Anyone in EU had issues with importing an EEVBlog Multimeter?

[SpannersToSparks]

I am considering getting a DaveMeter and live in EU. Electronics doesnt usually have any duty to pay, but has anyone run into any red tape / charges with importing one?

Any charges for spider or kangaroo tick fumigation?

Those meters look nice

[wraper]

Electronics doesnt usually have any duty to pay

Nonsense, unless you have some special goods which are not charged with VAT in UK at all, you must pay. ...unless goods were very cheap or there was declared a fake value below the threshold.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users

Goods Value*   Customs Charges applicable
£0.01 to £15   - No customs duty
                        - No Import VAT**

£15.01 to £135   - No customs duty
                        - Import VAT due

£135.01 and greater   - Customs duty due,
                                - Import VAT due

[SpannersToSparks]

Incorrect. Duty to be paid is not reliant solely on price of object but also on the category of product. There are long lists of such things.

Don't confuse duty and VAT

[wraper]

Incorrect. Duty to be paid is not reliant solely on price of object but also on the category of product. There are long lists of such things.

Don't confuse duty and VAT

Did you see the link? That was quoted from there. Do you think that HMRC wrote lies there  ? The only person who is confusing something is you. You should pay customs duties (product category dependent) if the value exceeds £135.
And yes, there are some goods in UK which have 0% VAT, some have like 5% IIRC. But the vast majority of the goods have 20%.

[SpannersToSparks]

Thank you for your pointless, utterly unhelpful pedantry.

I have found the correct goods category now and the duty rate is 2.15% on top of the VAT. Nothing to do with cost.

I was hoping to find out if anyone had had any unexpected costs, however I sadly bumped into you instead.

[wraper]

2.15% on top of the VAT. Nothing to do with cost.

Have you actually read any of that I wrote. You don't pay those 2.15% if the value is below £135
So yes, it depends on the cost.

[wraper]

BTW thanks for calling pointless my attempt of helping you. Probably it was pointless waste of time. Also If you're so smart, then you should tell that you don't consider VAT as duties when asking a question. As 99% of the people by that mean anything they should pay on import. You did not even call that as Customs duties, so your question wasn't accurate in the first place.

[MK14]

Electronics doesnt usually have any duty to pay

Nonsense, unless you have some special goods which are not charged with VAT in UK at all, you must pay. ...unless goods were very cheap or there was declared a fake value below the threshold.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users

Goods Value*   Customs Charges applicable
£0.01 to £15   - No customs duty
                        - No Import VAT**

£15.01 to £135   - No customs duty
                        - Import VAT due

£135.01 and greater   - Customs duty due,
                                - Import VAT due

In practice (assuming you get charged), it is usually worse than that. Because the delivery company (or post office), adds some kind of administration/brokerage fees, on top of those charges. This is something like £4 to £20 or more extra, on top of those rates, and maybe a percentage of the total as well, extra as well.

[SpannersToSparks]

In practice (assuming you get charged), it is usually worse than that. Because the delivery company (or post office), adds some kind of administration/brokerage fees, on top of those charges. This is something like £4 to £20 or more extra, on top of those rates, and maybe a percentage of the total as well, extra as well.

Hi MK14, yeh thats the kind of thing I am wondering about, I wanted to see if anyone in the UK had gone through the process as sometimes, what's written on the sites doesn't end up being 100% what you are charged.

Cheers

Spanners

[wraper]

Those are not duties but brokerage fees. There won't be any if the shipping is by post I stand corrected, in UK it seems to be £8 unlike here, but seems only If there were customs duties on top of VAT (wording is a bit unclear, "customs charges", dunno if VAT is meant by that). If by courier, depends on the courier. They are charged only if you shall be taxed with VAT/customs duties.

[MK14]

Those are not duties but brokerage fees. There won't be any if the shipping is by post. If by courier, depends on the courier. They are charged only if you shall be taxed with VAT/customs duties.

The post office charge you extra as well (assuming you get charges added).

It seems to be the total charges PLUS £8!

The amount you need to pay includes
our £8 handling fee.

http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/International-customs-charges-leaflet-Jan-2017.pdf

In other words, if the parcel was worth £15.02 and was correctly marked/valued as such. Also assuming it gets noticed (I have heard that they don't always get noticed/charged).

Then it would be £15.02 + £3 VAT + £8 Admin charges by post office = About £26 total (£15.02 to seller, rest to post office and VAT people) for the £15.02 item(s).

[MK14]

Those are not duties but brokerage fees. There won't be any if the shipping is by post I stand corrected, in UK it seems to be £8 unlike here, but seems only If there were customs duties on top of VAT (wording is a bit unclear, "customs charges", dunno if VAT is meant by that). If by courier, depends on the courier. They are charged only if you shall be taxed with VAT/customs duties.

No, unfortunately it IS for any custom charges (VAT and/or duty). So even a 1p charge, gets hit by the £8.

