Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Greedy Tax Man

[macauirr]

Dear Indy Lounge members,

This long message has a double purpose:

a) Allowing me to vent out my frustration with regards to some recent events (therapeutic purpose).

b) Informing all UK-resident members, who may be thinking of buying Indy gear outside the European Union (information purpose).

After joining this forum not long ago, and having been given lots of fantastic information, advice and tips regarding some of the best Indy gear available out there, I decided to embark on my own crusade and acquire a few items which would either complete, or upgrade, my existing Indy collection.

As such, I started by ordering a bull whip from James Emery and a Raiders hat from John Penman. I also ordered a whip holder from Wade Egan, and Raiders holster, gun belt and Indy pants from Todd Coyle. Exciting stuff, all of it!!

The whip and (especially) the hat are still a long way from delivery - and I'll have to learn to be patient.
In the meantime, I am already planning my next order from Todds (satchel, Indy boots and web belt), without forgetting Azuma's Raiders shirt.
I am also very impressed by the great craftsmanship of Dusty's (Crease 'n' Corral) whips, and I have my eye on the 'Doom' one.

Anyway...I don't want to bore you to death. Let's get straight to the point.
My first Todds order should be delivered to me some time this week. It arrived in the UK on 13th April, and was examined by Customs on 16th April. It was then retained there for more than one week, and it has just been released.
When I check the online tracking system, its says that 'there are some additional charges to be paid' - and the parcel won't be released and delivered until payment is made.

Well, ladies and gents...we are talking of the infamous VAT (Value Added Tax), which seems to thrive in this country.
The rate? 20% of the declared value of anything being received from a country outside the European Union (EU).

This is how it works. I'll explain with a couple of examples:

1) Item declared as a 'gift'.

Customs will charge you 20% tax on any amount exceeding 40.00 GBP of the declared value. For example...say that an uncle in the USA sent you a toy worth (after exchange rate) 100.00 GBP. Well...Customs will charge you 20% on 60.00 GBP.

2) Item declared as 'merchandise'.

Customs will charge you 20% tax on any amount exceeding 15.00 GBP. Using the same example as before, but this time as 'merchandise'...you would pay 20% tax on 85.00 GBP.

Ah...don't forget the Customs "handling fees". They charge you 8.00 GBP (13.00 USD) for any parcel they 'handle'. What do they mean by 'handling', I wonder? Passing the parcel from one pair of hands to another?

Oh...and don't you worry if what you order from outside the European Union can be classified/deemed as 'educational' in nature. Stuff like books, for instance. Tax will not apply to those (hallelujah!).
I suppose, however, that they will still need to be 'handled', at eight Sterling Pounds per piece!

Ok...we'll all have to get together and think of a way of having all Indy gear labelled as 'educational'. We'll have to think of some intrinsic qualities of the gear...by donning it, we learn how to be more adventurous, how to survive danger. We even learn how to have some fun in this crapty world we are living. The gear enables us to enjoy ourselves, and also to make others enjoy, to entertain them.
It's all quite 'educational', isn't it?

My order from Todds is worth 192.80 USD (119.00 GBP), and I've been told that I have to pay charges of 38.00 GBP (62.00 USD) to have it released. How abusive is that?
In any case, and although I have never been a great mathematician, I can see that the amount works out as being more than 20% of the order value. Anyway, I'll study the breakdown in detail before I make payment!

Ah...another important thing. UK Customs don't seem to give a damn about the real value of the merchandise (even if you show them the original invoice/payment receipt). They just charge you tax on the 'declared value'. So be careful in case some sellers decide to declare a greater value of the contents for e.g. insurance purposes - the tax man will dig his teeth on the whole amount!

I am now thinking of my prospects with the rest of the orders I've placed, or the ones I'm thinking of placing. The tax man will be biting my arse hard! (without forgetting the 'handling' fees).

What can the likes of John Penman, Todd Coyle, James Emery, Dusty Damrel, Wade Egan....and many others, do in order to minimise the amount of tax we, unfortunate Europeans, have to pay? Are they going to declare a smaller value for the merchandise before shipping it? Is that ethical or legal? Can they get away with it? Well...I hope so!

With the amount of tax and 'handling charges' I will have to pay on all my present and future orders, I could possibly buy a flight ticket to visit the USA in person and collect my gear there and then! That would definitely be fun. To get to know the artisans in person, and meet a few of you guys (USA forum members) face to face!

I don't know...I am fed up. Do you guys (at least those in the UK) get the impression that we pay tax for everything we do? For anything you buy, for what you eat, for travelling, Council Tax, Income Tax, even when you die you pay tax. There'll come a day when we'll be paying tax even for breathing!
Asking, asking, asking. Squeezing you for money. Your hard-earned cash. That's what governments do.
Now, on the other hand, try to go out there and get a loan. Borrow money. Ask for a grant. Ah...that's very different, isn't it? Now everything becomes a problem...a difficult quest, a personal scrutiny.

