That'll Teach Me...

[carter]

This may be of interest. It's a little something I posted on the 'What's left to invent' thread.
____________________________________________________

The BIWIN Automatic In-Home Pet Fur Accumulator and Felter.

Once it has automatically gathered and cleaned the required quantity of your own pet's fur, the BIWIN Automatic In-Home Pet Fur Accumulator and Felter will blend it with other fibers chosen by you, the home user * into a fine, densely woven, premium felt. The felt will then be automatically teleported to Art Fawcett, Steve Delk, or your hatter of choice who will render a stunning creation from these dearly-cherished remnants and teleport it back to you within....

*Natural fibers suitable for blending may be purchased from BIWIN, Inc. at a reasonable charge and include, but are not limited to: Black Bear, Polar Bear, Grizzley, Panda, Ferret, Mink, Otter, Wolverine, Hare, Beaver, Nutria, Polecat, Wallace, and Grommet.

No living creature is killed, maimed, injured, or insulted during the harvesting of it's fur.

All creatures donating fur to BIWIN, Inc. are farm-raised from the purest genetic cloning stock available.

Keep watching for the ultimate in available furs for blending as BIWIN, Inc. introduces the latest in cloned furs from extinct specimens and creatures of antiquity.

BIWIN, Inc. keeping you aHead of the pack.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brought to you by Bristol-Myers-Kellog-Squib-Harry-David & Tonto

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It doesn't matter if the hat is used. VAT is the same for used clothing as it is new clothing. But the seller should have put the worth of the hat at $20 - excluding the shipping price.

This is always the danger of buying something from the US or other non-EU country. If it happens to be one of the packages that the customs people get their hands on, you're gonna pay.

But you should certainly challenge the cost if they just took away the dollar sign and added a pound sign. This is very rude. Nothing you can do about the royal mail "handling" charge, though. They really are scum.

bk

 

[John in Covina]

I'd just like to say, we in the US had a little party a while back on this very subject, it was called "The Boston Tea Party" and we expressed our distain for the British Tax system. Might be time to have your own Tea Party.

 

[fatwoul]

This may be of interest. It's a little something I posted on the 'What's left to invent' thread...

I'm guessing you mistakenly posted that here rather than there, but it is a cool idea. Thanks.

It doesn't matter if the hat is used. VAT is the same for used clothing as it is new clothing. But the seller should have put the worth of the hat at $20 - excluding the shipping price...

Yeah, I emailed the guy, and thanked him for a smooth auction, and I left him the positive feedback he deserved. However, I did mention to him that in future he might want to consider what values he puts on parcels to the UK, based on the way HMC operates. I'm sure he did it for the right reasons (insurance value or whatever else I forgot to tell him I didn't need), but another UK bidder in the future might not be as reasonable, and might blame him for any duties they end up paying. Afterall, not all Brits are as thoroughly decent as me.

This is always the danger of buying something from the US or other non-EU country. If it happens to be one of the packages that the customs people get their hands on, you're gonna pay...

Yeah, the game is to attract as little attention as possible, and I am certainly going to work on that in the future.

...But you should certainly challenge the cost if they just took away the dollar sign and added a pound sign. This is very rude...

Not to mention specifically against the rules. I do plan on challenging, although part of me worries that a challenge might cause my name and address to get flagged up on some demented evil computer at the HMC so they charge me for every parcel I ever receive from abroad or something.

I really wouldn't put it past them. lol

...Nothing you can do about the royal mail "handling" charge, though. They really are scum.

It's OK, there are other ways to deal with The Farce.

A long time ago, they managed to lose a parcel of mine that was being shipped domestically. Gloucestershire to Devon was too difficult for them. Anyway, after trying their "hotline" several times, and becoming more sick of Greensleeves than I ever have been before, I managed to find the phone number of the managing director of Parcel Farce. So I called him. I never actually got to speak to him, but his secretary seemed very flustered that a member of the public had found the number, and she promised me she would sort it out. Strangely my parcel arrived the following day.

So whenever The Farce pull this kind of nonsense, I just think back to that pathetic little victory I had all those years ago. lol

 

[Mid-fogey]

Hmmm...

...now you guys have got me thinking. I ordered a hat from overseas, and now I'm wondering if I'm going to have the same problem of it getting into the US. I guess I was presuming that the seller worked those issues. Perhaps not.

As a funny side note, a while back I ordered a badger shaving brush from Germany. It was shipped from Germany but went to some place in the Midwest to the carriers hub. It then came to my town. Someone noticed it hadn't cleared customs before it got to me. It went back to the midwest hub and then back to Germany by mistake. The seller e-mailed me and asked why I had rejected the brush. I told him I hadn't so the brush went back to the hub and eventually to me.

