RE: DDAR price has gone back up.....

["Timothy Morris" <timothy.morris@xxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: geraint@xxxxxxx [mailto:geraint@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 07 April 2001 02:22
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] DDAR price has gone back up.....
>
>
> Sorry to let you know...
>
> I checked the Dell site tonight, and the DDAR price has changed...
>
> it's now $199 if bought with a PC,,,or $249 bought on own.
>
> I hope it changes again....i was lucky, as I got my old boss to order
> me 5 at the $149 price, and i've just got the Dell confirmation of
> the order through....
>
> I am told by him,,that the value on the customs form should not
> exceed £40 or duty will be charged...
>
> he ships a lot of stuff over, so I guess he knows....
>
> he also advises against fed-ex or similar as they are the ones who
> also "help" sting you over the duties.
>

He's wrong about the Customs amount - it is £18 if sent through the post or
£36 if imported personally - I've imported a LOT of stuff from the US over
the years, and I always get them (if I can) to mark the value at less than
$25.

That is why companies like DVDboxoffice can compete so well. If they ship
DVDs singly they just come in under the threshold, however if there are two
in the same package (still under the 40 quid your boss mentions) you'll get
stung for VAT *and* duty.

If you are going to pay duty then FedEx is by far the best way to import,
as
they pay the duty, clear the package through customs, deliver it, and bill
you later. The post office will take up to three weeks to clear it, and ask
for cash on the doorstep. UPS will clear it as per FedEx, but again they
won't hand over the parcel until you pay the customs bill. I've been stung
before where they delivered a parcel to me by mistake, and it took months
to
get the cash back from them!

Tim.

Tim.