Ali express VAT charges

91
Posted 1st Jan 2021
Didn’t realise but looks like Ali express now charging vat at point of sale for everything.

Low value consignment relief (LVCR) for items under £15 is also now abolished in UK. So no getting around it that way either.

Only ‘gifts’ are VAT free.

Good for larger items so you know you’re not getting a surprise cost and I’m guessing you won’t get the £8 Royal Mail charge for it now if it’s already paid.
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  1. modelman's avatar
    I got caught last night for 20% on goods less than £15. Wish I had known when I placed another order a few days before. The gap of cheap low cost Chinese goods is starting to close. I wonder how this will impact on Aliexpress as customers begin to shop elsewhere or closer to home. After paying 20% tax, saving a few coins may not be worth the 3 week wait anymore. (edited)
  2. VeganPolice's avatar
    adnanasif01/01/2021 23:25

    yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items …yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items , good job


    If you read, ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/news/new-form-customs-declaration-low-value-consignments_en

    then you'll see the change has also been applied throughout the EU, it just happened at the same time as Brexit.

    "From 1 January 2021 the existing VAT exemption for goods up to 22 € will disappear. In order to allow VAT to be levied, all imports into the EU will have to be declared at the border using an electronic customs declaration" (edited)
  3. MrKrabs's avatar
    adnanasif01/01/2021 23:25

    yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items …yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items , good job


    Stop buying **** from china then
  4. clostridium_botulinum's avatar
    Let's clear up some misinformation. There are no customs charges on most goods originating and bought from the EU and imported into the UK. It's explicitly stated in part 2, article 5 (on page 20) of the trade agreement.

    Link to EU UK Trade Agreement
  5. adnanasif's avatar
    yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items , good job
  6. xeroc's avatar
    jeczap01/01/2021 10:56

    I'm a bit scared(!)I think I'll continue to hold off and wait for a UK …I'm a bit scared(!)I think I'll continue to hold off and wait for a UK price drop BTW, the price for this item has been sub-£350 for a long while and black friday saw it drop to around £318 at both DV247 (UK) and Thommann (Germany).... But thommann dropped it to 258,basically at the stroke of midnight (out of the EU)


    Yeah it’s just the difference between excluding VAT vs including VAT

    I imagine a lot of people will get tripped up!
  7. cabbageprince's avatar
    Author
    adnanasif01/01/2021 23:25

    yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items …yaay benefits of Brexit, now paying taxes on even low priced import items , good job


    Actually not a brexit thing. EU are also now paying VAT on them too so we’d have had it either way.
  8. tipperman's avatar
    Mega companies avoiding paying taxes = constructive compliance
    Small companies avoiding paying taxes = fraud
  9. cabbageprince's avatar
    Author
    farazkhan102/01/2021 08:07

    Vat on AliExpress started when Brexit changes came into effect coincidence …Vat on AliExpress started when Brexit changes came into effect coincidence I think not


    But if we were still in EU we’d have to pay it also? So how so?
  10. xeroc's avatar
    bozo00701/01/2021 10:35

    This is the most likely process now. People are confusing the Brexit deal …This is the most likely process now. People are confusing the Brexit deal and are thinking nothing has changed when it is now exactly like buying from the Amazon US site. In the OP's example, if the price on the Thomann website is inclusive of German VAT, then the price that will likely be charged will calculated as follows -£258 / 1.19 x 1.20 + (258-135) x 0.025 + shipping cost + handling fees charged by the delivery company; the latter only if Thomann doesn't pay the UK VAT and Customs charges itself. The 19 and 20 are the German and UK VAT rates respectively while the 2.5% is the UK Customs duty for items above £135 but up to £630. The main difference essentially is the VAT differential and Customs charges for anything above £135. So yes, Brexit has made shopping expensive. I am hoping someone can confirm the above as well.



    The £258 won’t be inclusive of German VAT. A German retailer exporting won’t charge local sales tax as well. Have a look at the same item on Thomann’s GB website and the DE one and you’ll see that.

