Just found myself a natty pair of trainers on Ebay.com. About a third of the UK cost. When I look at the postage costs there’s also an ‘import charge’. Any way round this? I’ve not bought anything from abroad for a while. The last thing I remember buying from the states was a T Shirt, and I didn’t get hit with any charges that time. What’s changed? I do however sell a few bits and post abroad. A lot of buyers ask me to mark it ‘as a gift’. Is this what I should do?

If the seller is applying an ‘import charge’ its a con import duty is paid by you if applicable (caught)

+1. There is no export charge. If ebay is doing this now I think its a nail in the coffin for atlantic purchases for me.

As they are a tax-dodge business how much of the duty would make its way back after an ‘admin’ charge? Call me cynical.

I think it is something sellers can opt into and you pre-pay the import charges/VAT etc. I haven’t looked into it but if it means you no longer have to pay RM/PF handling fees and your parcel gets through quicker then I am all for it. Often the VAT is only a couple of £ and the handling charge is more.

No interest in dodging duty/VAT – I buy something I pay the correct taxes and if I am still saving or can’t get it anywhere else then I’ll go ahead.

I buy a fair bit from eBay/the states

Their shipping charges are stupidly expensive (but this is down to American shipping costs not eBay). If the seller chooses to go through the global scheme then import charges are automatically applied at checkout, yes they are high (I need to look in to whether they are higher than HMRC charge) but it means you have paid the charges so there should be no delay nor any fees to pay once your item arrives in the UK.

I certainly would not recommend asking the seller (before you purchase) to amend their listing so they don’t chose the global scheme then asking them to mark item as a gift. No way.