A week later I went on vacation to Germany and took the brush with me -- and it had its 5th and 6th trip across the Atlantic in less than a month.

 

[John in Covina]

I had to send samples to Japan a while back and many items were used. I needed to send back items that had failed during use. I remember that the value for these were either zero or a dollar because the were not working.

Used items may not have the same rate of tax as new and items returned for repair may not have had a value either.

 

[fatwoul]

...A week later I went on vacation to Germany and took the brush with me -- and it had its 5th and 6th trip across the Atlantic in less than a month.

Was the trip to Germany unplanned? Cos you could have just had the seller mail it to the hotel you went to or something. lol

 

[Nigel]

I just got a hat through, the seller very kindly put a value of $200 on the customs form luckily though it came through with no hidden extras more luck than anything else though.

 

[WideBrimm]

It's OK, there are other ways to deal with The Farce.

A long time ago, they managed to lose a parcel of mine that was being shipped domestically. Gloucestershire to Devon was too difficult for them. Anyway, after trying their "hotline" several times, and becoming more sick of Greensleeves than I ever have been before, I managed to find the phone number of the managing director of Parcel Farce. So I called him. I never actually got to speak to him, but his secretary seemed very flustered that a member of the public had found the number, and she promised me she would sort it out. Strangely my parcel arrived the following day.

So whenever The Farce pull this kind of nonsense, I just think back to that pathetic little victory I had all those years ago. lol

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

I always like to hear about it when a commoner somehow reaches a corporate or governmental "inner sanctum". Too bad it doesn't happen more often!

 

[maff2k]

'gifts'

Just to chuck my 2d in - 'gift' means nothing to the UK Customs and Excise! They do not care what purpose the item is for, simply that it has the correct duty and tax paid. You are just as likely to pay up on a gift as not.

The way I look at it is that I've 'got away with it' more times than I've had to pay. I think it's harsh that the idiots at Parcelfarce charge soooo much for doing sooooo little. I'm not sure what you can do about this though.

Remember that you can pay duty on certain goods as well as VAT - this can make items spiral in cost, I think it's 10% on electronics so that $100 camera can suddenly cost $100 + $10 = $110 + 17.5% VAT......

 

[Mid-fogey]

The trip was planned...

Was the trip to Germany unplanned? Cos you could have just had the seller mail it to the hotel you went to or something. lol

...but I was concerned that things would get messed up if I had it sent anywhere but to my house. Little did I suspect.

 

[fatwoul]

Just to chuck my 2d in - 'gift' means nothing to the UK Customs and Excise! They do not care what purpose the item is for, simply that it has the correct duty and tax paid. You are just as likely to pay up on a gift as not...

As I understand it, if an item is described as a gift, the value doesn't have to be put on there, but I guess the alternative is to put a lower value on anyway.

 

[scalawag]

taxed too

Hi just thouhgt I would chip in here too.

Just been notified that my new monti christi from panama bob has arrived in the uk. The nice people at Parcel force have sent me a similar letter telling me how much tax I have to pay (they do seem to have worked mine out correctly on the £ value and not the $) and of course the £8 just for the joy of dealing with them.

I think the reason they mail you and not hand deliver the initial note is that they will not even attempt to deliver until you pay up.

Interestingly mine too arrived on a friday!! still more interesting, They charge for Saturday delivery!! no coincidence there then.

Ah well shall just play the game, some I win, this one I still won it just cost.
Looking forward to getting my hat now.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Fatwoul,

It may have taught you not to buy cheap western hats from the US, but I see you're still willing to take a chance on very nice fedoras! :eusa_clap I hope that one gets through with no issues.

Good luck!
Tom

 

[fatwoul]

Just been notified that my new monti christi from panama bob has arrived in the uk. The nice people at Parcel force have sent me a similar letter telling me how much tax I have to pay (they do seem to have worked mine out correctly on the £ value and not the $) and of course the £8 just for the joy of dealing with them.

I think the reason they mail you and not hand deliver the initial note is that they will not even attempt to deliver until you pay up.

Interestingly mine too arrived on a friday!! still more interesting, They charge for Saturday delivery!! no coincidence there then.

Ah well shall just play the game, some I win, this one I still won it just cost.
Looking forward to getting my hat now.

lol Well, at least I can take comfort that my misfortune put me in good company. Better luck next time for the both of us, eh?

Fatwoul,

It may have taught you not to buy cheap western hats from the US, but I see you're still willing to take a chance on very nice fedoras! :eusa_clap I hope that one gets through with no issues.

