Refund on import duties - Sweden to UK. Advice needed.

[Lit Up]

I'm in the UK. I'm about to drop about £1,000 on a couple of jackets from a Swedish retailer. Off the shelf jackets, not custom.

However, I want to know how easy it is to get a refund on the import duties should I decide to return either of them. The carrier is UPS.

Has anybody in the UK been through this before with returns? Is it easy?

Thanks

 

[Guppy]

Buy them separately, if they are under $800 you're not liable for the import duty.

Edit: Sorry, I read this at first as you are in the US, not the UK. I don't know what the rules are for the UK.

 

[Lit Up]

I must say it's quite strange that not many people from the UK can chime in on this. Do we not buy (and return) expensive jackets from outside the UK? Surely we buy more than just Aero Leathers and Lewis Leathers.

 

[Brandrea33]

I can only give you anecdotal evidence from my perspective… but here in Canada, the government makes it near impossible to recover import duty and tax paid on a return.

 

[Tom71]

First of all: good to see you back in the game! You were the one who sold me on Lewis Leathers, and I sure never regretted it!

Anectotal evidence only as well but in the EU, refund is possible, but if you paid duties via a courier (as opposed to directly with the customs office), it’s a long and winding road. Only did it once with DHL, mostly to prove to myself that I am more than them and have no desire to repeat that venture.

It’s much easier with customs , directly. Of course, you have to go there in person, but they let you see the item first. If you don’t like it for whatever reason, they let you refuse acceptance, thereby not having to pay import at all and returning the shipment to sender.

 

[Brandrea33]

First of all: good to see you back in the game! You were the one who sold me on Lewis Leathers, and I sure never regretted it!

Anectotal evidence only as well but in the EU, refund is possible, but if you paid duties via a courier (as opposed to directly with the customs office), it’s a long and winding road. Only did it once with DHL, mostly to prove to myself that I am more than them and have no desire to repeat that venture.

It’s much easier with customs , directly. Of course, you have to go there in person, but they let you see the item first. If you don’t like it for whatever reason, they let you refuse acceptance, thereby not having to pay import at all and returning the shipment to sender.

Long and winding road indeed

 

[mvilla]

I never returned nothing, but I've been quite displeased with UPS recently with a parcel coming from US. If you can, check if they can ship with any courier that finishes the delivery using RM, much better experience. Besides, UPS charges duties directly, while RM you'll have to pay to customs as far as I know. I say as far as I know because I never had to pay any duties when importing with RM.