Buying British tools from the USA
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- This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 9 months ago by dmshelton.
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Yesterday I purchased, via Amazon-UK, Spear & Jackson handsaws and some other items. The price listed on Amazon-UK includes the 20% VAT. When they billed me that VAT was eliminated from my cost. Turns out the 20% VAT exceeded the approximately $12 shipping cost. I will actually receive these saws in the USA at a lower cost than UK residents can purchase the same items.
Don’t be afraid to purchase UK items via Amazon-UK – the shipping cost is modest and product price is lower than in the UK. Shipping takes 10-days to 2-weeks.
6 July 2017 at 5:38 pm #313558Nice one Bob! 12$ shipping isn’t bad at all! I’m just reading ‘Shogun’ by James Clavell and it made me think what shipping costs would have been like in 1600ad? (Sorry for going off on a tangent). The Spear and Jackson saws look great, I’m tempted to get one myself!
Good to know! I didn’t even realize there was an AMZN UK side of things. That said, I have certainly ventured into the international eBay sites–my 4 1/2 Stanley came flew across the pond and arrived in great condition. I may have even bought something from Australia (which is cool to me to think about a decades old hand plane travelling halfway around the globe and finding a home in my shop).
Buying in the other direction, U.S.A. to United Kingdom is something I’d never do again.
Frequently eBay sellers are unwilling to sell to UK buyers.
Shipping Costs are extortionate – even for a cargo freighter
Fictitious Exchange Rates
Import Duties based on ASSUMED value not the ACTUAL price paid
Inspection Fees
Value Added Tax @ 20%
Seven to ten WEEKS arrival time
We pay Postage then have to COLLECT it, from a distant depot, with obscure opening hours and no Customer Telephone No.
eBay’s Global Shipping Programme will only calculate the cost once you’ve committed to Buying the item.So an apparent bargain 26″ Disston Hand Saw for $30, quickly becomes a $140 waste of money.
I have also had very good luck with buying items from the UK, though mine have been purchased through a facebook group, and not via eBay. ~£13 for shipping for most small things i have purchased (chisels, mortise/marking gauges, plane irons etc.).
I consider it a great bargain, since the time it takes me to get it is insignificant next to the value of the tool.
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