.

Why are people surprised. It was explained before voting. People who did not understand the implications when they voted because they just picked out the bits that suited them.

Same the other way around. I'm not ordering from UK sites anymore. But the changes should not be a surprise to anyone. I don't understand how people have missed it.

But what will happen?
Will the UK retailers relocate to the EU? It will surely be worth their investment in order not to lose the entire EU market for the sake of the one UK market?

I've bought fabric online from what I thought was a U.K. company (xxxco.uk website). I was a bit surprised when it came from
Germany but it wasn't an issue when were part of the E.U. Unfortunately I won't be buying from them again as the postage and duty fees makes it uneconomical.

How do you know if the company is shipping from Europe?

Just speaking to my sister. Boden now have a .eu website. There’s a 15% discount on Uk prices and free delivery and returns. It looks as if they have got their act together quickly.

I did the same @Knittedfairies last week: needed a £9 spare tile for my kitchen from a uk company and they quoted £32 on top for import duties from Germany! Obviously I didn’t buy it. Small companies are fucked.

A lot of Amazon stuff seems to come from Europe I think? Anyone know if the same will apply?

I'm in Ireland and this has been all over the papers since Jan 1st. It will hit us hard too because most international companies, eg Amazon treat Ireland as part of the UK for warehousing/delivery purposes. To order from the EU based branches pushes up delivery fees and UK based means customs fees even if like Amazon they manage the VAT for the customer.
There are some UK companies I won't be able to buy from again, they are too small to set up warehouses in the EU or absorb the customs costs in pricing.
Just a word of warning also that you can't assume a .uk website delivers from the UK.
A lot of the UK based companies have .ie websites but people are getting hit for fees as their warehousing is in the UK.
I assume they will start putting that information on websites but I cancelled two orders last week after finding out .ie orders were actually coming from England and I'd be liable for customs.

Interesting about Amazon.

Be careful about websites who say they are operating from the UK also.

Had a conversation earlier with a colleague. He ordered an expensive jacket from a UK based clothing retailer.
They contacted him to state that the actual warehouse is in Poland, they would be sending the jacket from there and that he would most likely be subject to paying any Customs charges.

He ordered before 31st Dec and it still hasn't arrived.

It is NOT going to "get resolved" or "settle down". It is not "teething problems". This is what trade is like if you are not in a free trade zone. The UK left the biggest trading partner. By choice. Unfuckingbelievable.
Customers pay more. Companies go out of business.
Well done leave voters. You've got what you asked for. You just didn't actually listen to anyone who knew anything about trade or business.

I'm not looking forward to this, or the rise in food prices.

Our problem is Ireland is being screwed too despite being very pro Europe :(

I won't order from UK companies again because I've been hit with customs already. Its a shame because larger goods all ship via the UK. I think/hope that WILL resolve and settle down and European countries will find a way to bypass the UK and deliver to us. We are so small though that its very likely they won't bother :(

What @Howzaboutye said.

The fact that people are surprised by customs duties being imposed when you exit a free trade union just reinforces the impression that anyone voting leave (and tbh a fair few remainers) had not a bloody clue what they were voting for when it came to brexit.

The brexit referendum should never have been put to a public vote.

It's not just Brexit. The UKGov now requires any company, from anywhere in the world, who sells direct to the consumer, to be registered with HMRC for VAT and to collect VAT for the UK Government.

Understandably many companies just don't want to get involved.

I will continue buying from the UK. Your brands are streets ahead of equivalents I can find here in the EU in terms of style and British prices are usually a little lower anyway. Paying VAT won't put me off 🤷‍♀️

Issues with HOLLISTER too.
Seems all returns are to The Netherlands. Return label supplied, with a £5.00 reduction to the refund if used. However no label has been supplied.without a label I need to pay.

£14.00 quoted by RM to return a box of pants ffs!

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

It's not just Brexit. The UKGov now requires any company, from anywhere in the world, who sells direct to the consumer, to be registered with HMRC for VAT and to collect VAT for the UK Government.

Understandably many companies just don't want to get involved.

This is only the case on small orders - under £135 I think. Anything more than this, the customer pays VAT charges with other duties on import instead.