I go on and on. Sorry.
Allow me, anyhow. Just today. I'll behave from now on.
However, I am sure that there are a few of you out there who are understanding very well what I am saying, even sympathising.
I know at least of one forum member...one 'Samurai', an ex-pat of the UK now living in Japan, to whom all this is surely familiar.

One day... once I have received all my Indy gear, once my collection is complete...I will post some pictures so that you can see who this old grump is.
But I am grumpy for a good reason, I think!

Thanks for your time.
With best regards,

Ismael

P.S: I wish the Hovitos ambushed Customs UK and used some 'darts of common sense' on them!

[niagrawhipco]

While I am in the United States, I can certainly understand your frustration. One alternative could be to make some of your own gear. Nothing can compare to the pride of knowing you made something yourself. It was in your mind, and now it's a tangible thing you can show people. Just a thought.

[macauirr]

Well, well...

I have some further information for those ordering overseas gear from the UK. Not very good news, I am afraid.

I'll synthesize the information:

a) Parcel declared as a 'gift':

You will pay VAT on anything declared as having a value of over 40.00 GBP.
You pay the 20% VAT charge on the whole amount, as long as it's over that number.

b) Parcel declared as 'merchandise':

You will pay VAT on anything declared as having a value of over 15.00 GBP.
You pay the 20% VAT charge on the whole amount, as long as it's over that number.

And...(get ready for this):

THE 20% TAX WILL BE APPLIED TO THE WHOLE AMOUNT OF YOUR PURCHASE, INCLUDING THE SHIPPING COSTS YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR.
Being charged tax on any P&P expenses (which I would have already paid in advance) is something that escapes me. It's beyond any logical reasoning.

But that's the reality.
And this is a factual example:

My latest Todds order:

Items (declared value): 192.80 USD
P&P: 55.25 USD
Total: 248.05 USD

Once it hits the UK, I am asked to pay 20% tax on that TOTAL amount, plus a handling fee of 8.00 GBP (13.00 USD).

So...all in all, for the order above I have to pay additional charges of 63.00 USD (39.00 GBP).

Nice, huh? Especially being charged tax for the P&P costs too!

ANYTHING GOES!!

Frustratedly yours.
Best regards,

[California Jones]

THAT has got to be the most FRUSTRATING THING EVER!!!!! I'm sorry to hear it my friend the rape of ones hard earned money$$$$ on bogus crapp sounds like over here across the pond. LOL SOUNDS LIKE TEA PARTY TIME ;DKEEP YOUR POWDER DRY

[strikeomen]

Touch wood I have had parcels from America without being charged import tax and the like.
Recently however my Todd order got held like yours for 5 days I think it is in the region of £100 total tax.
I basically ordered his raiders hat, shirt, trousers, gun belt, trouser belt and raider holster and a whip holder.(£71.11 tax on this lot excluding the shirt)

Now I can understand paying import tax on the hat as it is a large item but I had to pay £25.42 tax on the shirt alone.(Shirt was sent as a separate parcel due to me ordering it after the rest)

The main problem is no one in the UK or the EU really makes props/costumes/memorabilia or sells them on the scale that America does. I mean there are a few shops but you get the idea. I would make stuff myself but lack the skill, tools and materials to do so.

[kwad]

How ironic, considering most of the original props and costumes were made in the UK....

[macauirr]

Yup...very frustrating!

Wow! You paid 100.00 GB in tax for your Todds order only! I know it's a big order, but...it hurts.

There's not much that can be done, unfortunately. We cannot escape the greedy monster (at least at present).
All we can do is try to enjoy the quality gear that we buy the best we can. Hopefully, the pain of the tax paid will disappear with time...and the more we enjoy the merchandise, the better we'll feel.
But the Customs 'rape' won't be forgotten, though!

I also wish I had the skills and tools to manufacture the gear myself...but I'm afraid I don't!

I am going to relocate to Hong Kong, man! That's the plan, at least. A long-term plan.
You should see the place. Paradise of business and merchandising. Money moving fast, changing hands all the time. Shopping, shopping, shopping. Importing, exporting.
And tax? What's that?
That does not exist in Hong Kong. No VAT on ANYTHING. Financial paradise and a fast and business-minded economy.

Ah...and nobody will chase my arse because I want to buy a resin replica of the Raiders gun!
In the UK, you shouldn't own anything that resembles a weapon (even if it's plastic or resin).They wouldn't let you import it!

As a sort of anecdote:
Last year I visited Stirling (remember 'Braveheart'?) and Inverness (in Scotland). I bought a plastic sword for my 4-year-old son. A TOY SWORD. One that wouldn't be more than 80 cm long, light as a feather...and you could see from a mile away that it was a toy sword .
Guess what? It was confiscated at Inverness airport, on my way back to London. They said that it resembled a weapon, and that I wouldn't be able to take it with me.
I tried to convince the guy, saying that my elbows were actually a more powerful and dangerous weapon. I don't know if he took it well .

However, I didn't achieve anything. The 'dangerous weapon' remained in Inverness. The security man's children must be playing with it as I write.

Craziness!