Sadly, this is from my own, SAD experiences of this (link to my GofundMe fund, to compensate me for this, on request  ).

[jack-daniels]

Hi Spanners,

I bought one from Amazon UK a couple of months ago for £105.00 delivered, but they're out of stock now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/EEVblog-BM235-Brymen-Multimeter/dp/B01JZ1ADCO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

They did not have the case and clips set and I looked at buying it direct from Dave in Aus. but decided the postage + vat + charges etc was too much.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/'eevblog'-bm235-case/msg1209904/#msg1209904

Dave's offering a free case at the moment when bought from his website.

He said he was hoping to put the cases on Amazon UK soon so I guess he'll be relisting the meter as well if you can wait.

I think its all a bit of a gamble importing from Aus. Import + VAT + Handling could push the price up a lot. 

Sorry, not much help there really! 

[MK14]

One more thing, which often surprises some people (including me).

The total (for the purposes of VAT/Duties/charges/admin fees etc), is the price/value of the item PLUS the cost of all delivery charges (which in some cases is estimated and added, even for free delivery (I'm NOT 100% sure about the free delivery charges) in some cases).

I.e. £100 Item + £40 expedited delivery charge, is treated as a £140 valued package. (I've heard rumors that free delivery can have an estimated value and be added to the total too).

[SpannersToSparks]

Hi Spanners,

I bought one from Amazon UK a couple of months ago for £105.00 delivered, but they're out of stock now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/EEVblog-BM235-Brymen-Multimeter/dp/B01JZ1ADCO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

They did not have the case and clips set and I looked at buying it direct from Dave in Aus. but decided the postage + vat + charges etc was too much.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/'eevblog'-bm235-case/msg1209904/#msg1209904

Dave's offering a free case at the moment when bought from his website.

He said he was hoping to put the cases on Amazon UK soon so I guess he'll be relisting the meter as well if you can wait.

I think its all a bit of a gamble importing from Aus. Import + VAT + Handling could push the price up a lot. 

Sorry, not much help there really! 

Haha no cheers mate, that was actually really useful! I will keep an eye out and see if he puts them on amazon uk or not.

Turns out there's also a third party country fee as its coming from oz, I found a duty calculator on the .gov site and punched all the info in. I was thinking about also getting another couple of bits from the store so I think whatever happens its going to turn out pricey, I may just buy the standard meter https://www.amazon.co.uk/BM235-Digital-multimeter-DC60m-1000V/dp/B01MU2MKZ7/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1498933441&sr=8-1&keywords=Brymen+BM235 and have done with it lol 

How do you find the meter in comparison to other ones in the price bracket?

Thanks again!

[wraper]

I've heard rumors that free delivery can have an estimated value and be added to the total too

Happened to me once, stupid broker, got shipping price from Fedex and added on top of all. Although shipping cost was already in the invoice.

[MK14]

I've heard rumors that free delivery can have an estimated value and be added to the total too

Happened to me once, stupid broker, got shipping price from Fedex and added on top of all. Although shipping cost was already in the invoice.

I (presumably also), would get annoyed, when that happens.

It seems such a rip off that when the VAT/duty bill is, e.g. £4 on a £20 item, the post office charges £8 more, just for charging the £4 in the first place.

With Brexit, it is possible the UK has more trade deals, with more countries. So that some/more countries (outside of the EU), DON'T need to have any duty/VAT paid, so the standard country charges (VAT etc) of that country are enough.

I.e. like buying from the EU now, where there are no extra Duties etc to pay, as standard (VAT rates do vary in different EU countries) EU VAT (of the sending country), has already been paid.

On the other hand, Brexit might end the free within the EU postal rule system. I guess we will have to wait and see what gets agreed, after Brexit.

[jack-daniels]

How do you find the meter in comparison to other ones in the price bracket?

Total newbie to electronics here, so I'm not the person to ask really!

All I can say is it feels a nice bit of kit & good quality. I've had plenty of cheap meters and this is in a different league.

I did a lot of research and Brymen seem to be the best bang for your buck so to speak and if Dave puts his name to it then that's good enough for me.

This meter's way smarter than me! 

I enjoy Dave's videos and wanted to support him but I don't remember the BM235 being as cheap on Amazon as it is now! (Although you get better leads with Dave's)

[SpannersToSparks]

How do you find the meter in comparison to other ones in the price bracket?

Total newbie to electronics here, so I'm not the person to ask really!

All I can say is it feels a nice bit of kit & good quality. I've had plenty of cheap meters and this is in a different league.

I did a lot of research and Brymen seem to be the best bang for your buck so to speak and if Dave puts his name to it then that's good enough for me.

This meter's way smarter than me! 

I enjoy Dave's videos and wanted to support him but I don't remember the BM235 being as cheap on Amazon as it is now! (Although you get better leads with Dave's)

Sounds like a plan! Yeah I'm a bit bummed about the leads, they look good.

[2N3055]

If you want to buy Dave's meter to support him than do so..