    So you pay VAT at 20% (if less than £135 the retailer must charge it directly at checkout; if over then they can do but if they don’t you pay on import)

    A customs charge at x% which I believe only applies over a £390 threshold for EU imports

    Handling charge - If item is over £390 then I would definitely expect to pay the usual £8-12. it seems unclear how this is going to be administered for items where there is VAT payable but no customs ie between £135-390. I would anticipate there will be a charge. Should be no charge for <£135 items at all as VAT is already paid. This is down to parcel companies as i understand it - not HMRC

    So, overall yes it does make shopping more expensive for higher value items . Low value items the difference is marginal

    Note; the above is only my understanding having pored through the various gov websites! Happy to be corrected (edited)
  11. clostridium_botulinum's avatar
    xeroc01/01/2021 14:01

    The uk rate tracker shows a 2% third country rate applicable to Germany …The uk rate tracker shows a 2% third country rate applicable to Germany and Guitars (which is what was considered above): https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/commodities/9207901000?country=DE#importIf you know more than I do, please clarify!


    You've read the tariff table wrong. ;-)

    A third country duty is defined as the duty payable in the absence of any other type of tariff measure.

    The table has a line applicable to the European Union (Germany). It is subject to tariff preference measure and shows as 0%. The third country duty therefore does not apply.
  12. Itachi8_8's avatar
    It seems they are charging tax for goods shipped from within UK as well.


    43388696-RJPVX.jpg
  13. mnemonic's avatar
    I just stumbled into this today on Aliexpress. Saw 'tax' added during checkout and immediately backed out of the purchase What the hell? OK, so now I understand. So stuff is now going to be 20% more expensive up to £15 and beyond that any hope of dodging VAT is gone (purchase price cannot now be understated) . I see one potential silver lining though. Royal Mail were charging £8 per package to collect VAT. Presumably this means that particular scam is now undermined (VAT paid at source). Hope so...
  14. cabbageprince's avatar
    Author
    mnemonic03/01/2021 15:53

    I just stumbled into this today on Aliexpress. Saw 'tax' added during …I just stumbled into this today on Aliexpress. Saw 'tax' added during checkout and immediately backed out of the purchase What the hell? OK, so now I understand. So stuff is now going to be 20% more expensive up to £15 and beyond that any hope of dodging VAT is gone (purchase price cannot now be understated) . I see one potential silver lining though. Royal Mail were charging £8 per package to collect VAT. Presumably this means that particular scam is now undermined (VAT paid at source). Hope so...


    Yeah that’s it. Some items I would avoid thinking of the £8 on top of customs would make it too expensive. Now can make a proper decision and know no surprise costs.
  15. regretful1's avatar
    jeczap01/01/2021 08:24

    I want to purchase a £258 item from Thommann (online German music …I want to purchase a £258 item from Thommann (online German music store).... do you know if I would pay duty (I did look on govt website but got confused, as it mentioned the onus being on the retailer to pay or something?Cheers and Happy New Year



    The fact it's a German store, means that you will pay no duty because of the trade deal agreement the UK has with the EU
  16. xeroc's avatar
    jeczap01/01/2021 08:24

    I want to purchase a £258 item from Thommann (online German music …I want to purchase a £258 item from Thommann (online German music store).... do you know if I would pay duty (I did look on govt website but got confused, as it mentioned the onus being on the retailer to pay or something?Cheers and Happy New Year




    The reply above is wrong.

