held at customs

waterford123

To cut a long story short I got a pair of Wound Up forks from the makers in Utah. According to UPPS they're being held at customs awaiting charges. Any idea what happens now and how much I'll have to pay?

dawebbo

If it's like parcelforce you'll receive an invoice in the next few days and they'll release once you've paid. Charge will be VAT (20%) plus a few quid admin fee.

waterford123

Cool, thanks dawebbo. How am i going to get this past the misses?

amaferanga

Import duty + VAT (on top of item price + postage charges) + about a tenner fee from parcelforce.

nicklouse

so lets say 400 USD add 4.7% = 418 add the VAT 20% = 502 USD so about 60 quid in import and VAT and then a guess at a tenner admin from the couriers.

waterford123

bloomin hell stop the price keeps going up

nicklouse

what was the invoice price for the forks and shipping? as All i have done is taken a number from their webby but not included the postage, there is charges on a % of that that needs to be included.

Also i can not be sure if it is 4.7 or 4.8% import on bike parts.

waterford123

$245 with free shipping. It was a post warranty deal I took them up on. So bout £151 quid.

maddog 2

death and taxes

unixnerd

As someone who imports a fair bit of stuff it annoys me that they base the fees not on the value of goods but value + shipping costs.

waterford123

Well this is the story. After hitting a traffic cone and writing of my Reynolds forks, I bought a pair of Wound up forks about two years ago because my bike needed a 40mm rake and most you get in the UK are 43mm. Wound ups looked great and were in keeping with the look of my Waterford. I paid £319 and my mate fitted them. Move on two years and I noticed some spotting on the blades. The forks had a 3 year warranty. I took a photo and sent them to the makers of Wound Up who said send em back and we'll repaint them for you under warranty. So I did. £60 to send em to Utah and a day after they got them they told me that they were made in 2000 so they must have been on the retailers shelf for 10 years before I bought them. We can repaint them or we can sell you a new pair at cost. Which was £150. I took them up on the deal. Which to be fair was pretty good I thought. But adding it all up with sending, purchase and now import duty it's cost me £262. I think I could have bought a new pair in the UK for about £279 or some Enve road 1 for about £320. Why didn't I just take em back to the shop I got em from and told them to sort it? I'm a bit of a tool I think. A fool and their money etc etc.

unixnerd

Don't be too hard on yourself, it's just a reflection of how expensive things in the UK are compared to the US. Shipping from here to there is a lot dearer than the other direction for example.

racingcondor

If it's any consolation the deal they offered you sounds like a good one (and good on Wound Up for offering, great service trying to get you a better result).

Unfortunately with the tax / import duties etc it's less good but you live and learn.

waterford123

Spot on Racingcondor Wound Up have been great and the forks turned up today and they are a thing of beauty. All money issues melted away. Not everyones cup of tea but on my Waterford steel beast they will not only look the cats pyjamas but they'll ride beautifully.