Customs

[Walter]

I agree with you Paul, that a flat rate fee seems unreasonable, but from Royal Mail's point of view, the cost of providing the service is more or less the same whether they are dealing with small values or large. I agree that a sliding fee scale proportionate to the duty paid would be fairer for the consumer. As for whether I am happy with the charges or not, I am not, nor am I happy with the VAT on imports and I simply avoid both by not, generally speaking, importing kits from abroad.

Whatever the fee, charging for a service is not a crime so their charges cannot properly be described as theft or robbery.

Wonga's interest rates and those of the other "pay day loan" providers are not illegal either (at present). They are however. in my opinion, extortionate, immoral and exploitative of those who can least afford it.

 

[Walter]

The only reason we have crap kits is because we put up with crap quality.

I nearly agree with you Brian, but not quite. In my opinion, the reason we have crap kits is because we demand cheap kits. We would rather buy cheap copies than pay the full price for the genuine article. If no-one bought the copies, then demand for the genuine article would increase the supply of better quality items and bring the price down. O-level economics innit?

 

[paulm]

So... to avoid these cheap kits we try to source them elsewhere. Where can we get them? abroad. We order them and then pay extortionate amounts of fees... not government VAT, Customs but handling fees. So what do we do... buy cheap Chinese kits... catch 22.

I have imported containers of goods and pay a fraction of the cost that RM charges proportionally.

 

[Walter]

I have imported containers of goods and pay a fraction of the cost that RM charges proportionally.

Then surely the answer is to buy large quantities of decent quality kits either by clubbing together with others or importing them yourself and selling them on.

(And not everything bought from abroad is the genuine article either - but don't let's get started on what is and what isn't)

 

[paulm]

Then surely the answer is to buy large quantities of decent quality kits either by clubbing together with others or importing them yourself and selling them on.

Sure it is but I don't in the same way that when I go out for steak I don't buy the whole cow. I just want to buy a reasonable amount.

 

[Walter]

And in the same way, the steak is more expensive per pound than the cow because someone has provided the service of cutting it up for you.

 

[paulm]

Sure, that's economics but I wouldn't expect to pay £15 for the steak and then get a £30 delivery charge because they had to pay for the steak in the first place and if they charged this I would go somewhere else. With the Royal Mail you have no choice.

Anyway, in my opinion its extortion charging £8 to cover a £3.32 customs bill. I guess we'll always differ on that.

 

[ataylor]

Not forgetting the inconsistancy of payments, i have ad parcels sent from america by my family and had no charges where as a had charges when i bought fishing tackle items?

 

[Woody]

Not forgetting the inconsistancy of payments, i have ad parcels sent from america by my family and had no charges where as a had charges when i bought fishing tackle items?

So there's your answer get your family in America to buy them for you and send them over as a gift I did promise myself I was going to stay away from this one the times it has been debated and it goes on and on so I will shut up BYYYYYYYYYYYY

 

[Walter]

With the Royal Mail you have no choice.

Yes you do you could use FedEx or UPS and pay even more

Anyway, in my opinion its extortion charging £8 to cover a £3.32 customs bill. I guess we'll always differ on that.

I disagree that it is extortion simply on the basis that extortion is the criminal offence of obtaining money, property, or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion and RM are not committing that or any other crime, however I do agree that charging the same fee whatever the size of the transaction is unfair. Life is unfair.

Anyway, I am off now to stock up the gallery. Lets just agree to differ.

 

[rowdyyates115]

So there's your answer get your family in America to buy them for you and send them over as a gift I did promise myself I was going to stay away from this one the times it has been debated and it goes on and on so I will shut up BYYYYYYYYYYYY

Yes Woody, this one does always come up for debate....
But within the debate someone usually has another way through... hopefully...

 

[silver]

in my opinion its extortion charging £8 to cover a £3.32 customs bill. I guess we'll always differ on that.

Well Paul, don't you feel some sort of achievement, after all you have contributed to this..

BBC News - Royal Mail reports jump in profits

 

[silver]

Imported some kits, they arrived today and only had to pay £8 handling fee.....

And that was for 35 kits and a few bushes as well..

 

[paulm]

Imported some kits, they arrived today and only had to pay £8 handling fee.....

And that was for 35 kits and a few bushes as well..

I got mine today... Now I want to have a go at making a sealed end pen but I've got to got to work and won't be back home till next Thursday...... damm