If not, there is www.welectron.com that has BM235 for 79.75 €+VAT and + 9.90€ shipping in EU. For that you get BM235, good pair of probes, one thermocouple and a pouch (bag) for it.
All in all good deal. Also, for a 12€ € more, you can get BM257 that's even better, has a bar graph display and better precision.. That one is best buy.

I have no relations with them, just a happy customer ...

[SpannersToSparks]

If you want to buy Dave's meter to support him than do so..

If not, there is www.welectron.com that has BM235 for 79.75 €+VAT and + 9.90€ shipping in EU. For that you get BM235, good pair of probes, one thermocouple and a pouch (bag) for it.
All in all good deal. Also, for a 12€ € more, you can get BM257 that's even better, has a bar graph display and better precision.. That one is best buy.

I have no relations with them, just a happy customer ...

Good lord. That 257....

I just cancelled my order with amazon for the 235 and placed an order with welectron for the 257! Amazon seems a rip off these days anyway, nice to try someone different!

Free shipping too

Thanks!

[alm]

The total (for the purposes of VAT/Duties/charges/admin fees etc), is the price/value of the item PLUS the cost of all delivery charges (which in some cases is estimated and added, even for free delivery (I'm NOT 100% sure about the free delivery charges) in some cases).

I.e. £100 Item + £40 expedited delivery charge, is treated as a £140 valued package. (I've heard rumors that free delivery can have an estimated value and be added to the total too).

As far as I know (I do not have a citation handy), while the shipping costs are considered for the amount of VAT, they are not considered to decide whether you need to pay VAT. So if you buy a GBP 14 item with GBP 10 shipping costs, you would not get charged VAT because the item is still considered under GBP 15. If the item was GBP 16 with GBP 10 shipping costs, then VAT would be charged over GBP 26 total value.

If shipping is split up between multiple companies (e.g. eBay global shipping program), then only shipping costs for the last leg are charged. So shipping to the Pitney Bowes shipping center would not be included.

[MK14]

The total (for the purposes of VAT/Duties/charges/admin fees etc), is the price/value of the item PLUS the cost of all delivery charges (which in some cases is estimated and added, even for free delivery (I'm NOT 100% sure about the free delivery charges) in some cases).

I.e. £100 Item + £40 expedited delivery charge, is treated as a £140 valued package. (I've heard rumors that free delivery can have an estimated value and be added to the total too).

As far as I know (I do not have a citation handy), while the shipping costs are considered for the amount of VAT, they are not considered to decide whether you need to pay VAT. So if you buy a GBP 14 item with GBP 10 shipping costs, you would not get charged VAT because the item is still considered under GBP 15. If the item was GBP 16 with GBP 10 shipping costs, then VAT would be charged over GBP 26 total value.

If shipping is split up between multiple companies (e.g. eBay global shipping program), then only shipping costs for the last leg are charged. So shipping to the Pitney Bowes shipping center would not be included.

You have raised a very good point. As I'm NOT sure if they do it that way or not. I can't remember, ever buying something, which was below the threshold value, but above it if you added the delivery charges to it.

Unfortunately they often make these things favor, the tax collectors 

[nugglix]

Good lord. That 257....

I just cancelled my order with amazon for the 235 and placed an order with welectron for the 257! Amazon seems a rip off these days anyway, nice to try someone different!

Free shipping too

Did you ask for the EEVBLOG code? 

I ordered a 34465A and later learned they have a EEVBLOG offer...  *sigh*

[2N3055]

Thanks!

Anytime !!
Take care!

Did you ask for the EEVBLOG code? 

I ordered a 34465A and later learned they have a EEVBLOG offer...  *sigh*

Ouch, that hurts..  I didn't know about code.. Although it might have been considerable amount for 34465..

[SpannersToSparks]

Good lord. That 257....

I just cancelled my order with amazon for the 235 and placed an order with welectron for the 257! Amazon seems a rip off these days anyway, nice to try someone different!

Free shipping too

Did you ask for the EEVBLOG code? 

I ordered a 34465A and later learned they have a EEVBLOG offer...  *sigh*

Haha damn no way, I didnt think to ask That meter though ... <3 <3

Turns out they dont have the 257's in stock at the mo so I guess mine is on order. Maybe I can ask them if they do a discount and have it applied before they send it

[2N3055]

I would try, nothing to loose.. :-)

[nugglix]

Yes, they're very friendly and (much more important) decent folk.

Ask user Welectron here on the forum.

Good luck!

[SpannersToSparks]

Yes, they're very friendly and (much more important) decent folk.

Ask user Welectron here on the forum.

Good luck!

I would try, nothing to loose.. :-)

Thanks guys, I emailed them with the coupon code Hopefully they will let me know how long the lead time will be, looks like they are popular meters right now

[SpannersToSparks]

Little update,

Welectron have kindly applied the discount code and that money is in my account. Meter is coming end of next week!

Noice one Welectron