    It is over £135 so Thomann will NOT charge you VAT when you purchase. All prices will be stated excluding VAT. When the item is imported you should build in having to pay

    - VAT at 20%.
    - A customs charge. I’m not sure what the item is but a guitar say would also attract a customs charge of 2%. But as item is less than £390 this should be zero in your case. You can look up rates online
    - handling fee (not really sure whether this will be charged yet but account for it in case) (edited)
  17. jeczap's avatar
    xeroc01/01/2021 10:20

    The reply above is wrong.It is over £135 so Thomann will NOT charge you …The reply above is wrong.It is over £135 so Thomann will NOT charge you VAT when you purchase. All prices will be stated excluding VAT. When the item is imported you should build in having to pay- VAT at 20%. - A customs charge. I’m not sure what the item is but a guitar say would also attract a customs charge of 2%. But as item is less than £390 this should be zero in your case. You can look up rates online- handling fee (not really sure whether this will be charged yet but account for it in case)


    Thanks, it looks like a great deal..... but with Vat, maybe not
    m.thomann.de/gb/…htm
  18. bozo007's avatar
    xeroc01/01/2021 10:20

    The reply above is wrong.It is over £135 so Thomann will NOT charge you …The reply above is wrong.It is over £135 so Thomann will NOT charge you VAT when you purchase. All prices will be stated excluding VAT. When the item is imported you should build in having to pay- VAT at 20%. - A customs charge. I’m not sure what the item is but a guitar say would also attract a customs charge of 2%. But as item is less than £390 this should be zero in your case. You can look up rates online- handling fee (not really sure whether this will be charged yet but account for it in case)


    This is the most likely process now. People are confusing the Brexit deal and are thinking nothing has changed when it is now exactly like buying from the Amazon US site.

    In the OP's example, if the price on the Thomann website is inclusive of German VAT, then the price that will likely be charged will calculated as follows -

    £258 / 1.19 x 1.20 + (258-135) x 0.025 + shipping cost + handling fees charged by the delivery company; the latter only if Thomann doesn't pay the UK VAT and Customs charges itself. The 19 and 20 are the German and UK VAT rates respectively while the 2.5% is the UK Customs duty for items above £135 but up to £630. The main difference essentially is the VAT differential and Customs charges for anything above £135. So yes, Brexit has made shopping expensive.

    I am hoping someone can confirm the above as well.
  19. jeczap's avatar
    I'm a bit scared(!)
    I think I'll continue to hold off and wait for a UK price drop
    BTW, the price for this item has been sub-£350 for a long while and black friday saw it drop to around £318 at both DV247 (UK) and Thommann (Germany).... But thommann dropped it to 258,basically at the stroke of midnight (out of the EU)
  20. xeroc's avatar
    modelman01/01/2021 12:15

    I got caught last night for 20% on goods less than £15. Wish I had known …I got caught last night for 20% on goods less than £15. Wish I had known when I placed another order a few days before. The gap of cheap low cost Chinese goods is starting to close. I wonder how this will impact on Aliexpress as customers begin to shop elsewhere or closer to home. After paying 20% tax, saving a few coins may not be worth the 3 week wait anymore.



    I think this is point of abolishing the <£15 relief rate, isn't it? To claw back some revenue on all those Chinese cheap imports !
  21. VeganPolice's avatar
    cabbageprince01/01/2021 13:58

    Ok cool yeah get it now. Confusing how they word it all as abroad but that …Ok cool yeah get it now. Confusing how they word it all as abroad but that didn’t include EU. Then didn’t mention how it worked from EU on those Gov pages.


    Because we were all in the Single Market.
  22. cabbageprince's avatar
    Author
    VeganPolice01/01/2021 13:59

    Because we were all in the Single Market.


    Yeah I’d still have said holiday abroad if I was going to Spain etc. Daft wording really.
  23. clostridium_botulinum's avatar
    xeroc01/01/2021 14:20

    And Article 5 also in fact only applies to goods originating in the …And Article 5 also in fact only applies to goods originating in the relevant country. Surely the position is therefore different if a German retailer is simply importing goods from China and then selling them to GB , as compared with a German manufacturer selling direct to GB?

    Spot on, it has to be made in Germany (or some other EU country).

    xeroc01/01/2021 14:20

    How does all of that square with the government announcement that it will …How does all of that square with the government announcement that it will impose customs duties on goods from the EU over £390?

