Rip off Britain (as if you didn't know already)

[Lozz360]

It would have been part of my carry on luggage

Maybe, but I was responding to a post about the cost of buying a USA made bike in the UK.

 

[PK99]

Don't forget bike parts attract duty at 4.7% while complete bikes are 15%. Then add VAT at 20% to the whole lot.

$1299 = £1066

£1066 * 1.15 * 1.2 = £1471

 

[marzjennings]

So don't buy it then! It can hardly be classed as an essential purchase or necessity. IMO people spending such large sums on stuff that is effectively a toy cant really justify complaining about rip offs!

I'm not complaining as if I buy the bike I benefit from the cheaper price. I'm used to see a difference in price when shifting between currency (actual cost, rather than just different digits), but this time I was quite surprised at how much cheaper the bike was for US customers.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

I'm not complaining as if I buy the bike I benefit from the cheaper price. I'm used to see a difference in price when shifting between currency (actual cost, rather than just different digits), but this time I was quite surprised at how much cheaper the bike was for US customers.

If you see my above post, the bike is actually more expensive for US customers.

 

[confusedcyclist]

In America if you lose your job, you're out on the street in 6 weeks with no job seekers allowance. If you get sick and don't have insurance, you're reduced to online begging, or dependency on charitable organisations. Things are cheaper there for a reason. The taxes are lower and thus costs of goods falls in all areas, but their social welfare is lacking for the same reason. Now, I'm not saying this is good or bad, that depends on your political opinions, but it's also an important factor in cost of living differences.

We pay more for a lot of things, but we also have it pretty good here in the UK. At least for now.

 

[screenman]

Wages over here are a rip off, I could employ someone in China for a lot less.

 

[nickyboy]

According to gov.uk the appropriate piece seems to be "planning to sell". I've always thought that if you bought yourself something (anyone remember the game Contraband from their childhood) it was ok if it was for you and you were using it before you passed customs so wearing a watch, having used perfume etc.

Bearing in mind how few people are aware they need to declare anything other than tobacco and alcohol anyway, it's a moot point though.

I think this is the relevant linky

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu

If you don't bring the goods in yourself, you have to pay duty. End of. If you bring goods in personally there are various personal limits. For example you can bring in £390 of goods from USA without attracting duty. So the idea that you can buy a fancy watch and then tell UK customs that you've "bought it for personal use" and thus avoid duty is, according to the official website, nonsense

 

[Gary E]

Wages over here are a rip off, I could employ someone in China for a lot less.

...and I thought I had a long commute!

 

[martint235]

I think this is the relevant linky

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu

If you don't bring the goods in yourself, you have to pay duty. End of. If you bring goods in personally there are various personal limits. For example you can bring in £390 of goods from USA without attracting duty. So the idea that you can buy a fancy watch and then tell UK customs that you've "bought it for personal use" and thus avoid duty is, according to the official website, nonsense

No - nothing to do with planning to sell.

The basics are here (scroll down page to 'Allowances for Other Goods')

Good to know although I feel they need to publicise it more. I'm sure a lot of people are only aware of tobacco and alcohol (plus the page I linked to will be reached first by some people)

 

[screenman]

If it is such a big ripoff that some suggest, this is an ideal opportunity for a business importing these incredibly cheap goods and undercutting all the evil ripper-offers.

Any takers?

I already do that, next time next year I will not be a millionaire.

 

[marzjennings]

In America if you lose your job, you're out on the street in 6 weeks with no job seekers allowance. If you get sick and don't have insurance, you're reduced to online begging, or dependency on charitable organisations. Things are cheaper there for a reason. The taxes are lower and thus costs of goods falls in all areas, but their social welfare is lacking for the same reason. Now, I'm not saying this is good or bad, that depends on your political opinions, but it's also an important factor in cost of living differences.
We pay more for a lot of things, but we also have it pretty good here in the UK. At least for now.

Yea, can't argue with most of that, though taxes in general are about the same. What I've found over the years is that what you need, food, clothing, education, health is a lot cheaper in the UK and what you want, car, tv, bike, is a lot cheaper in the US. So as whole, rip off Britain only seems to apply a couple of things and not to life in general.

 

[marzjennings]

If you see my above post, the bike is actually more expensive for US customers.

No, for Texas I'd pay just over 10% for import tax, putting the grand total still under the UK price.

 

[screenman]

No, for Texas I'd pay just over 10% for import tax, putting the grand total still under the UK price.

So not really a rip off then.

 

[Beebo]

Wait until we leave the EU and everything has WTO tariffs added.

 

[Drago]

Including our exports.