A timely warning?

Last Sunday I ordered perfume from a company based in Hong Kong, of all places. I received it first thing this morning (Sat.), excellent service!

Well, I didn't actually get the perfume, what I got was a card from Royal Mail telling me to pick it up from their depot, oh yes, and bring £22.72p with me. That's the customs charge (inc. £1 handling fee). Turns out I could have bought it cheaper in the UK!

No complaints with the company, as I said, excellent service—just hate the Exchequer a little bit more. No...a LOT, LOT more.:unibrow: :mad:

A timely warning?

Last Sunday I ordered perfume from a company based in Hong Kong, of all places. I received it first thing this morning (Sat.), excellent service!

Well, I didn't actually get the perfume, what I got was a card from Royal Mail telling me to pick it up from their depot, oh yes, and bring £22.72p with me. That's the customs charge (inc. £1 handling fee). Turns out I could have bought it cheaper in the UK!

No complaints with the company, as I said, excellent service—just hate the Exchequer a little bit more. No...a LOT, LOT more.:unibrow: :mad:

Collette (me wife) has had that hppen with stuff from USA, dirt cheap, then a charge from the Post Office :rolleyes:

I always buy my perfumes from http://www.garden.co.uk/
I find them very cheap and the service is excellent! :)

I would never buy from abroad unless it was something I desparately wanted.

Thanks Vicky, it seems I've paid almost £7 over the odds! I've bookmarked that site, I hope mine wasn't made in a tin shack in the back streets of Hong Kong. :) Ta.

I've just found this on the Parcelforce site:—

Import value thresholds
For goods moving within the EU, import duties and taxes do not usually apply. However, for goods imported from non-EU countries, Customs charges do apply, these may include import duty, excise duty and import VAT. Goods with a value exceeding £18 (for commercial items including internet/mail order purchases), or £36 in the case of gifts between private individuals, are generally subject to Customs charges. Normally charges are calculated upon the declared value (plus shipping costs for commercial items). Further general information can be obtained by contacting HMCE.

HM Customs (http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageTravel_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_001454&propertyType=document)

I hope mine wasn't made in a tin shack in the back streets of Hong Kong. :) Ta.

SM, that is probably where the perfume was made :)