Importing Full Bikes From USA

BloggingFit

As the exchange rate is looking quite favourable I'm considering buying in from a shop in the US and save a bit of money. They can sort out shipping but duty can be a bit of a lottery so interested to see if anyone has done the same and what sort of charges were made. A percentage is fine if you don't want to reveal actual numbers.

I'm hoping it'll be around 20% relative to VAT which would still save me a fair bit but I know it can swing from 10% - 30%.

nicklouse

Import duty is 15% then add the VAT onto that total. There is also VAT on some of the shipping.

BloggingFit

Cheers for that. Still works out very well.

cooldad

Bear in mind that if you need any warranty work you'll need to send it back to the dealer in the US.

BloggingFit

cooldad wrote:

Bear in mind that if you need any warranty work you'll need to send it back to the dealer in the US.

I had considered that potential problem but even with a return shipping cost I would be quids in although there is the inconvenience. It's a very good point you raise though.

IShotYou

You might want to consider:
State Sales Tax. I'd be very surprised if you could avoid this, and although it varies between state, can typically be 8%. It is not normally advertised on tickets, and is added at the till. Would be an unexpected shock if you were to purchase from Arkansas (12%) - seeThis handy table from Wikipedia-This column you want is Total with Max Local Surtax
Discounts. UK retailers are quite keen on price matching/discounting, to get a sale - whereas my experience is US stores maintain MRSP/RRP.
Bike Fits You won't get a free bike fit, like you will/could in the UK.


I looked at it recently, and figured that, paying VAT/Customs (assuming that you will/should pay this) it would push the price to about the same, and then you have the issue of warranties - so buying from UK swung it for me.

paul.skibum

Worth noting also that a lot of US companies wont ship internationally for certain brands as they will lose their right to sell those goods.

Out of interest, what are you looking at and through which site? If I were interested I would be looking at taking a holiday and combining the purchase with the holiday and try bringing the bike back as luggage.

BloggingFit

In in NY in November for a few days so toying with that ideas as well.

Sidsbikes in NY and a Santacruz. Undecided between a complete bike or frame and wheelset only at the moment.

Dick Scruttock

I believe all SC USA dealers are unable to ship SC stuff outside of the USA so you would need to collect it, the same as with Fox and ENVE.

BloggingFit

Rick Draper wrote:

I believe all SC USA dealers are unable to ship SC stuff outside of the USA so you would need to collect it, the same as with Fox and ENVE.

Cool. I'll whizz them an email and see what the options are - or aren't!

Dick Scruttock

BloggingFit wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

I believe all SC USA dealers are unable to ship SC stuff outside of the USA so you would need to collect it, the same as with Fox and ENVE.

Cool. I'll whizz them an email and see what the options are - or aren't!

If you don't get a reply I am there next month so I can call in for you if that's any good?

The Northern Monkey

There is a company, I forget what its called, that will set up a PO box in their USA warehouse for you then ship it on to the UK - great if the company in the USA will only ship in the USA.

They state that they won't forward on as "gift" or anything similar, but many people do avoid paying import fees apparently (I'm not sure, never used it).

nicklouse

If going to go shopping, be aware that you are still liable for import tax etc unless you can prove you have owned it for over 3 months. The onus of proof is on you.

poah

take a crap BSO with you in a box, then bring back the nice bike

paul.skibum

POAH wrote:

take a crap BSO with you in a box, then bring back the nice bike

Yeah this - buy a bike and make sure you ride it, get it a bit dusty/muddy and bring it back having disposed of whatever you took over. You have a record that you took a bike (paid excess baggage) and brought it back - buy with cash in US then no purchase trail!

Pretty sure no one will ship a SC bike from US unless via ebay or something. There are definitely products I cant get shipped from US to Canada due to different distributors across the border - it would work against the UK SC distributor if you could get one sent from overseas cheaper.