    The government has said, quoting from the GOV.UK website, you have to declare the goods and may have to pay customs duty if you exceed your allowances. I tested it out on the GOV.UK online customs declaration by bringing in a computer costing €1,000 from Germany. It calculated the tax payable as £180.58 (VAT), £0 (customs duty).
  24. xeroc's avatar
    clostridium_botulinum01/01/2021 14:45

    Spot on, it has to be made in Germany (or some other EU country). The …Spot on, it has to be made in Germany (or some other EU country). The government has said, quoting from the GOV.UK website, you have to declare the goods and may have to pay customs duty if you exceed your allowances. I tested it out on the GOV.UK online customs declaration by bringing in a computer costing €1,000 from Germany. It calculated the tax payable as £180.58 (VAT), £0 (customs duty).




    So if (to use the above example) the user purchased his guitar from Thomann, originally made in Mexico, say, when it was imported to the UK by Thomann, the German retailer, he would be liable for VAT + the 2% + handling?

    Great! Can you share the link to the calculator please? I can't for the life of me find it.

    Edit: Is the duty on your laptop/computer only 0% because that is the third country rate anyway? trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/com…000 (edited)
  25. adnanasif's avatar
    MrKrabs01/01/2021 23:40

    Stop buying **** from china then


    Definately didn't ask you for useless advice, thanks but no thanks.
  26. adnanasif's avatar
    cabbageprince02/01/2021 00:56

    Actually not a brexit thing. EU are also now paying VAT on them too so …Actually not a brexit thing. EU are also now paying VAT on them too so we’d have had it either way.


    Bit unfortunate timing i suppose, didn't realise until just now, guess 3 weeks wait ain't gonna be worth it in the end 🏽
  27. farazkhan1's avatar
    cabbageprince02/01/2021 00:56

    Actually not a brexit thing. EU are also now paying VAT on them too so …Actually not a brexit thing. EU are also now paying VAT on them too so we’d have had it either way.


    Vat on AliExpress started when Brexit changes came into effect coincidence I think not
  28. farazkhan1's avatar
    MrKrabs01/01/2021 23:40

    Stop buying **** from china then


    Nearly every item you buy has components from China this will effect you even tho you don't buy items from china
  29. jameshothothot's avatar
    Itachi8_802/01/2021 22:05

    It seems they are charging tax for goods shipped from within UK as …It seems they are charging tax for goods shipped from within UK as well.[Image]


    Thanks... Though that looks like an "eBay UK" rather than a true UK as says guaranteed delivery before 7 February? Well that is pretty bad for UK to UK and seems more like coming from China first?!

    Edit: though suppose that also sounfs like a typical money back disclaimer. Just when I shop on eBay I try and filter fake Vs real UK shops by their delivery date! (edited)
  30. m1keyp1key's avatar
    Almost got shafted by an offer via ebay for something i wanted from China.

    Got a 5% off offer come through on my email showing 20.99 reduced to 19.94

    If i then go to the item it shows £25.19, and an offer of 19.94

    The difference between 25.19 and 20.99 is 20%. Didn't press the button because i know my offer isn't right at 19.94, it's going to be 19.94+ 20%
  31. jon81uk's avatar
    cabbageprince04/01/2021 07:31

    I guess avoid companies like that if they don’t want your custom. Vat s …I guess avoid companies like that if they don’t want your custom. Vat should always have been paid from EU anyway.


    No, before Brexit you would pay VAT of the country you are buying from in the EU. So in Germany its 19%, in the Netherlands 21% and then you don't pay anything to HMRC in the UK. Now you shouldn't ned to pay the EU VAT but the store has to collect it on behalf of HMRC instead. No more issues with the Royal Mail charges, but the store has to pay extra to get VAT registered in more countries, or sell via somewhere like eBay who will sort it out for them.
  32. easyphones's avatar
    cabbageprince02/01/2021 08:08

    But if we were still in EU we’d have to pay it also? So how so?