Good luck!
Tom

I wondered if anybody would notice that. As a newbie, I was kinda worried I might have overpaid. What do you think? Did I get a good deal? I wanted to get myself a vintage felt of some kind, just to see what the fuss was about, and I thought where better to start than a grey whippet?

I wasn't going to say anything until it arrived, so I could take my own pictures. Like Mr Chevalier, I'm not much of a fan of posting eBay auctions - I'd rather see members' own photos and opinions of hats than an auction page.

I know the lining looks pretty messed up, but I figured nobody will see that except me, right?

Hopefully, I'll be able to sneak this one through. The seller was unwilling to ship internationally, so another generous FL member agreed to take receipt of the hat in the US, and mail it on to me. Finger crossed...

Anyway, let me know what you think of the hat - I'll post the hat myself once I've received it.

 

[deanglen]

Fatwoul, you got a good deal.


dean

 

[Tango Yankee]

A grey (or is it gray? I've gotten to the point where I can't remember which is the US and which the UK spelling--I use them interchangeably these days) is a fine place to start, and I think you have a very nice example of such at a good price. :eusa_clap

Give the liner a gentle cleaning when you get it and put it back in, and enjoy!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[fatwoul]

Thanks guys

dg - is it OK to mess with vintage hats like that? Pulling out liners and stuff? Is that...allowed?

By the way, I know the wind trolley is missing, but I'm not too bothered about that. If anybody has a spare grey-button trolley they want to sell to me, it might be worth having it on their for completion.

TY - "Gray" is the US spelling, "Grey" the UK. Think "A" for "America" and "E" for "England". Hey, I just made that up. How smart am I?

 

[Edward]

hahaha is that what i should have said ?

Speaking as a lawyer..... yes!

This may be of interest. It's a little something I posted on the 'What's left to invent' thread.
____________________________________________________

The BIWIN Automatic In-Home Pet Fur Accumulator and Felter.

Once it has automatically gathered and cleaned the required quantity of your own pet's fur, the BIWIN Automatic In-Home Pet Fur Accumulator and Felter will blend it with other fibers chosen by you, the home user * into a fine, densely woven, premium felt. The felt will then be automatically teleported to Art Fawcett, Steve Delk, or your hatter of choice who will render a stunning creation from these dearly-cherished remnants and teleport it back to you within....

*Natural fibers suitable for blending may be purchased from BIWIN, Inc. at a reasonable charge and include, but are not limited to: Black Bear, Polar Bear, Grizzley, Panda, Ferret, Mink, Otter, Wolverine, Hare, Beaver, Nutria, Polecat, Wallace, and Grommet.

No living creature is killed, maimed, injured, or insulted during the harvesting of it's fur.

All creatures donating fur to BIWIN, Inc. are farm-raised from the purest genetic cloning stock available.

Keep watching for the ultimate in available furs for blending as BIWIN, Inc. introduces the latest in cloned furs from extinct specimens and creatures of antiquity.

BIWIN, Inc. keeping you aHead of the pack.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brought to you by Bristol-Myers-Kellog-Squib-Harry-David & Tonto

Interesting idea..... when I think of all the cat fur I've brushed off my clothes over the years, I'm certain I could have put together at least a few dozen hats! lol

With regards to shipping and duty, as memory serves, the combined total is something around 22.5%. Unless I'm mistaken, they charge you import tax based on the csot of item plus cost of shipping, then 17.5% VAT of that total on top. I'm not sure what's worse - screwing us over like that, or the fact that it's so often still cheaper to buy from the US! The best option is to go to the Us on holiday with an empty suitcase - mind the excess baggage charges, though.... That way you can save on shipping. Someone who wasn't 101% honest might take back their new wardrobe opened, delabelled and worn without declaring it at customs. Speaking professionally, I couldn't possibly advise that course of action, obviously.

Incidently, when buying by mail order, items up to a value of around GBP16 (USD32) - at least, that was the figure last I checked - are tax free, so watch that one. I think that's item value alone, not including shipping, that's based on. If you're carrying stuff into the EU yourself from holiday, the limit is in and around GBP145 (USD 290). There was some discussion in Europe a couple of years ago about upping this to the equivalent of GBP1,000, which would make sense, bearing in mind that a B3, an ipod and maybe a new ring from Tiffany's isn't an unthinkable spend for a lot of folks who go to the states, and that very quickly would eat up several allowances! No word on it coming through, though, yet. and they're cracking down in Rip Off Britain - Heathrow had the hardcore securi-nazis out in force coming up to Christmas last year to make sure nobody coming back from Christmas shopping in NYC got away without a check just shy of a full cavity search.