Importing from amazon.com

Z

zag

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I managed to convert some of my hotel loyalty points to a $150 Amazon voucher recently. The 'problem' is that this voucher is only good for amazon.com, so I can't use it for DVDs, computer games, etc . . . without attracting VAT and duty on import since they will be shipped from the US.

I know I can take the chance, but from stories I have heard I am likely to be hit for duty, plus a handling charge by whoever it is that handles the shipping - DHL, I think. It's all well and good getting $150 free, but I don't want to have to pay duty if I don't have to.

I can also wait till head office summons me over to the US again and get whatever I buy shipped to the office, but that could be a few months away.

I am pretty sure I can import books without duty & VAT implications, but are there other classes of good which I can import also ? Or are there other legitimate ways to avoid the charges ?

Cheers,

z
 
If I want to order CDs or books I always use amazon.com rather than European sites. I save a fortune and have never had a package stopped by customs. If you're worried, break the order into several smaller ones and you should be fine
 
You won't get hit for import duty etc., unless you place a very big order eg. the Stargate SG1 boxset (all 10 years worth of DVDs)
 
I often buy on Amazon - everything from clothes and makeup to books and CD/DVD's - and I've yet to be stung for import taxes. My boyrfriend, on the other hand, has twice had to pay up. From what I can see, incoming parcels are randomly checked so you probably stand a 50/50 chance of being asked to pay taxes. Either way, Amazon offer terrific value & choice, so if I were you I'd take the risk & go ahead & buy.
 
yc2405 said:
I often buy on Amazon - everything from clothes and makeup to books and CD/DVD's - and I've yet to be stung for import taxes. My boyrfriend, on the other hand, has twice had to pay up. From what I can see, incoming parcels are randomly checked so you probably stand a 50/50 chance of being asked to pay taxes. Either way, Amazon offer terrific value & choice, so if I were you I'd take the risk & go ahead & buy.
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Will they send clothes here now? They wouldn't in the past.
 
make sure not to pick the faster/UPS/DHL delivery options as they are always hit. with the exchange rate at the moment you could probably make a few $40 orders and not get hit.
 
is there a site that handles amazon.com goods,what i mean is amazon will only ship electronic goods within the usa,so is there a company where amazon can ship my goods to in the usa,who will then ship on to ireland,maybe their called forwarders.
 
hopalong said:
is there a site that handles amazon.com goods,what i mean is amazon will only ship electronic goods within the usa,so is there a company where amazon can ship my goods to in the usa,who will then ship on to ireland,maybe their called forwarders.
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There is a company that I came across before that offer that service, for companies that won't ship outside the US, called Access USA

I found it to be too expensive for what I was looking for.

If you know someone in the US you could always have it posted to them and then ask them to ship it to you as a gift. That is what I do for anything that may risk getting stopped by customs or for shops that won't deliver to Ireland.

I just send my friend some dollars every time I am asking her to do me the favour to cover her costs. Never had anything coming from her being stopped but I did get charged for things I ordered through Bloomingdales directly. This was before the customs duties and vat was advertised as being charged so I couldn't afford the items in the end (extra charge was €110) so I didn't accept delivery and it was sent back :(
 
Our postman reckons you have a 20/1 chance of a small parcel arriving from outside the EU being checked. He also reckons the odds drop dramatically when the package is larger? (He told me this while presenting me with a VAT bill and handling charge :( )
 
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