    It is a carefully engineered conspiracy, obviously. If we had not left the EU, the EU would not have decided to implement this change, and there would be no VAT charges ever. Forever ever. Ever ever.
  33. cecilmcroberts's avatar
    Dan_Woods25/01/2021 15:54

    Trying to figure out what will happen - if a supplier send goods of which …Trying to figure out what will happen - if a supplier send goods of which he has been paid over the £135 - then sends but put $30 value on the parcel ? and no vat was charge online at point of sale??


    Over £135 the onus is in the buyer to prove VAT and any other taxes have been paid to HMRC, or the courier can collect on behalf and charge fees.If they undervalue the declaration it will be stopped as no VAT as been paid. The courier is also entitled to refuse to carry the goods without proof of VAT and its meant to be if this reaches the shores it will be returned to sender. If they do open and value at above £135 you are looking to pay everything owed along with a courier handling fee and a possible slap to the seller. Also pray nothing "happens" to said parcel as insurance will pay to the value of the goods declared. (edited)
  34. Sc4mp0's avatar
    Dan_Woods25/01/2021 15:54

    Trying to figure out what will happen - if a supplier send goods of which …Trying to figure out what will happen - if a supplier send goods of which he has been paid over the £135 - then sends but put $30 value on the parcel ? and no vat was charge online at point of sale??


    Also if customs stop enough shipments being undervalued by a specific seller they will be blacklisted by the HMRC and have shipments of theirs automatically prohibited from entering the country and returned.
  35. joyf4536's avatar
    tipperman25/01/2021 21:02

    I did say end users, businesses can of course claim VAT back (on purchases …I did say end users, businesses can of course claim VAT back (on purchases from within or from outside the UK) but if they then sell those goods (or package them with services) to a consumer in the UK (end user) then they have to charge VAT on the lot don't they ? (so government gets the VAT in the end anyway) Please correct me if i am wrong, or if you could let me know if there is a legal way to claim back (or not pay) UK government VAT for imports coming from the EU then sell these imports to consumers in the UK without charging them VAT so i can start a new import business ?


    Yes when goods are sold on but many high ticket items from planes and ships to lorrys enable the vat to be reclaimed (usually) or are Zero rated and even when eventually sold with various schemes little if any finds it's way to gov coffers. The 80 Billion figure also includes lots of things like imported electricity etc etc. these high value items distort the figures

    Then we have services...

    "For tax on services sourced from countries outside the UK, there are a number of steps that should be followed. However, this can be applied both to services from EU countries, as well as non-EU countries.

    If you are purchasing services from outside the UK, you should follow a procedure called reverse charge, also known as ‘tax shift’.

    This is when you credit your VAT account as if you had supplied the services yourself, then deduct the same amount – the two cancel out meaning you do not pay VAT."

    So 16 Billion is let's say optimistic. (edited)
  36. joyf4536's avatar
    tipperman25/01/2021 22:03

    Is that small companies in the UK or in the EU and do these changes mean …Is that small companies in the UK or in the EU and do these changes mean they will have to pay now ?


    Everywhere.
  37. bristolgal's avatar
    Does anyone know what the situation is with second hand goods under £135?
    Let's say for example I buy a pair of second hand shoes for £80 from an EU country, from a private individual, via a Facebook ad.
    They obviously are not registered for VAT, therefore cannot pay it to HMRC.

    What happens in this situation? I have read the gov.uk pages but can't find any info about what normally happens here.
  38. bozo007's avatar
    Everyone is now required to collect it from Jan 1. No more questions on "will this get caught by Customs"
  39. jeczap's avatar
    bozo00701/01/2021 08:01

    Everyone is now required to collect it from Jan 1. No more questions on …Everyone is now required to collect it from Jan 1. No more questions on "will this get caught by Customs"


    I want to purchase a £258 item from Thommann (online German music store).... do you know if I would pay duty (I did look on govt website but got confused, as it mentioned the onus being on the retailer to pay or something?
    Cheers and Happy New Year
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