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  • Buying a bike frame from the U S of A – Advice Please
  • superlight
    Free Member

    I'm thinking about purchasing a bike frame online from a store in the USA – does anyone know how much I need to add on to the purchase price to cover import duties, VAT, etc?

    Any other advice or words of wisdom from anyone who has bought from America would be appreciated before I hit the 'Buy Now' button…

    Albanach
    Free Member
    one_happy_hippy
    Free Member

    I think it is still 4.7% import tax on components and 14% on complete bikes.

    Basically its you get charged import tax purchase price / value AND shipping

    YOu then get charged VAT on purchase price / value AND shipping AND import tax.

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    breatheeasy
    Free Member

    And if Parcel Force deliver it I think they charge a £18ish 'admin fee' to send you out a letter to tell you to drive to their depot to collect…

    mike61
    Free Member

    Hi
    I've done 12 times and there is nothing to worry about.

    My take:

    1)
    Clarify that the shop will sell to you and ship to UK as it is in breech of their dealership rules to do so.
    2)
    Know exactly what you want – size colour etc and be prepared to wait for them to order it, if so you will likely need to pay a deposit – my guy takes U$200-00.
    3)
    Tell your cc supplier that you will be making a purchase from USA and name the shop.
    4)
    Get the shop to send you a copy of the receipt and the shipping details so that you can track it. I have always used USPS delivery, it takes about 1 week to get into the UK but it can take up to 3-4 weeks to clear customs. I have been charged by customes on less than half the frames that I have bought, it just seems to be luck whether or not it gets stopped.
    5)
    USPS shipping costs about U$70-00, convert this using todays exchange rate.
    6)
    UK tax and duties come to about £100-00 in total for a U$1500-00 frame & shipping. Tax and duties are significantly higher if you buy a complete bike – but I have asked the shop to strip the bike and send it in two seperate consignments and this keeps the import and tax to the figures above.

    If the maths is favourable then just do it, you will either get a knock on the door from USPS with the item or a letter from customs telling you the pay up and collect the goodies. Take your payment to customs when you go to collect it and they will sort out the payments etc

    I've seen and read a lot of blather about importing from USA, I've done it 12 times and each time painlessly. I've also sorted warrantry claims from US sourced Frames without any hassle. USA is the land of customer service.

    If you are buying a high end frame ask them to throw a CK headset in – at the very least you will get it for about £30-00! a winner.

    Cheers

    superlight
    Free Member

    Mike 61 – thanks for the comprehensive reply.

    So who's 'your guy' in the USA – sounds like a good chap to buy a frame off…?

    one_happy_hippy
    Free Member

    Also bare in mind that many frame manufacturers will not warranty frames bought in the US and imported to the UK.

    njee20
    Free Member

    I'd say the increasing tendencies towards dealer agreements that prohibit international selling is the bigger issue. Trek and Specialized will close the dealer's account now, so as Mike suggests you need to be really confident that they're happy to do it!

    mike61
    Free Member

    Hi Mr Super

    e-mail me.

    Cheers

    MrTall
    Free Member

    I'm in the middle of doing this at the moment and got off the phone to parcelforce around 5 minutes ago.

    I bought a frame and fork which would have cost £1400 & £550 in the UK and with my final import cost having just been confirmed as only £113 my total spend is £1288, saving me over £650 which i'm very happy with. It's like buying a frame here and getting a free Reba Maxle 29er fork thrown in for free!!

    I also posted up on here about duty etc and got the usual doom and gloom responses about how i'd be paying £500+ etc but the reality is that if you do it sensibly the cost can be kept low or if you are very lucky you'll get no costs at all. Go for it!

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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