Just checked Sids Bikes site, they have the new colours for the bronson in their sales pull down but no pictures of them and the old build kits with no mention of the cheaper frame type either. Didn't look at other models. You'd probably want to pre order to make sure the bike is ready to collect when you are in country.

njee20

paul.skibum wrote:

POAH wrote:

take a crap BSO with you in a box, then bring back the nice bike

Yeah this - buy a bike and make sure you ride it, get it a bit dusty/muddy and bring it back having disposed of whatever you took over. You have a record that you took a bike (paid excess baggage) and brought it back - buy with cash in US then no purchase trail!

More hassle than it's worth - they don't care what you took out with you!

stubs

What sort of saving are you looking at by the time you have paid shipping, VAT, Duty and filled in all the forms.

The Rookie

You can import up to £400 duty free (when travelling) - any single item over £400 you pay duty on the whole amount, so whatever you buy, if you can split the invoice so one section is under £400 you'll save duty on that amount.

E.g. buy a full bike but get one invoice for the wheels and tyres etc complete for $600 and another for the rest of the bike - as long as it's vaguely sensible you'll get away with that, especially as you'll be being honest and voluntarily declaring it.

Levi_501

Go on holiday and buy one and then bring it back on the plane. Depending on how much you are looking to save it could be cheaper.

When I played American football, I went to Miami had a two week holiday and still saved money on buying decent pads and helmet.

If you do buy through the internet and use one of these internet retailers that buy on your behalf like International Checkout (massively over charged me and shared my credit card details with the world!) be very careful as they charge a fee, a crappy exchange rate and the warranty will be for them as they buy the buy from the dealer and then sell it to you; thus it is second hand.

My advice, go on holiday!

BloggingFit

Thanks for all the positive input. Rick, especially appreciate the selfless offer.

I'm taking frame only option as a full build forces me into components I'm not that keen on. This is a build that I'm happy to take my time over and enjoy rather than rush through, as tempting as it would be. This helps spread the cost as I'm looking to do a HT build for the winter with some of my Remedy left overs rather than try and sell them - no one will want 2014 Fox 34s so may as well use them than give them away.

Shall fire out a few emails and see what the thoughts are about buying from the shop in NY and take back as luggage. I'll take a hit on import duty as it'll be less than shipping. Otherwise it'll be a UK purchase. I die look into trade but demand is so high that trade sales on the whole aren't being entertained at the moment.

Dick Scruttock

Also consider ordering and having delivered to your hotel. Not that I do that a lot!

BloggingFit

Rick Draper wrote:

Also consider ordering and having delivered to your hotel. Not that I do that a lot!

I assume the delivery to a US address helps to return to UK over shop collection?

Dick Scruttock

BloggingFit wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

Also consider ordering and having delivered to your hotel. Not that I do that a lot!

I assume the delivery to a US address helps to return to UK over shop collection?

Means you can get a better deal on some stuff. Say a Nomad is available at Competitive cyclist or Cambria bike, I'd just order it from them and have it delivered to the hotel. In fact thats what I am doing now but not with a frame 8)

BloggingFit

Rick Draper wrote:

BloggingFit wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

Also consider ordering and having delivered to your hotel. Not that I do that a lot!

I assume the delivery to a US address helps to return to UK over shop collection?

Means you can get a better deal on some stuff. Say a Nomad is available at Competitive cyclist or Cambria bike, I'd just order it from them and have it delivered to the hotel. In fact thats what I am doing now but not with a frame 8)

Appreciate your candour.

Dick Scruttock

Plus it will be in its proper box hopefully with plenty packaging.

BloggingFit

Which would be handy...

Just gotta wait a good few months till November time

BloggingFit

So this was waiting for me at home this evening...





Pretty stoked.

Dawesy92

Well that wasnt November, or did I miss a few months?!

Dick Scruttock

Good choice.

Should have gone for a Cane Creek headset though!

BloggingFit

Dawesy92 wrote:

Well that wasnt November, or did I miss a few months?!

Worked out cheaper to ship across and avoid the sales tax. I was also a bit impatient,

BloggingFit

Rick Draper wrote:

Good choice.

Should have gone for a Cane Creek headset though!

Did consider a 110 and even just a basic 40 but got a decent price on the Chris King. Not getting on with yours?