Import duty, shipping costs, etc. from USA

[markymark]

Topic merged - site admin.

I'm having trouble finding shippers for bringing stuff back from USA. Can anyone please give a few names of carriers that you have used yourselves... thanks.

[coppinpr]

What you need is a friend in the US. It's always easier (but longer) to have the item sent to someone in the US then forwarded to you. That way you get best shipping prices and they know who to contact as regards to shippers. If the seller is willing to set up shipping, that works too, but you can fall down on costs that way. Someone on the forum may do it for you.

[bandito]

I just enquired to the cost of having a slot machine shipped from the USA to a Cardiff business address and here was the reply I just received.....

We usually ship machines in a steel drum, which gives them excellent protection, but it is a little more costly. It looks like shipping to your postal code would be $900, which would include insurance as well. It's possible we could get it shipped a little cheaper but not much more

Plus, of course, the import duty on top!
An alternative would be to up sticks and go and live in the US of A YE HA

[bandito]

To Markymark: at the moment on ebay USA there is a nice unrestored Mills Horse Head Bonus slot machine. The seller ships his machines in a steel drum. Take a look at his listing and see what he will charge you to ship this machine to the UK.
If you choke on your roast beef, or spill your tea all down your nice new shirt, I will understand.........

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... ink:top:en

The item number is 120890875461

[markymark]

Cough cough.. splutter, choke!!!!
So they want £800 - £900 to ship it...
May be cheaper for me to fly over and bring back... Mmmmm, what's the weight limit of hand luggage again!!!!!!!!!!
I have visions of me trying to wedge the damn thing in the overhead lockers.. HaHa!!!

PS. So no-one else on this entire forum ever dealt with a shipper, who can best advise me? Cheers.

[badpenny]

I've only ever bought spares from the States.
However, I have shipped the other way.
I sold a Tura Bell and UPS came to my establishment, picked it up and were gone in minutes.
That was on a Friday.

The following Tuesday I got an email from the buyer in Long Beach Calif. confirming its safe arrival.

Now that impressed me .......... then again .......... people with a University Degree used to impress me.

[badpenny]

Topic merged - site admin.

The listing complies with EBAY rules as HM Customs and Excise have classified this machine as a Collectors Piece of Historical Interest under Commodity code 970500090 - it has no Commercial use/value and is for private home entertainment only.

Well I've never heard of ........ Commodity code 970500090

Nor has Google.
Bullshit baffles brains?

[treefrog]

I can't believe it will work with ebay, but interesting to see, as import licenses or course have nothing to do with gaming laws....the code does exist though:

http://tariff.businesslink.gov.uk/tarif ... e=22/04/12

[bandito]

To save you guys hundreds of pounds on import duty, you use this code and state that the machine you are importing is of "historical interest". You then only pay 5% import duty not 20%. I learned this the hard way after the first machine I imported. I paid 17.5% VAT. Last machine I bought, I used this code and only paid 5%. It is basically an import code which you can use on slot machines. Different goods have different codes. I learned this from the Nations Attic when I bought a machine from them. Also, I am sure if you buy anything outside of the UK and it is older than 100 years it is classed as an antique and exempt from duty. So some very early machine could get imported for duty free.......... Did you learn anything new today?

[bandito]

This Horse Head Bonus machine was listed recently on ebay for a couple of hours max. The seller has restored this machine his or her self. I would like to see before pictures, as the person selling it has bought a few spare parts and may have used them on this machine. No problem with that, but I would like to see pictures of before its restoration. I think it is odd that the escalator sticks and the person selling it restores them???

[markymark]

I agree with Bandito... The seller makes a big deal of telling us that the escalator sticks, but is a simple fix!!! Yet here's a guy who's restored the whole thing, replaced parts.. and instead of saying "escalator sticks, but I don't have a clue why" he tells us its a "Simple Fix", which means he knows why it's sticking, surely!!!!! Otherwise, how would he know it's a "Simple Fix"!!
If it is so simple to fix, why did he not just fix it himself, then he wouldn't have to mention it when trying to sell it, which may help him get the 2 grand he wants... Strange people!!!!!!
(Nice machine though!!!! )

[badpenny]

I couldn't find it yet ... there it is.

You are, of course, right TF. It's meaningless. So far as Gaming Commission and eBay are concerned, it merely refers to import duty.
What are the odds of others following suit with such drivel?

Edited 10 seconds after I posted, in order to make it resemble The Queen's English and not the garbage that passes for it in my head.

[marktol]

Topics merged Forum Moderator

So I've ordered 14 award card bolts and a set of reel strips from Mr Slot in the US - total cost £25. It's arrived today along with an £8 handling fee from Royal Mail and £3.32 customs!

This makes them some pretty darn expensive parts for my machine and very frustrating. I've recently had several other bits of similar value from ebay in the USA and not been charged at all!

Rant over

[jimmy55]

Not sure whether it's true, but a postman friend told me that they run packages through a huge machine and look through a window and if 3 cherries come up they charge the customer X% of the value of the goods

[coppinpr]

Make copies of the reel strips and cards and sell on ebay UK, you will make a profit, fees and all

[giles_gunning]

With this topic being merged I've seen Bent Copper's post about his shipping cost for a Rol-a-top. Could anyone who's shipped from the US share the details of how they did this. i.e. carrier, packaging type, weight, dimensions, etc.

[raj]

I want to buy an Allwin from the USA but the seller says that due to its weight it can only go DHL Air at a cost of $750

The quote from the earlier listing is total crap, the seller obviously couldn't be bothered to print an extra piece of paper for customs. If the allwin has to boxed up for transport anyway, air freight is no different.
I've just sent a Bryans Clock by air, collected yesterday lunchtime, will be delivered in Ohio TOMORROW for £111 including £1000 insurance. Try Transglobal Express for a best quote, they have just started import quotes, but I've not had chance to use it yet.
One the other hand, I tried to import a tired 10 cup which cost me $200 and the seller could not get a price under $200 carriage, plus 20% VAT on the selling fee AND carriage from UK customs, so I lost the will to live by the end, and it went to a US buyer.
I'm waiting for a parcel from Mr Slot, so may end up with a bill also.

[treefrog]

Raj, the topic you're responding to is 5 years old. This may have not been the best merged topic, as there are a number of others that have gone on over the years covering high cost Custom fees and their ability to print money... I think Jimmy55 got it right in terms of being a lottery whether they pick up your item at all, to what they charge. It is supposed to be added value tax, but often I have had customs ignoring the import details and making up their own values.... Marktol, it don't sound like your charges are that high to be honest... I have had a lot worse... One of these days, I will challenge the fee in terms of the amount against the actual value of goods... Problem is, we are doomed if we challenge, as the goods are probably illegal if slot related anyway....

[badpenny]

I think my laptop is running slow, when I searched the topics for merging my dinner had left the kitchen and I decided it safer to concentrate on complimenting that rather than fiddling with Pennymachines.
When I got back to it half an hour later Importing from USA was the only one showing. I thought there were others but was also trying to negotiate a bowl of ice cream.
Do me a favour Tom and identify them for me then I'll re-do it.
It would be good to be up to date with HMRC tactics.
I still thank it's quite random which incoming packages get levied, I've imported a few things this year, nothing so big as a machine but still quite large, and have avoided the lottery each time.

Badpenny

[treefrog]

Mmmm, now I have searched, I too have not found many topics, but thought there were loads,

Five more threads rounded up and merged - site admin.